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Riga Culture & history

Our most recommended Riga Culture & history

Riga: Entrance Ticket - House of the Black Heads

1. Riga: Entrance Ticket - House of the Black Heads

Wander through centuries in House of the Black Heads! Feel the magic atmosphere of luxurious halls of celebrations, decorated with brilliant chandeliers and a gallery of royal portraits. Explore the mysterious medieval cellars and elaborate historical rooms with a surprising silverware collection. For the past 700 hundred years, the House of the Black Heads has pleased and enraptured inhabitants and guests of Riga. This is one of the most magnificent buildings in Riga, preserving both the unique historic heritage of the legendary Brotherhood of Black Heads and the history of Riga. For centuries House of the Black Heads was the cultural epicenter of Riga, gathering the most respectable inhabitants of Riga and their guests, during celebrations organized by the Black Heads and their successors. This building, which is situated in the heart of Old Riga, is the symbol of Riga and among the central premises of representation of Riga – not for nothing also the President of Latvia has chosen House of the Black Heads as his temporary residence for almost four years!

Riga: Architecture and Districts Bicycle Sightseeing Tour

2. Riga: Architecture and Districts Bicycle Sightseeing Tour

A Riga city tour by bike is perfect for discovering the most beautiful and popular sightseeing places in Riga. Enjoy being active and outdoors as you explore spots like the old town, Kipsala and Kalnciema districts, and Victory Park. Admire the architecture of the national opera and library. After meeting your guide and finding the perfect bike fit for you, hop on a bicycle and start in the old town. Then, head straight to the Freedom Monument and Latvian National Opera with its beautiful garden and canal. Continue to Riga Cathedral, the Art Museum and Academy, and the Jugendstyle district. Get to know the city's quiet center, featuring many picturesque architectural designs, art galleries, and cozy restaurants. Pass through the renovated wooden architecture of the Kipsala and Kalnciema districts, the lush greenery of Victory Park, and the Latvian National Library. During the trip, there will be an option to visit the market and a museum.  This tour is based on the contrast of various architectural styles and living standards: posh Jugendstyle versus Riga’s adorable wooden houses.

Riga: 2-Hour Walking Tour in the Old Town

3. Riga: 2-Hour Walking Tour in the Old Town

On this 2-hour walking tour you will explore the Old Town of Riga, the historical and geographical center of Riga on the right bank of the Daugava River. The Old Town covers a relatively small inner area of the old fortifications where unique monuments of medieval architecture are concentrated. The professional guide will show you around the Old Town and tell you all about the history and culture of the city, as well as answer your questions. The walking tour starts at the Town Hall Square, which was the central square of the city from the 13th century to the 19th century. The most famous building in the square is the magnificent Gothic-style House of the Blackheads. During the tour you will also see famous spots of Riga, such St. Peter's Church, the Swedish Gate, and the Powder Tower. Experience the aura of an ancient city as you walk down the narrow streets, where unique complexes of residential houses and sacral buildings are found. Here you can explore the 13th century Riga Cathedral, the Gothic-style St. Peter's Church, the beautiful Synagogue of Old Riga, the Convent Yard and St. John's Church, the Three Brothers residential housing complex, Riga Castle. Discover Riga's hanseatic past at the Large Guild and the Small Guild, as well as at the reconstructed House of the Blackheads. Recall the medieval times, when Riga was a mighty harbor and a member of the Hanseatic League, which joined traders of the Baltic region with north Germany.

Sigulda Day Tour - Castle Ruins, Gūtmaņala Grotto, & More

4. Sigulda Day Tour - Castle Ruins, Gūtmaņala Grotto, & More

There is so much to see and do in Sigulda that sometimes it is difficult to fit it all in. This comprehensive tour led by a professional guide, is designed to show you around the historic highlights of the city in just a day. Ride the aerial cableway in Sigulda. Opened in 1969, this is the only one of its kind in the Baltic States. The cableway was built in cooperation between Sigulda and Chiatura, a city in Georgia, and offers spectacular views over the city. Explore the Sigulda castle ruins and the new castle. The Order of the Brothers of the Sword began building Sigulda castle in 1207. During the Great Northern War, the castle was destroyed never to be restored again. However the convent building with its famous gothic window plus the main gate tower still stand, and offer an insight into a bygone age. Delve deep into the Gūtmaņala grotto. This is the most popular and vast cave in Latvia. It was formed in the course of 10,000 years by water gradually eroding sandstone, and is a protected geological site. The cave is the oldest tourist attraction in Latvia. Marvel at the ancient inscriptions lining the walls. A trip to the Turaida Museum Reserve should not be missed. The 42 hectares of the reserve feature archaeological, architectural, historical, and art monuments, dating back from the 11th century.

Riga: Half-Day Jewish History Tour

5. Riga: Half-Day Jewish History Tour

Riga is the largest city in the Baltics and the capital of Latvia. Once called the 'Paris of the North,' it is an architectural gem of medieval houses with Gothic gabled roofs, Renaissance guild houses, Baroque homes of the wealthy and Art Nouveau housing by Jewish architect Mikhail Eisenstein, being able to compete  to that of Prague, Vienna or Barcelona. Distinguished Jewish philosophers of the 20th century, Yeshayahu Leibovich and Sir Isaiah Berlin, film director Sergej Eizenstein, world chess champion Mikhail Tal and photographer Philippe Halsman have been living here. It is possible to visit the Riga Synagogue (Peitav Shul) – the only synagogue that survived the Nazi period, and is still in use today. Here, you can learn how the Torah scrolls were saved. The Maskavas suburb with its unique wooden housing is the historical Jewish square. Never before a ghetto until the Nazi years, Maskavas Forstadt became the main area of Jewish settlement in the 19th century. The first Jewish secular school is now operating as a private Jewish school. Likewise, the historical Jewish hospital Bikur Holim is still in use. The site of the Great Choral Synagogue (Die Greise Hor Shul, Gogol Shul) is now a memorial, and evidence of the Nazi inhumanities brings back memory of many people who have helped to save Jewish lives. The old Jewish cemetery, Rumbula and Biķernieki Forests, where mass murders were carried out, now are memorials and a place of contemplation. The Riga Ghetto Museum, located on the border of the former ghetto territory, is one of the rare places in Europe that experienced no architectural changes and small wooden houses where people lived, still stand there. Names of more than 70,000 holocaust victims are engraved in the walls of a museum. The excursion will be designed according to your wishes.

Riga: Behind the Iron Curtain 3.5-Hour Communism Tour

6. Riga: Behind the Iron Curtain 3.5-Hour Communism Tour

See Riga on foot and learn about the history of life behind the Iron Curtain on a 3.5-hour walking tour. You will be introduced to the Latgale region of Riga named Ķengarags, which is one of the most interesting and largest suburbs where locals do actually live and the way of life can be seen. During the tour you will feel just like you have stepped back in time, because almost nothing has changed in the looks and life of the Ķengarags suburbs. The one exception is that the Soviet military airplanes aren’t shaking the windows of the houses with the noise made from taking off at the nearby military airport of Rumbula. The architecture (living houses, schools, suburbs) of the Soviet times was very similar in the different parts of the union, with different cities sometimes having identical suburbs. By visiting Ķengarags you will get an understanding of the looks of other USSR cities.

Latvian Palaces and Medieval Castles Private Trip

7. Latvian Palaces and Medieval Castles Private Trip

Be collected at your accommodation in Riga and be driven straight to the region of Bauska city. Visit several palaces from the 18th century and one crusader's castle from the 16th century. Rundāle Palace, formerly Ruhenthal then Ruhendahl, is one of two major baroque palaces built for the Dukes of Courland in what is now Latvia. The other is Jelgava Palace. Rundāle Palace was built in two periods, from 1736 until 1740 and from 1764 until 1768. It is situated at Pilsrundāle, 12 km west of Bauska.  Bauska Castle is a complex consisting of the ruins of an earlier castle and a later palace on the outskirts of the Latvian city of Bauska. Either choose a restaurant for dinner or your driver can arrange a picnic if you prefer. 

Riga: Nearby Manors and Castles Tour

8. Riga: Nearby Manors and Castles Tour

Tukums, located only 70 kilometers from Riga, is full of interesting tourist attractions. It was only announced as a town in 1795, but still had people living there well before. Strolling down the historical streets of old town you will feel like you are in the 19th century. On every house is information ergarding who lived there at that time, and the modern sculpture of Katrina of Tukums will impress anyone that encounters it.  You will visit Hunting Palace, built in the beginning of the 20th century for the Mayor of Riga of that time, before visiting Jaunpils Castle, built in the year 1301 still one of the few medieval castles with its original appearance preserved. Jaunpils Castle is a typical construction of the Livonian Order fortress and was built by master Gottfried von Horn. Up to the present day came many legends about the fearless, Matthias von der Recke, who was the owner of the castle in the 16th century. Jaunpils Castle and its surroundings have many legends and mysteries. Today you can visit the church built at the end of the 16th century next to a water mill with an age of 200 years, it is here that you can truly feel the aroma of the romantic era. On the way back, you will make a pit stop at the local winery “ Abavas vini”, which is worthy to both see and taste the produce of.

Rundale Palace Private Tour from Riga

9. Rundale Palace Private Tour from Riga

Start the tour from your hotel in Riga with a private transfer by car or minivan. Take in the scenery as you drive through the Zemgale region of Latvia where you will pass Bauska and see the ruins of Bauska Castle built in the 15th – 18th century. Visit the Rundale Palace, built in the 18th century and considered to be the most beautiful baroque palace in the Baltics.  Admire this outstanding example of the early work of Italian architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli. Explore the French gardens and enjoy looking at the tulips and roses which bloom in the Summer before your driver returns you to your accomodation in Riga.

From Riga: Cēsis, Sigulda & Turaida Castle Tour

10. From Riga: Cēsis, Sigulda & Turaida Castle Tour

Take a full-day tour of the beautiful green area of Northern Latvia. Explore Cēsis (the ancient city of Livonia and Brothers of the Sword base) and the picturesque town of Sigulda. Enjoy a day of rich history with medieval monuments, as well as spectacular natural scenery. Trip Itinerary: Medieval castle ruins of Cēsis You experience the castle in a way the people did centuries ago — your guides will light up a candle in the lantern and you will be on our way. You will explore the dark stairs, medieval corridors, and rooms with the help of candlelight as there is no electricity in this 13th century castle. This complex of castle buildings, preserved for centuries, is regarded as a landmark of monumental architecture, which reflects artistic styles from the Livonian period. Cēsis St. John’s Church St. John’s Church is one of the oldest medieval architectural monuments in Latvia. The church was built in the beginning of the 13th century when Cēsis became one of the most important German power centers in the Baltics, from 1237 up to 1561. Medieval castle ruins of Sigulda The Order of the Brothers of the Sword began building Sigulda castle in 1207. Initially, it was a castellum-type fort. Following the defeat of the Brothers of the Sword in 1236, the Livonian Order modified it. Goodman's cave The Gūtmaņala (Goodman's Cave) grotto is the most popular and biggest cave in Latvia. It was formed over the course of 10,000 years by water gradually eroding sandstone. The grotto is a protected geological site and the oldest tourist attraction in Latvia. Museum reserve and medieval castle of Turaida Turaida Museum Reserve is a beautiful heritage site and former village that was named "garden of the gods" by the locals. Turaida is a wonderful place to get to know the Latvian way of life, culture, history, and spirit. The 42 hectares of grounds are replete with archaeological, architectural, historical and art monuments, all of which provide an account of the events from the eleventh century onwards.

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What people are saying about Riga

Overall rating

4.4 / 5

based on 327 reviews

Amazing Building. Amazing Rooms. Well worth the Visit. Excellent Value. A look back in time to Latvia's History. Latvians are very proud of this. Staff very helpful. Most things are explained in English with wall Poster Information. No Linguistic Equipment but can still enjoy finding out what you would like to know. Maybe equipment could be provided for future. Would recommend a visit to anyone. You can go around on your own/couple or group. Again, an enjoyable time in history, not to be missed.

We had a fantastic guide sorry could cath his name. He was very informative telling us local information about the areas as we padt the. He informed us about the pune forest and the karch growth as well as local foraging. we went to Rundale Palace where he showed around the rooms and told us about the garden. We even had coffee with him. After that went on to the Hill of Crosses which was very moving and as it was snowing was so eriery. Not a lot of wind so couldn't hear the crosses moving.

Great tour to medieval castles. Marija was professional and informative. We enjoyed the beautiful ride into the country side to reach the small villages and medieval ruins. This is a perfect tour to learn history and get out of the city to see more of rural Latvia. Highly recommended!

Ava was professional and knowledgeable about Latvian history and culture. She was also very personable and made for a great tour of Old Town Riga. Would recommend this tour especially if it’s your first time in Riga.

It was a small but extraordinary city tour. The guide (name with H) spoke German very well. She was considerate of the slower ones and provided rain protection. A big thank you!