Riga, the capital city of Latvia, is a great destination to visit with kids. Check my guide for the best spots and activities!
1. Town Musicians of Bremen monument
Do you kids know the brothers Grimm’s tale of the animals heading to Bremen? Come and find this statue in the old city featuring the Bremen Town Musicians, donkey, dog, cat, and cockerel characters! Animals ran away from their owners, who mistreated them, and decided to become musicians, but instead, they occupied a house of robbers on their way.
Besides that, now you can spot the characters of Flow cartoon in Riga too!
2. Boat Cruise
Take a boat trip along the Riga City Canal and Daugava River. It takes about 50 minutes, and the boat departs every 20-30 minutes.
Believe me, you’ll get the best views of Riga Castle! We also passed by the Riga Waterfront, a newly developed modern part of the city, as well as the green areas of the city center.
3. Riga Zoo
The Riga Zoo is the prettiest zoo on the shores of Ķīšezers Lake, situated inside a park with pine trees.
The zoo was established in 1912 and, despite wartime hardships, went on to become one of the USSR’s top zoos. Now it has numerous species of animals, a Savanna area, a fantastic terrarium, many exotic and local species, and the Himalaya area is coming soon!
Kids will also enjoy the pavilion with animal skeletons. Highly recommended for a family day out!
4. First Christmas tree sign
Did you know that Riga claims the right to be the first city where the fir tree was installed for Christmas by order of the Blackheads in 1510? Don’t miss this sign on the floor of the Town hall square!
5. House of the Blackheads
Suppose you have traveled around the Baltic states. In that case, you are probably familiar with the Brotherhood of Blackheads, a brotherhood of unmarried young traders dating back to the 14th century who chose St Maurice (frequently depicted black Egyptian soldier) as their patron saint – and it still exists!
They are first registered in Riga is 1413. Gorgeous House of the Blackheads on the Town hall square is one of the main symbols of Riga: it has a bright red facade with allegorical figures on it, and cellars and a few rooms on the 1st floor are open to the public.
The story of the building was quite turbulent: it was drastically damaged during WWII, and it was decided to demolish it. Only later, it was entirely rebuilt, and you can visit the exact replica of the old house with the cellars remaining original.
6. Three Brothers
One of the most famous architectural gems of Riga: three houses called Three Brothers – and kids will definitely have fun looking out for them! Those are the houses N17, 19, and 21 on Mazā Pils Street, with the N17 being the oldest and dating to the 15th century and the other two dating to the 17th century. They house the Latvian Museum of Architecture and the State Inspectorate for Heritage Protection.
7. Cat House
Cat house is one of the most well-known buildings of Riga: it has metal cats on its roof! It dates back to 1909 and was designed in Art Nouveau style. The cats on the roof initially are told to be turned other way because the owner of the building had a quarrel with the Great Guild members or with the old Town Hall so he expressed his emotions placing cats with their tales up toward his offenders. Once the issue was settled, the cats were turned into their today’s position.
8. Laima Chocolate Museum
As I have relatives in Latvia, I had a steady influx of Serenade from Laima chocolates as a kid. And I was the happiest to learn that they also have a museum!
You get a cup of dark chocolate on arrival, then go through an exhibition on the history of Laima: it dates back to 1870 when Theodore Rigert founded his company in Riga.
You’ll also learn about the process of chocolate making, and at the end, you can make photos and videos in front of the green screen (see mine too) and receive the digital versions too! There are a nice shop and a cafe area too.
9. Bastejkalna Parks
The monument is surrounded by Bastejkalna Park, a pretty green area with a canal called Pilsētas Kanāls. It’s a great green spot for strolling, enjoyed natural sights and playing!
In the past, the old moat was located on this site. The National Opera sits nearby too.
10. Riga Central Market
Did you know that Riga Central Market is the largest market in Europe, with about 3000 stalls? It’s even included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list of the Riga!
It dates back to 1924 – 1930, and German Zeppelin hangars were used in the construction. You can buy all varieties of food (veggies, fruits, fish, meat, etc) and souvenirs there. There are flower and fruit stalls outside as well – and the selection of seasonal flowers is insane!
Eating out with kids
Riga has so many great gastronomical experiences, let me share just a few of them with you!
First, you can try the Milda restaurant (Michelin guide) in the city centre – actually, Milda is the nickname of the lady on the nearby Freedom Monument! Enjoy a great selection of Latvian and Lithuanian cuisines all in one menu.
If you suddenly had a crave for something deliciously sweet, go to Rigensis bakery (Tirgoņu 8). It’s located in the historical building and has a wide range of cakes, pastries and everything you need for a break after a long walk around the Old city centre!
If you happen to shop for the international brands in Galerija Centrs, or Central Gallery, initially opened in 1938, they have a large food court on the top floor with a great selection of various cuisines. Another option is Stockman in a short walk from the Gallery.
Or are you a fan of khinkali and Georgian cuisine? Try Alaverdi restaurant in the Old town)!
Or maybe you crave some cultural experiences? Art Café Sienna, situated in the very heart of this Art Nouveau area, is a lively spot with the vibe of an antique shop: pop here too once you visited Elizabetes Street and Albert Street.
Finally, we love the 22 sky restaurant serving Asian fusion food on the top floor of Kempinski restaurant – the views are great there too! Their Amber place on the ground floor is not bad either.
You can read here more about Latvia.
Hope you liked my blog,
Yours,
Anna xxx
