Riga, the charming capital of Latvia, is the perfect place to spend a day. All the main sites are in walking distance within the historic old town, and the cobbled streets and striking architecture make this Eastern European capital a beautiful place to wander around. Read on for how to spend a day in Riga, Latvia.

How to Spend a Day in Riga, Latvia: 24 Hour Itinerary

If you’re anything like me, spending one day in Riga will make you fall for the charm of Latvia’s capital. With its compact old town, art nouveau buildings and cosy cafés, Riga is the kind of place that’s best explored on foot. It’s both perfect as a destination in its own right, or as part of a longer Baltic states itinerary.

Riga is also excellent value for money. Low prices for food and accommodation combined with the picture-perfect beauty of its well-preserved Old Town make Riga the perfect affordable city break.

Morning: Explore Riga’s Medieval Old Town

Riga’s Old Town, known as Vecrīga, is officially a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s a fascinating blend of medieval and art nouveau buildings, making it a beautiful place to explore.

If you’re spending a day in Riga I highly recommend starting the day off with a Riga Old Town walking tour. There are so many incredible buildings in a variety of architectural styles (Gothic, Romantic, Baroque, Mannerism, Modernism…). You get a much better feel for everything if you have a guide to explain the historical significance.

There’s no need for this to be expensive. With GuruWalk you can book onto a free walking tour where the tour itself is free-of-charge but then you tip the guide directly for their knowledge and expertise.

Browse free Riga walking tours with GuruWalk here.

Climb St. Peter’s Church for 360° Views

You can climb up to the top of the spire of St. Peter’s Church (the tallest church in Riga) for panoramic views over Vecrīga’s red roofs. This is the perfect way to get your bearings before you begin to meander through the winding cobblestone streets.

St. Peter’s Church is a Lutheran church dedicated to St Peter, originally built in 1209, and renovated in the 15th century. Subsequent renovations mean that St Peter’s Church in Riga is now a mixture of Gothic, Romanesque and early Baroque building styles.

10am – 6pm | €9 to climb the tower

House of the Blackheads

One of the most striking sights in Riga’s old town is the House of the Blackheads, located in Rātslaukums Square. First built in 1334 as a guild for unmarried merchants, it later became home to the Brotherhood of Blackheads, a powerful trade association.

Although the original was destroyed in WWII, the building has been carefully rebuilt and now stands as one of the most iconic landmarks in Riga. Local legend even claims the world’s first decorated Christmas tree appeared right outside.

You can go inside the House of the Blackheads, which I highly recommend as the interior is absolutely stunning. Opening hours are 10am to 5pm. Entrance tickets cost €7 per adult.

10am – 5pm | €7 to go inside

The Three Brothers

Hidden down a quiet street in Riga’s Old Town, the Three Brothers are the city’s oldest surviving houses. They can be found at numbers 17, 19 and 21 of Mazā Pils street.

Each one reflects a different period of Latvian architecture, with the white building dating back to the 15th century and the others added in the 17th.

Together, the Three Brothers now host the Latvian Museum of Architecture and are a must-see for history and design lovers. Opening hours for the museum can be found on the museum website.

9am – 5pm (varies) | free-of-charge

Lunch at Lido: Traditional Latvian Food

For a hearty and affordable lunch in Riga, head to one of the city’s Lido restaurants. This popular Latvian chain offers a canteen-style setup where you can mix and match hot dishes, salads and desserts.

It’s not fancy, but it’s a brilliant way to try traditional Latvian food in a relaxed, local setting. And it’s a lot cheaper than the tourist restaurants which will serve the same thing for hugely inflated prices.

Tip: Grab a tray at the start and help yourself. Each item is priced individually, so you can try a bit of everything.

Alternatively (or additionally!), you can learn about Latvian food by booking a Latvian food tasting tour at Riga Central market.

Afternoon: Take a Scenic Daugava River Cruise

Seeing Riga from the water offers a completely different perspective, and a Daugava River cruise is a relaxing way to take it all in.

You can hire a small boat with a captain who’ll point out landmarks along the way. It’s also a great way to appreciate just how green and spacious the city really is.

👉 Book a private boat tour here.

Bastejkalns Park

Bastejkalns Park is a green area of Riga separating the historic old town from the rest of the city. In the summer it’s the perfect place to stroll around and people watch.

Here in the park you’ll find the Freedom Monument. This was built in honour of the Latvians who died in the Latvian War of Independence between 1918 and 1920.

No time restriction (daylight hours) | free-of-charge

Nativity of Christ Orthodox Cathedral

Over on this side of town you’ll find the Nativity Cathedral, a beautiful orthodox cathedral in the neo-Byzantine style. It’s worth popping inside if you can as the interiors are exquisite. It’s the largest Orthodox Cathedral in the Baltic states.

Riga’s Nativity Cathedral was built between 1876 and 1884 when the city was still in the Russian Empire. During the Soviet era it was turned into a planetarium (called the Republic House of Knowledge) and a restaurant! It became a cathedral again in the year 2000.

7am – 6.30pm | free-of-charge

What’s the best time of year to visit Riga?

It totally depends what you’re looking for! Riga comes to life in December in the run up to Christmas, as the Vecrīga Old Town’s Doma Square fills with Christmas markets. This makes mid-winter a magical time to visit Riga. The Christmas markets in Riga generally run from early December through to the first week of January.

Asides from Christmas, the best time to visit Riga is mid-May through to the end of September. This is when the weather is warmest and you can enjoy being outdoors.

• December – early January: Christmas Markets
• May – September: Best time to explore Riga

How many days do you need to visit Riga?

It’s possible to see all the main sights of Riga in just one day. If you want to explore at a more relaxed pace, 2 days in Riga is perfect. This makes Riga the perfect weekend city break.

Transport in Riga

Most of Riga’s highlights are within walking distance. You can also rent a bike or join a cycling tour. Public transport (buses and trams) is reliable and very affordable.

RIX Riga Airport is about 20 minutes drive from the city centre. You can take bus number 22 from the airport to the city centre. You can buy tickets for €1.50 from ticket machines in the airport or via the Rīgas satiksme app. Alternatively you can buy your ticket directly from the bus driver for €2.

✈️ Arriving late? Pre-book an airport pickup with Welcome Pickups.

Money in Riga (Latvia): (EUR)

An important component of how to spend a day in Riga is how to get money. Latvia is part of the Euro currency area. To get euros at the best rates, I highly recommend getting a WISE card before you go. This allows you to convert money into euros (or any other currency!) at the best rates and then spend on your Wise card as though it were a local bank card or withdraw cash in Latvia without hidden fees.

Wise is a UK-based financial services company (available in most countries worldwide) and is highly regulated in the various regions it operates in (in the UK it is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority).

👉 Get your WISE card here.

Plan Your Trip to Latvia: Useful Travel Resource Links

Planning your next trip? These are my travel tools I use to book fast, travel safer and stress less.

✈️ Pro tip: Set these up before your trip so you can hit the ground running.

Where to travel next after Riga, Latvia?

Hopefully you’ve found this post on how to spend a day in Riga useful. Why not combine Riga with some other cities as part of a bigger Baltic itinerary trip?

Riga is the perfect jumping-off point for exploring the Baltic States. Hop on a bus to Tallinn (Estonia) or Vilnius (Lithuania) for an easy multi-country adventure. You can even take a ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki, Finland, it’s only two hours away!

Loving the architecture? Head further east to St. Petersburg, Russia, for even more historic grandeur.

📍 Why you need to visit Tallinn, Estonia

📍 A Quick Guide to Helsinki, Finland

📍 Guide to St Petersburg, Russia: Why you need to go!

Pin for later…

Was this Riga travel guide about How to Spend a Day in Riga, Latvia: 24 Hour Itinerary useful for you? Save it on Pinterest and share it with friends planning a Baltic trip. Follow along on Instagram for some escapism and more adventure tips.

Have you been to Riga? What was your favourite spot? Anything you’d like me to add to this 2 Days in Riga Itinerary? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!