It’s been two weeks since I moved to Riga, Latvia and some days it still feels like a dream. The place is mind-boggling gorgeous and almost defies description. Riga’s Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a medieval beauty filled with candy-colored buildings and a maze of narrow, winding lanes. Beer gardens are set up in the public squares and nearly every cafe and restaurant has space to dine al fresco. Music wafts on the Baltic breeze, with street performers on most corners and professional musicians entertaining the beer garden crowds.
Old Riga is bordered by the Daugava River and Kronvalda Park, both of which are lovely spots to take advantage of the endless summer sunshine. Follow the cobbled streets northeast and you’ll end up in the stunning Art Nouveau district, where one whimsically carved building is more impressive than the next.
The beauty of living here is that there is no rush. I don’t need to check off as many attractions as I can in a week. Rather, I can take my time and get to know my new city slowly, intimately. I’m working my way through the many cafes, trying to find my favorite. I’m learning how to shop for ingredients at the market and scouting out the local dry cleaners. I’m developing routines.
I’m also learning things about Riga that might escape the casual visitor: there are A LOT of seagulls in this city; cats aren’t just for building ornamentation; and a little Latvian will go a long way – even a simple “paldies” (thank you) is guaranteed to bring a smile. Also, the food is hearty, delicious and beautifully presented; wine tastes better when sipped on a patio in the shadow of an 800-year old castle; and the Northern European sun sets ridiculously late in summer. I’m sure I’ve learned more interesting things, but right now I’m still taking it all in and processing the fact that this is my new life and not a vacation with an end date.
I still have much to explore, but so far I’m smitten with my new home! Would you enjoy living in Riga? What’s the most interesting place you’ve ever lived?
Wow, Riga looks stunning! I had no idea it was so beautiful. It actually reminds me a lot of Prague.
Congratulations on making the big move. I feel like you’ve been mentioning it for ages, so it must be nice to finally have it here. I’m glad things are going well so far!
Thanks, Jessica! Riga definitely has that same fairy-tale charm as Prague. It’s been really fun just to wander the twisting alleys and see where they end up. I know I’ve barely scratched the surface, and I still get lost on a daily basis, but it’s slowly starting to feel like home.
So glad you are enjoying it, Heather, although I never doubted you would! 🙂 I look forward to many more posts, including ones about the countryside, the seaside, the food, etc.!! Have the long days and short nights made it difficult to get over jet lag? I sure had that problem when I visited in the second part of May…
Thanks, Daina! So far, Riga (and Latvia) have exceeded all my expectations. The long days have wrecked havoc with my sleep, but I’m so excited to get up and explore every morning that I’ve hardly noticed being tired.
I’ve already been out to Rundale (post coming soon), which is absolutely stunning, and I’m heading to Jurmala tomorrow. That’s the beauty of small countries – it’s so easy to get out and see everything!
You’re already covering a lot of ground!! You’ll be able to see more of the country than most locals. 🙂 I’m fortunate in that during several trips with various people for various reasons in a time span covering 26 yrs (my first visit was in 1988, when Latvia was still occupied by the Soviets) I have managed to see quite a bit of the country, and there definitely are spots I am happy to return to.
Welcome to Latvia!
It is the best time to move to Latvia 🙂 As you’ve already seen on the streets, this year is special for Riga because of all the cultural events that take place here. Really nice first pics of Riga. I hope you’ll enjoy your stay in Riga. The thing I love the most about Latvia, are the four seasons you can enjoy here – each of them is very pronounced. Now in summer the main things to do would be:
1) Enjoy the markets of Riga – the variaty of the local food is astonishing at this moment + you have to prepare your organism to the winter months;
2) Go to the seaside – summer ir quite short. If you feel Jurmala ir too crowded, go in the other direction – Kalngale, Garciems. There is no service (I mean bars, cafes etc.), but the nature is more beautiful. And don’t be scared of the water temperatures, sometimes (usually in august) water gets really warm (reaching even 24°C). 🙂
3) Go to the forests – bluberries, chanterelles, and other valuable goodies arealready to be found (still the peak of the season is a bit later – august, september).
4) And of course – enjoy the cultural events in Riga.
P.s. If you have any questions on Riga/Latvia or want some piece of advice, don’t hesitate to contact me – I’ll be glad to help you. 🙂
Thank you Igors! I appreciate the tips! So far I am enjoying Latvia very much. You are right, summer was the perfect time to arrive! Yesterday I visited the Kalnciems market and was very impressed at all the local goods on offer! I hope to visit Jurmala for the first time this week. There is still so much for me to explore!
Kalnciems market is a great place to visit on Saturday morning. Sometimes my mother is selling her hand made pillows there (http://dimensija.blogspot.com/). Jūrmala is a great place, especially if you’re able to see beyond the chic-style Jomas street. I mean architecture and the wooden houses in Jūrmala are wonderful.
http://www.jpd.gov.lv/Resursi_arejai_lapai/Jurmalas_lielas_broshuras/arhitekturas_marshruti_eng.pdf Here you can finds some good info on potential routes in Jūrmala. Have a good time there 🙂
Nice start and great pics! Posted a link on my FB page 🙂
Thanks, Linda! I appreciate the FB shout out – and have already gotten a few new followers!
Welcome to Riga 🙂
I am Italian and I am here since November 2013 and the last year I lived in Estonia… Get yourself ready for the question “But Latvia… Why Latvia??!”
Great pics!
Thanks Silvia! If you have any favorite local restaurants, shops or hangouts, I’d love to hear about them!
HI Heather.
I am loving your fb posts and gorgeous photos of Latvia. I’m so glad you are already enjoying your new home. I’m Kerianne’s friend from Chicago. She told me last year about your upcoming move to Latvia and I was thrilled! I am 1/2 Latvian. My mom and grandmother were from Riga– so it is close to my heart. You are bringing back so many fond memories from my trip there. I love Riga!!! It is definitely a hidden gem.
Thank you for sharing your adventures!
Diane O’Malley
Hi Diane, thanks so much for your comment! It’s nice to put a face with the name, so to speak 🙂 Do you still have any family here in Riga? Do you know of any of your mom’s or grandmother’s favorite spots? I’d be happy to seek them out and share photos!
Hello. I have a few relatives in Latvia still but I have to say I haven’t been the best about keeping in touch. They are older and don’t really use the internet–so it has been limited. I went to Latvian school on saturdays in Des Moines until I was in fourth grade. I did learn to speak Latvian– but it is very minimal and I am definitely rusty. When I visited in 1994– we stayed with my mom’s cousin. She lived close to downtown.
My mom and grandmother have both passed away — but I know my mom just loved the streets of Riga, the market and St Peter’s tower + Jurmalas.
One of my favorite spots in Latvia was the Dainu Kalns – sculpture garden in Turaida, Latvia.
Two weeks, already? Time flies! Riga seems to be so charming and amazing! I totally loooooove it! Especially the Town Hall Square! I’m so happy you’ve been enjoying yourself x
Thanks Agness! Time really does fly by, especially when you are having fun! 🙂
Lady, your new camera takes amazing photos. What a lovely place! With so much to do. You sound so excited to be on this new adventure and Riga is the perfect place to start one. I am jealous, which only means I have to visit before your time is up there. 🙂 XO
Thanks Lady! I’m having so much walking around and taking photos of everything! You will definitely have to visit – this is such a unique, fascinating and pretty place!
Gorgeous photos. It looks like you are enjoying exploring your new home. I saw so many lovely looking cafes in Riga I wished I’d had more time to explore them. You should write up which ones are the best so I know for next time.
Thanks! The number of cafes here is almost overwhelming. But in a good way. I can’t wait to put together a round up of my favorites!
Your pictures are great. I wish I was there exploring with you.
I love the cat decoration – so unexpected. I have four months
before I’ll be there. Things will look a lot different then, I’m
sure. I know I’ll still enjoy myself. Can’t wait. Keep posting.
You’ll be here soon enough! I’m already taking note of the things you’ll like best. Though really, you are going to like it all 🙂
I can’t believe it’s been already two weeks, wow! Riga looks very interesting I especially like the diverse architecture, some house in the old town look like they are part of cartoon set, lovely!
I know, I can’t believe we’ve been here that long already! But at the same time, it is already starting to feel like home. That’s the beauty of living in a small place! And the Old Town really does look like a movie set, it’s so picture-perfect!
Riga looks absolutely charming! I’m glad you have a long time to get to know this beautiful city. I regret that when I visited Riga back in 2007 I only had 2 short days.
You’ll just have to come back! 😉
Lucky you! Riga is truly beautiful. It should be on the “must visit” list for tourists.
Thanks, Arun, I feel pretty lucky! And you’re right, Riga should definitely be on the must visit list!
Looks like a great new place to call home. Can’t wait to visit!!
Just say when!!!
Yay, so glad you made it and are settled and loving it! I’ve been really enjoying your Instagram photos, seems like such a charming place to call home! How long will you be here? Also, are you learning the language, is it difficult? Excited to hear more!:-)
Thanks, Jess! We’ll be here for at least a year so I’ll have plenty of time to explore! I am trying to learn the language, though so much English is spoken here that I can tell it will be hard to practice. Still, I want to make the effort! It’s much more manageable than Chinese!
It really does look like something out of a fairytale—no wonder you often think you’re dreaming! I’m so glad to hear that the transition to your new life in Riga has been going well and that you are reveling in your time there and already starting to develop a routine. I’m sure it won’t take long before Riga feels like home!
Thanks, Steph! Summer has proven to be the best time to arrive as we want to be outside all the time. The perfect weather and looooong days are ideal for exploring. Though last night we made dinner in and watched TV on Hulu so I guess we really are at home now LOL!
Great post and stunning photos, Heather. I have never made it to the Baltic States yet, in North Eastern Europe I have only made it to Russia when I was 13 very short before the former Soviet Union collapsed. I am looking forward to your future posts about your new home and to read more of a potential future travel destination.
Thanks, Vanessa! I can’t wait to share more about this beautiful and fascinating place!
So happy to read you’re enjoying yourself. It looks magical. I had to look twice at the picture taken from the spire of St. Peter’s. It’s so pretty, it almost looks fake! Thankfully it’s not and this is now your new backyard! Really looking forward to hearing your stories as you settle in to your new life here. We haven’t visited Latvia but we did recently enjoy a number of the Baltic states. Hope to go back very soon. Might see you there?
Thanks, Jessica! We’ll be here for a while so let me know if you plan to pass through the area! We plan to start venturing farther afield as well, with a trip to Tallinn planned for early September, and more regional travel on the horizon. Hopefully our paths will cross!
That just all looks so pretty! I’m considering quitting teaching next year and freelancing full-time, and it looks like exactly the kind of place I could spend a few weeks in for sure – what are prices like there, for things like rent and groceries, if you don’t mind me asking?
Hey Tom! I don’t mind answering your question at all! As far as rent goes, I have no idea as our apartment is provided through my husband’s work. Grocery prices are lower than in the U.S. and considerably less than China, for the things I like to buy at least (cheese, olive oil, wine, bread, etc.) But even standard household items such as laundry detergent and toilet tissue cost less than they did at home. Restaurant prices seem on par with Budapest. The trouble is that there doesn’t seem to be many low-cost options. All the restaurants we’ve been to so far serve similar food for around the same price. I haven’t come across any cheap bowls of Asian noodles and there is absolutely zero street food. But you can have a nice lunch at Costa Coffee for around €5 and €8 at a nicer cafe. There are a ton of Italian restaurants here, and you can get a whole pizza for between €6-8 and a bowl of pasta for €8-12. Hope this helps! I’ll do some posts on the food here once I’ve done more research.
Wow, looks gorgeous! I know what you mean by living somewhere and not needing to tick everything off… I recently moved to Prague, and it’s SO nice to just chill, see attractions when I want to, and never feel like time is running out. Especially because it’s summer, and there are a lot of tourists, and I love knowing that I can wait until fall to go to all the iconic places. Enjoy Riga!
You get to live in Prague? What a treat that must be! And I know what you mean about looking forward to having the city to yourself in the fall. Riga is bursting with tourists thanks to the World Choir Games and other assorted summer festivals. But soon enough it will be like we have our own private city to explore. Have fun getting to know your new home!!
WOW – it is SO lovely!! And what a wonderful time of year to be enjoying it. Good luck with your new life there and look forward to hearing more…
Thanks so much Andrea! We really did pick the best possible time to move here 🙂
Gosh, these photos make Riga look so enticing! I didn’t realise the architecture was quite so quirky – love the façades on the buildings in the Art Nouveau district, the faces are gorgeously creepy aren’t they? I’d try avoid looking up at them on a dark, lonesome night! Glad to hear you’re so smittened!
I agree, Shing, they are gorgeously creepy! Fortunately, I haven’t been alone with them in the dark yet – the sun sets too late for that!
Thanks for this preview of Riga! I stumbled upon your blog while researching Latvia as we will be moving there next August. Your photos and descriptions are lovely and I will be following until we get there ourselves 🙂
Hi Carrie, thanks for your comment! So far, Riga has been a spectacular place to live. It’s very walkable and there is beauty everywhere you look. You’ll be arriving at the perfect time, too! Feel free to email me if you have any specific questions – ferretingoutthefun@gmail.com.
We just got back from Prague so I’ll be writing a few posts about that trip, and then it will be back to life in Riga 🙂