Just returned to your desk from your summer hols? Yearning for one more break to see you through the dreaded dark days before the festive season? If so, Riga could be just the tonic. Nestled between the Baltic heavy weights of Estonia and Lithuania, there is a lot more to the Latvian capital than its raunchy stag-break reputation would have us believe. Packed with culture, quirky traditions and awe-inspiring architecture, a weekend break to Riga could provide a few surprises.
From spine-tingling gothic spires to Communist concrete blocks, Riga’s dramatic 800 year history leaps out at you with every step. A stroll through the Old Town reveals a flamboyant architectural feast from Renaissance to Romantic with a dash of Baroque and Classical thrown in for good measure. Caught up in an ambitious wave of new development, an influx of ritzy restaurants and swish spa centres is sweeping through the cobbled streets. Such is the dramatic pace of change that Riga could soon be in danger of losing its UNESCO World Heritage status.
Arian Zwegers Blackhead’s House
While the city may be changing, old traditions die hard and nowhere is that more apparent than in the Latvian love of the natural world. On Saturday, beaches across the length of the country will light up as the Night of the Ancient Bonfires ignites mass awareness of the sea and the preservation of the environment. (In Riga, this will take place at Vakarbuļļi beach.) A little later in the year, hardy locals smash holes in the ice for a bracing, masochistic plunge into the frozen lakes as part of the popular ice swimming season. In 2012, Riga hosted the Winter Swimming World Championships.
Another great Latvian institution is the traditional steam baths where you can opt be spanked, swatted or flapped by a “besom” – a broomstick-style contraption made from Birch, Linden, Oak and Juniper twigs. An essential piece of Latvian sauna kit, the besom not only stimulates the skin but also provides a heady aromatherapy buzz. It that’s all a little too rustic, Riga is also home to an impressive range of state-of-the-art spa centres which offer the very latest treatments.
With such a varied history, Riga’s cultural offer does not disappoint. While the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia and the Riga Ghetto Museum both provide sobering reminders of Riga’s war-torn past, the Latvian Ethnographic Museum, (Europe’s largest open-air museum) allows you to try your hand at medieval arts and crafts or even opt for a spot of ice-fishing or sledging.
Araqnid Ethnographic Museum
Aviar's Traditional Arts Riga
Offering far more than Sauerkraut, pork and potatoes, the city runs four Riga Restaurant weeks where locals and tourists can taste seasonal specialities at specially reduced rates. The next event runs from the 14th to the 20th October and will showcase a range of hearty winter dishes featuring rabbit meats, hemp seeds and cranberries. If the local fare’s not your thing, you’ll also find a staggering array of Asian, European, vegetarian and fast-food restaurants catering to every gastronomic whim.
To finish off the evening in style, give the infamous blacked-out bars a wide berth and head straight to the Radisson Blu Hotel’s sleek and stylish SkyLine Bar. Enjoy a pre-dinner Black Balsam or two as you sit back and watch the sun setting over Riga’s sensational skyline – all a million miles away from the long dark commutes ahead.
Have you experienced a weekend break to Riga? We would love to hear your experiences.