Getting There

By plane: Riga International Airport is located 13 kilometres from the city centre. To get into Riga, take the no. 22 bus from the terminal. The trip should take about 30 minutes. Alternatively, hop in a taxi to get to the city a little quicker.

By train: Trains from a wide range of Latvian and European destinations arrive at Riga's 'centrāla stacija' or central train station at Stacijas laukums.

By bus: Riga's main bus station is located on Prāgas iela and services from across Latvia as well as some European destinations terminate here. Many of these routes are operated by Eurolines.

Getting Around

On foot: A large number of attractions are concentrated in and around Riga's Vecrīga (Old Town) area and can be reached on foot.

By tram/trolleybus: Trams run on 11 routes across the city, while the trolleybus network encompasses 20 different lines. Services operate daily from 5.30am to 11.30pm.

By taxi: Taxis are a quick and relatively cheap way of getting around Riga and can be picked up throughout the city.

Riga has what is known as a maritime continental climate. This means it sees warm, humid summers, while winters are generally cold and snowy. In autumn, Riga often gets a lot of rain and fog. July and August tend to be the hottest months, with temperatures averaging out at around 16.5ºC. August is usually the wettest month too, with September also getting quite a bit of rain. January and February are by far the coldest months and temperatures in January can drop to below -7ºC.

Embassies and Consulates

UK: +371 67774700
USA: +371 67036220
Canada: +371 67813945
Australia: +371 67224251*
South Africa: +48 (0)22 6256228**
Germany: +371 67085100
Ireland: +371 67039370
Spain: +48 (0)22 6224250**
Italy: +371 67216069
New Zealand: +48 (0)22 5210500**
France: +371 67036600

* Consulate
** Embassy in Warsaw, Poland

Double Coffee, Grēcinieku 11, Old Town Part of a local chain, this restaurant is the perfect spot to start the day. Breakfasts range from pancakes to porridge, along with scrambled eggs, croissants and much more. Service is prompt, and prices are very wallet-friendly. Open Mon-Thurs 9am-11pm, Fri-Sat 9am-1am, Sun 10am-11pm.

LIDO Recreation Centre, Krasta 76, Krasta Spread over three floors, LIDO offers a real taste of Latvian cuisine. Create your meal from the 500+ reasonably priced dishes that make up this bountiful buffet. Traditional favourites such as grey peas can be sampled here. Open daily 10am-11pm.

Market days, food haze Centrāltirgus (Central Market), Centrāltirgus iela, Latgale A pretty extensive affair, Riga's central market was opened in 1930 and is set up inside old-school zeppelin hangars. From the second you step through the door you'll be pleasantly overwhelmed by the smells, colours and tastes of all the fresh food offered. Open Tues-Fri 8am-5pm, Sun-Mon 8am-4pm.

Charlestons (Čarlstons), Blaumaņa 38-40, City centre If you're looking for a cheap and cheerful lunch, this is the place to go. Alongside soups and a jam-packed salad bar, you'll also find large and delicious pizzas. During the short wait, keep yourself amused by creating works of art on the brown paper tablecloths. Open daily 12pm-12am.

K|I|D*, Pulkveza Brieza iela 2, Art Nouveau district From its funky interior, which features an open kitchen and a well-stocked salad bar, to its friendly atmosphere, this eatery is definitely worth a visit. Choose from a variety of appetising meat, fish and pasta dishes. A nice touch is the basket of rye bread and delicious herb butter brought to the table just after you order. Open Mon-Fri 8am-11pm, Sat-Sun 10am-11pm.

Mad House, Kaļķu 11, City centre Kitschy fun is the name of the game in this, well, mad house. The booths to the left of this eclectic bar are reminiscent of 60s and 70s rooms, one of which has a really cool faux-window complete with drapes and its own cityscape. The place can get pretty packed, with people shaking a leg on the dance floor at the back. Open Sun-Thurs 9am-4am, Fri-Sat 9am-6am.

Kino Riga, Elizabetes 61, Art Nouveau district Before you hit the theatres inside, make sure to check out the amazing art work outside this popular cinema. Instead of the standard movie posters, here you'll see original hand-painted versions of these ads. Back inside, the classy décor matches the arty and indie movies shown, all complimented by a warm, friendly welcome.

Bon Vivant, Mārstaļu 8, Old Town This lively Belgian bar is a lot bigger than it first appears on entering. As a result, you should have no trouble finding a place to sit down and enjoy a huge glass of beer. Almost 30 different varieties are available for you to sample if you're up to the challenge. Open Mon-Sun 11am-1am.

Cuba Café, Jauniela 15, Old Town Soak up the boho atmosphere of this cool café bar while sipping on a cocktail or a beer. Popular with a youngish crowd, Cuba Café lives up to its name with lots of Cuban bits and pieces scattered around, accompanied by lively music cranked up on the bar's impressive sound system. Open Sun-Thurs 3pm-2am, Fri-Sat 3pm-5am; WiFi available.

Skyline Bar, Reval Hotel Latvija, Elizabetes 55, Art Nouveau district Up on the 26th floor of the Reval, you'll find the Skyline Bar boasting incredible views, comfortable surroundings and a huge selection of cocktails. Try and get one of the window-side seats at dusk, where you can sip your drink and watch Riga light up below. Don't forget to check out the restrooms too, as some of the best views of Old Town can be seen from here. Open Sun-Thurs 3pm-2am, Fri-Sat 3pm-3am.

St. Peter's Church tower, Skārņu 19, Old Town From the elevator-enhanced tower of this 13th century church, you can take in the panoramic sight of the Old Town, the Central Market, the Daugava River and more. Latvia's biggest Gothic Church, it stretches up for 123 metres. Open Tues-Sun 10am-6pm, closed Mon; admission 2Ls.

Get on up, it's bobsleigh time Bobsleigh track, Sveices 13, Sigulda Adrenalin junkies will adore a trip down this bobsleigh track, one of only a few such tracks open to the public in the world. Hold on to your helmet as you rush down 1,420 metres of ice at over 100 km/h. If that's not enough, try 'the frog' and navigate on your stomach. Open Sat-Sun 12am-5pm; Mon-Fri package tours offered; bobsleigh 35Ls, frog 10Ls.

Latvian National Museum of Fine Art, Kr. Valdemāra 10a, Art Nouveau district Housed in a purposefully built, early 20th century building, the Latvian National Museum of Fine Art is home to over 52,000 paintings and sculptures by Latvian, Baltic and Russian artists. Wed-Mon 11am-5pm, closed Tuesday; admission 3Ls.

Riga Dome Cathedral, Doma laukums 1, Old Town Home to a hugely impressive organ, Riga's cathedral hosts various musical events and is filled with beautiful stained glass windows. Construction began in the 13th century, and it displays a hodgepodge of different architectural styles. Open daily 10am-5pm; admission 2Ls.

Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum, Brīvības gatve, Lake Yugla From the homes of fishermen to animal dwellings, this open-air museum boasts around 118 different buildings brought here from all over the country. It's spread across 80 hectares of breathtaking Latvian landscape. Open daily 10am-5pm; admission 1.50Ls.

February - Riga International Fantasy Film Festival Taking place every two years, this festival will celebrate its 5th anniversary in 2011. During the event's 10-day run, new and classic fantasy films from all over the world are screened.

March - International Bach Chamber Music Festival Now in its 9th year, this festival is a celebration of classical music and is one of the city's most popular music festivals. Throughout the event a number of concerts are held in Riga's historical buildings.

April - International Baltic Ballet Festival This long-running festival presents a mix of classical and modern styles of ballet. As well as performances, the event features exhibitions and seminars.

May - Night of the Museums During this important cultural event, a large number of Latvia's museums open their doors free of charge to visitors for the night. A selection of events like talks, musical performances and more also take place.

June - Riga Opera Festival Founded in 1998, the Riga Opera Festival is now in its 12th year. A selection of well-known operatic productions are performed during the event.

July - International Folklore Festival Baltica Held every three years in Riga, this festival celebrates the shared folk heritage of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The week-long event is filled with dance, music and lots more.

September - White Night Contemporary performance arts including theatre, music, movies and more are showcased at a number of venues across the city as part of this popular event.

October - Arēna New Music Festival Everyone from bands to string quartets perform during the Arēna festival. Musicians from all over the world appear at a wide variety of different events.

November - Winterfest Riga's annual international music festival runs from November to mid-February. It's organised by the Herman Braun Foundation and encompasses a series of concerts, including choral music and jazz.

December - Riga Christmas Market Held in the square beside Riga's Dome Cathedral, this market features a large number of seasonally decorated stalls selling everything from candles to clothes to cups of fortifying mulled wine.

Vecrīga Vecrīga is Riga's Old Town and it's situated on the right bank of the Daugava River. Some of the city's main attractions can be found in this well-liked area, including St. Peter's Church, the Dome Cathedral and many more. Hidden amongst the narrow, cobbled streets you'll also discover many of Riga's top restaurants, cafés and nightspots.

Jūrmala Take one of the frequent and cheap minibus services from the city centre and you'll be in Jūrmala in about a half-hour. This is the biggest seaside resort of its kind in the Baltic and the pristine beach here stretches for over 32 kilometres. If you're lucky, you might come across a piece of amber glinting in the white sands, as these gems are often washed up on Latvia's beaches.

Mezaparks Literally translating as 'forest park', this area of Riga is particularly popular during the summer months thanks to its location on picturesque Lake Ķisezers. Mezaparks is also home to one of the city's most popular attractions, Riga National Zoo, which houses large number of animals from around the world.

Perfect blue buildings Art Nouveau district Examples of Art Nouveau architecture can be seen all over Riga; however, the most impressive concentration is without a doubt in this district. Centred on a picturesque street called Alberta, it also includes stretches of Elizabetes, Strēlnieku and Vīlandes. Some of the most striking buildings here were designed by well-known architect, Mikhail Eisenstein.

Sigulda Here's where you'll find the hugely popular bobsleigh track, where daring visitors speed down along the icy stretch. While in Sigulda, you can also visit the immense and stunning Gauja National Park, along with the 13th century Turaida Castle. The hour-long train journey from Riga to Sigulda takes you through some beautiful countryside.

Audēju iela This street is one of Riga's most popular shopping stretches. Narrow and winding, it is home to a selection of clothes, shoes and jewellery stores. Most of the businesses found along this street bear local brand names but you should see one or two internationally recognisable shops in the mix too.

Big brand value Origo, Stacijas lauk 2 Located beside the city's central train station, this sprawling shopping centre is filled with a tantalising mix of national and international brand names. These include Nike, Accessorize, the Body Shop and many more. From electrical appliances to bling to souvenirs, you'll find it all in Origo's three bright floors. Open daily 10am-9pm.

Galerija Centrs, Audēju iela 16 A shopping centre built around a covered street, Galerija Centrs boasts 4 floors of shops split down the middle by old cobblestones. Filled with everything from lingerie to laptops, here you'll come across stores like La Senza, Diesel, Timberland, Swatch, Swarovski, Apple and more. Open daily 10am-10pm.

K. Barona iela Another of Riga's top shopping streets, K. Barona iela is a long stretch of stores featuring everything from antiques to books, as well as boutiques, shoe stores, and gift shops. Recognisable brands are well-represented and include offerings from Benetton and Adidas.

Stockmann, Janvāra ilea 8 Shiny and modern, this department store takes up four floors and is filled with top-notch products. These include cosmetics from well-known brands like Maybelline, Lancôme, Givenchy and Yves Sant Laurent, women's and men's clothing from Mexx and Tommy Hilfiger, and also a wide variety of household items and electronic goods. Open 1st floor Mon-Sat 9am-10pm, Sun 10am-10pm, 2nd-4th floor daily 10am-9pm.

See the changing of the guards at the Freedom Monument This monument, which bears the inscription 'For the Fatherland and Freedom', was funded by public donations and is close to the hearts of the Latvian people. It stands 42 metres high and was built between 1930 and 1935. Each day you can watch the changing of the guard on the hour between 9am and 6pm.

Wander around the Orthodox Cathedral of the Birth of Christ The smell of incense hits you the second you step inside Riga's majestic Russian Orthodox church. Covered in ornate designs and wall paintings, this church, with its numerous domes, is a stunning example of Byzantine architecture. It was built between 1876 and 1884. Open daily 8am-5pm.

A walk in the park Walk through the Esplanāde Home to the Russian Orthodox Cathedral and the National Art Museum, this open park area is also great for a stroll. Filled with lots of trees and flowers and a number of benches, it also hosts some interesting statues and a bevy of beaky birds.

Visit the Latvian Museum of Occupation Latvia was occupied by two different regimes for 51 years between 1940 and 1991. The Latvian Museum of Occupation, which is filled with artefacts such as clothes, weapons, books, photographs, ornately carved chess sets, and even hair, tells the story of this occupation and the people it affected. Open Tues-Sun 11am-5pm, closed Mon.

Have a look inside St. Jacob's Church St. Jacob's has a pleasantly welcoming feel. Though not as ornate as some of Riga's churches, it does have lovely stained glass windows and an impressive spire. This tall point is home to the structure's most notable feature, a church bell which sits outside the confines of the tower. Open daily 7am-5pm.

Before you start your day exploring Riga why not enjoy a hearty breakfast at Double Coffee on Grēcinieku in Old Town.

From here you'll be able to get to some of the city's main sights, including St. Peter's Church. Climb the tower to experience stunning views of Riga.

Visit the Dome Cathedral and the Latvian Museum of Occupation, then wander down to the Centrāltirgus or Central Market and pick up a cheap, tasty lunch.

Once you've had a look in the food-filled zeppelin hangars, walk to Origo, one of Riga's main shopping centres. Flash some cash at the large number of stores.

When you've finished spending your hard earned money, head towards the Freedom Monument. Get here at the top of the hour to see the changing of the guard.

Go a little bit further and you'll hit Esplanāde, a pretty park area home to the Fine Art Museum (below). Nearby, check out the art nouveau architecture on Alberta.

There are many restaurants in this area, serving both Latvian and international cuisine, so it should be no easy to find somewhere for dinner.

Make your way up to the 26th floor of the Reval Hotel Latvija. Here you can have a cocktail in the Skyline Bar and watch as the city lights sparkle below.

Enjoy a tipple or two in Old Town's great bars including Cuba Café and Bon Vivant. Then head to Mad House where you can finish the night out on the dance floor.