Riga is the capital of the Latvian state, a beautiful city with a complicated history, reflected in the architecture and sculpture of the city. Riga is also the country's largest transport hub, its sea gate.
To get to Riga, Russian citizens will need to apply for a foreign passport, as well as a Schengen tourist visa. The latter can be issued in Yekaterinburg, as well as in Moscow and St. Petersburg. When all the documents are collected, you can hit the road. If you live in a province, you need to get to the capital, and then, at your discretion, go by train or take an air flight to your chosen destination.
Attractiveness of Riga
One of the main features of Riga is the Christmas holidays, which are striking in their scale, a large number of people gathering in the city squares who came to enjoy the Riga fairy tale.
Riga has preserved a long tradition of holding numerous fairs during this period, arranging special Christmas markets where you can buy various Christmas tree decorations, all kinds of souvenirs, and taste traditional Christmas sweets, famous all over the world.
Also during this period, numerous concerts, popular festivals and exhibitions are held, which residents and guests of the city like to visit with pleasure. And if you are lucky enough to get to Riga to celebrate the City Day, you will really be fabulously lucky, since this holiday is held here on a special scale.
It is curious that the Latvians who love holidays and mass festivities are still very restrained in emotions, they can only relax and give vent to feelings at home, but getting into a Latvian house is not easy, inviting unfamiliar people to the table is not accepted.
What to see in Riga
Riga is also an old European city, where cultural values have been preserved from century to century. This city breathes with the spirit of the times, it bewitches with its antiquity. It is not for nothing that Riga was recognized as the European Capital of Culture in 2014.
You can walk in the old part of the city for hours, walking along long narrow streets and admiring the city's beauty. You can visit the famous Dome Cathedral, striking in its grandeur and monumentality. Climbing to the top floor, you will find yourself on the observation deck, which offers a stunning view of the Old Riga.
Take a look at the famous Dome Cathedral and be sure to wait for the performance of the musical overture on its organ - there is no such sound anywhere else in the world, deep and saturated with semitones, it will not leave anyone indifferent. By the way, the golden rooster on the tower of the cathedral is considered a symbol of Riga. Riga is also famous for its flower exhibitions.
Tired of walking, visit a local cafe, of which there are many in the streets of the city. The cuisine in Riga also has a national specificity; guests are provided with a huge assortment of dishes: from simple to the most sophisticated.
