Riga, Latvia

St. Dominic’s Cathedral

The largest medieval cathedral in the Baltics. The St. Mary’s Cathedral, or the Riga Dome Cathedral and the monastery of the Cathedral Chapter, was founded in 1211 as a church of the Archbishop of Riga Albert (the founder of the city), and for many centuries it was extended and changed. As a result, it acquired a unique architectural appearance-a blend of Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, and Classicism. The Dome Cathedral is one of the main symbols of Riga. It is famous for an incredibly resonant organ 25 meters high, consisting of nearly seven thousand pipes made from six types of wood and metal structures. The current organ, created by German masters in 1884 (to replace the previous one from the late 16th century), was at the time the largest in the world. The cathedral hosts magnificent organ-music concerts.

St. Peter’s Church

St. Peter’s Church has a unique viewpoint that is easy to reach - a lift quickly takes you up to 72 meters. St. Peter’s Church is several years older than the Dome Church and has always belonged to the townspeople. The building features remarkably clear, well-proportioned architectural lines and a spire reaching up to the sky. For its 123 meters, the spire has paid the price more than once - lightning struck the Peter’s tower six times. City legends say that Peter I himself took part in putting out a fire in 1721 and issued a special decree ordering the tower’s prompt restoration. And the last time the Peter’s tower burned was right on St. Peter’s Day, June 29, 1941. Its restoration took many years and was completed only in the early 1970s.

House of the Blackheads

The House of the Blackheads is a 14th-century architectural monument located right in the heart of Riga. The House of the Blackheads was rebuilt on its original site in 1996-2000 in celebration of the 800th anniversary of Riga. This magnificent building is the venue for official events, receptions, a museum, and simply a must-see attraction.

Monument to the Bremen Town Musicians

The Bremen Town Musicians Monument is a sculptural composition depicting the world-famous: a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster. The group is located by St. Peter’s Cathedral and is visited by tourists every day, who lovingly touch the animals. Since the animals are positioned one on top of another, the donkey receives the most attention. However, it is believed that a wish is more likely to come true if you rub the nose of whoever is positioned higher. “Quietly, the donkey placed its front legs on the windowsill, the dog climbed onto the donkey’s back, the cat jumped onto the dog’s back, and the rooster flew up to the cat’s head.” Still, try to reach the leader of the order of the gallinaceous birds. The Bremen Town Musicians are shown at the moment of the plot when they are peering through the window at the forest robbers.

Architectural Complex “Three Brothers”

Not far from Dome Square, on Maza Pils Street (Small Castle Street), three historic houses nestle close together, known to locals as the “Three Brothers.” All the buildings are made of stone, because in progressive Riga, as early as 1293, construction regulations had been introduced prohibiting the erection of wooden residential houses within the walled fortress city. In miniature, the “Three Brothers” complex offers a glimpse of a typical Riga neighborhood of merchants and craftsmen.

Old Riga

Until 1857, Riga had the status of a fortress city and was surrounded by a fortified wall. Because of these building features, the main historical sights are compactly and comfortably tucked within Vecrīga. These include the Dome Cathedral with its unique acoustics and organ, St Peter’s Church, the Riga Castle, the House of the Blackheads, the Large and Small Guild with unique interiors, the Cat House, and incredibly photogenic medieval residential buildings, the “Three Brothers.” Wandering through the Old Town can be endless and with taste-discovering new corners and details for days, weeks, and even years. Especially since life in the “Old Lady” is bustling-numerous Riga bars, cafés, restaurants, clubs, concert halls, and exhibitions are all concentrated right here.

Art Nouveau Museum

One of the newest museums in Riga-opened in 2009. The museum is a fully restored apartment with an authentic 1903 interior. Here, until 1907, the well-known Latvian architect Konstantin Peksens lived and worked, and the building itself was designed by the architect as his own home. The Art Nouveau apartment museum is located on the ground floor and consists of 10 rooms- a living room with a bay window, a bedroom, a fireplace room, a dining room, a study, an exhibition room, a kitchen, a bathroom, a toilet, and a girls’ room. All rooms are furnished with period furniture and filled with everyday items, tableware, and Modernist era accessories.

Museum of the History of Riga and Seamanship

This museum was founded in the distant year of 1773 by a young Riga doctor, Nicolaus von Himsel, and is the oldest not only in Riga and throughout the Baltic region, but also ranks among the most “aged” in Europe. It is the third oldest on the territory of the former Russian Empire after the St Petersburg Kunstkamera and the Hermitage. The museum is devoted to the history of Riga from its founding in 1201 to the middle of the 20th century. It is interesting in every way; in particular, it makes a great impression with a huge oil portrait of Peter the Great in the cozy Column Hall, as well as with everyday items from the city dwellers of different eras. The museum’s collection counts half a million exhibits, organized into 80 collections.

LIDO Recreation Center

Lido Leisure Center is a huge complex. There’s plenty of wonder here: in the basement you’ll find a Beer Cellar with a mini-brewery, national cuisine dishes, lively, upbeat music in the evenings, and a dance floor. On the first floor there’s a huge but exceptionally cozy bistro. The number of dishes offered is around 500. By themes and sections: meat, fish, poultry, soups, salad bar, side dishes, starters, and pancakes. Extraordinary desserts and pastries on separate counters for the confectionery world, a counter with freshly squeezed juices and dairy shakes. On the second floor - a calm express restaurant in the form of a Swedish buffet, plus hot dishes made to special order. And all of this is housed in a formidable log-style building (one of the largest of its kind in Europe) with a spinning mill and an amusement park all around.

Ethnographic Open-Air Museum

An open-air ethnographic museum is one of the oldest open-air museums in Europe. The decision to establish it was made in 1924. Today, the museum covers about 87 hectares of forest. More than 100 houses characteristic of different regions of Latvia are located on this site. At the museum, you can learn about everyday life, the history of the development of crafts, discover many interesting facts about the history of the region, and get to know the local flora and fauna. There is a café on the museum grounds, where dishes prepared according to recipes of the indigenous residents are served; the history of some of these dishes goes back to the distant past.

Riga Seaside

When talking about the Riga seafront, of course, many people first think of the famous Jūrmala, but this coastline of the Gulf of Riga extends only to the left of the Daugava River estuary. There is also a coastline to the right, where there are the same beaches with golden sand and plenty of opportunities for relaxation. However, unlike Latvia’s main resort, the Riga seafront here is even a bit calmer during the peak of the season. To get to the Jūrmala beaches from Riga, you can take the Jūrmala Highway or the train-30 to 50 minutes depending on the station. The first beaches right where the Lielupe River flows in are quite deserted-there’s a whole chain of picturesque dunes. And further on are the most famous, well-equipped, and most popular beaches among vacationers-Bulduri, Dzintari, Majori, and Dubulti.

Romance of the Old Town

During the walk, tourists will pass through Riga’s 800-year history, visit the walls of the very first knight’s castle, count the roosters on the church towers, take a look inside the wine cellar of the Riga City Magistrate, pay a visit to the “Three Brothers,” talk about the famous Riga Balsam, rub the noses of the Bremen Town Musicians, and jump over the “chain of happiness.” And at the end of the walk, you can climb the tower of St. Peter’s Church to see the city from a bird’s-eye view and exclaim with delight: “How beautiful you are, Riga!”.

You can find a more detailed list of excursions and their prices after booking your cruise in your “Client Personal Area”.