"A few days in Riga" a Riga Travel Page by MalenaN

I visited Riga for a few days in December, just before Christmas. The weather was not the best, there was some snow, but it was very wet and the skies were all grey, every day. I think it would be very nice to see Riga in summertime too! But, despite the weather, it is always nice to see a new place and change environment for a while, and I enjoyed my visit.

I strolled around in the Old Town and in the new part of the city. I visited churches, museums and cafés. I also went to the Ethnographic Open Air Museum on the outskirts of the city and on a daytrip to Sigulda. I had hoped for a VT-meeting, but unfortunately the only person who had signed up didn’t show up at hour meeting point as she had been delayed and couldn't come.

Riga, with a population of 730 000 inhabitants, is the biggest city in the Baltic states. It is situated on a plain by Daugava River, 15 km from the coast. On the east side of Daugava River you will find the Old Town with cobbled streets and medieval architecture. The Old Town of Riga is on Unesco’s World Heritage List, but there has been a warning to withdraw it as there has been much moderation. Around in the city you can also see a lot of Art Nouveau architecture and visit many parks. In 2001 Riga celebrated its 800th anniversary.