22 Sep 72 hours in Riga
72 hours in Riga
Cobblestones and culture, art nouveau and soviet history, the capital city of Latvia has a lot to explore and in 48 hours there’s almost too much to fit in!
Having recently organised an incentive in this city, it was a tough job trying to work out which things to include and which to suggest guests do in their spare time.
Starting with a traditional walking tour is a great way to see the old town, making sure you stop off at Black Magic Bar along the way, to try the infamous black balsam, the drink of Latvia; definitely one to put hairs on your chest! Working your way through the cobbled streets passed the palaces, famous buildings, restaurants and bars allows you to really feel the buzzy atmosphere of Riga.
The first place we dined was at Aqua Luna, a modern restaurant with a balcony overlooking the river, perfect for a sunset cocktail before dinner. After not too late a night, our second day consisted of off roading in 4x4s just outside of Riga, with a short history stop at a secret soviet bunker on the way. Very quickly the terrain changes outside of the city, with forests of trees and wooden styled houses, giving the perfect place for guests to try to navigate through the mud and not get stuck!
After a day of activity, the place for dinner was beer cellar Ala Folkklubs, famous for its hundreds of different beers as well as its live Latvian Folk Music. Truly a place where local Latvian’s hang out, this lively restaurant/bar is open til 6 in the morning, something that most of our guests took advantage of!
Due to the previous evening’s late finish, we had slightly extra time in bed on the third morning, starting the day off with a famous chef giving a guided tour of the well-known central market. Consisting of three huge halls, packed with fish, meat and vegetables, this is where most local people come to buy their shopping. After buying and tasting some of the local delicacies, we heading to 3 chefs restaurant, where the ingredients were used in a futuristic live cooking show followed by a 3 course lunch!
The final evening was to follow, and with a few hours of spare time, guests could wander back to places they had seen on their first day, or simply relax, catch up on some sleep and start getting ready for their gala dinner ahead.
After a champagne reception, one by one 12 vintage cars appeared in the hotel courtyard, to pick the glammed-up guests up and take them to the Riga Latvian Society House! A neoclassical building, in the centre of Riga with their stunning gold hall was the perfect place for guests to enjoy a more formal setting for their final night.
The last morning was spent in Riga’s local coffee shop, with a casual brunch allowing everyone to buy last minute souvenirs, before the flight home.
An action packed 72 hours, which I would fully recommend, though I personally can’t wait to go back and see much more!