Despite having 4 long haul trips lined up for 2025, two already taken and two to go, we felt "in need" of a mini break in June and decided to visit the Baltic States. We'd originally thought of flying to Tallinn (Estonia) hiring a car and then driving south through Latvia into Lithuania and returning the car/flying home from Vilnius but I couldn't find a car hire company willing to do that. Instead we settled for the middle country and 4 nights in Riga.
For once the flight was an acceptable time of 10:40 arriving into Riga at 15:25 and having booked a hotel near the Old Town through Booking.com we were once again given a free taxi pick up from the airport. Clearing immigration took forever (as it has done in Schengen countries since Brexit) but I messaged the driver to say we'd be out soon with no luggage to collect and hoped they'd wait. We came out into the arrivals hall and found a middle aged, rather round, lady holding up our name card. She spoke absolutely no English but on the 25 min journey to the hotel I managed to learn the word for "thank you" and she was delighted. Unfortunately despite the weather being glorious the previous week when friend Lorraine was there, we are forecast rain most days and in fact it was raining quite heavily when we landed, but having dropped our bags at our boutique hotel we're out and about with umbrellas to hand.
We didn't buy any kind of guide book so any info I give here I've gleaned from the internet using reverse image look-up (and we all know how inaccurate that can be!)
Modern day Latvia's population is 63% Latvian and 24% Russian and this red granite statue just around the corner from our hotel was originally dedicated to the Latvian Red Riflemen, some of whom became Lenin's personal bodyguards. It now honours all Latvian riflemen, both Whites and Reds, although some view it as a symbol of the old communist system.
The wooden spire of St Peter's Church which has been Lutheran since 1523 but was Catholic on construction in 1209.
The rather grim looking Museum of Latvian occupation which we didn't visit. After centuries of rule by various neighbouring
countries, the independent Republic of Latvia was established in 1918 after
breaking away from the Russian Empire in the aftermath of WW1. The country became increasingly autocratic after
a coup in 1934 established the
dictatorship of Kārlis Ulmanis and its de
facto independence was interrupted at the outset of WWII,
beginning with Latvia's forcible incorporation into
the Soviet Union, followed by the invasion and occupation by Nazi Germany in
1941 and the re-occupation by the Soviets in
1944, which formed the Latvian SSR for the
next 45 years. As a result of
extensive immigration during the Soviet
occupation, ethnic Russians became the most prominent
minority in the country. The
peaceful Singing Revolution started in 1987 among
the Baltic Soviet republics and ended with the restoration of both de
facto and official independence in 1991. Latvia has since been a
democratic unitary parliamentary republic and is now a high
income, advanced economy country.
The clock tower of Riga Town Hall
This ornate building boasts the wonderful title The House of the Blackheads. The original building was erected in 1334 as a
warehouse, meeting and celebration place for merchants and from around 1550 was also used by the Brotherhood of Blackheads, a guild for unmarried
merchants, ship owners and foreigners in Riga.
Unfortunately the building, along with most of the old town, was bombed to a ruin by the Nazis in 1941 and the remains subsequently demolished after WWII. It was rebuilt 1996-2000 and is now an event centre and museum which we intend to visit tomorrow.
Additionally, it is the site of the first decorated Christmas tree, which was erected in 1510. And here's a statue to prove it.
I have no idea what the Labrador signifies.
We wandered around in the drizzle for quite a while as it doesn't get dark here until 23:00 - so just random street scenes unless I can find any info.
St Mary's (Catholic) Cathedral.
This armadillo statue is just next to the cathedral but I couldn't find any info on it.
It all looks very oldie worldie but of course it was all rebuilt following WWII.
The Old Town's main square with the Art Museum in the background.
And turning 180°
No clue!
Another Catholic cathedral, this time St James's aka St Jacob's
Our Lady of Sorrows Church - the Catholics certainly aren't short of places to worship in Riga.
Riga Castle
This building was obviously a warehouse at some point, with the winch house in the roof.
Heading back to our hotel through the main square again.
I see a moose on the side of the building?
Suitably worn out we enjoyed a glass of wine and some crisps back in the room on the top (5th) floor (luckily there's a lift even though it's an old building).