RigaCapital
Latvia · Country profile
Riga is the grand, beautiful capital of Latvia, the historic Baltic metropolis that spreads its extraordinary concentration of the art nouveau architecture, its medieval old town and its waterfront districts along the wide river of the Daugava, at the crossroads of the trade of the northern seas. The capital of the country since the thirteenth century, when the crusading merchants and the bishops founded the city of the Hansa, it has been a Teutonic, a Swedish, a Russian and an independent Latvian capital through its long story, and today guards one of the finest historic ensembles of the Baltic, with its cathedral, its churches, its guilds and its thousands of the decorated façades. The old town, the art nouveau quarter with its extraordinary ornamented buildings, the markets, the castle and the parks of the city anchor the essential visits, while the riverside, the beaches and the forests of the surrounding region give the green frame of the capital. Elegant, historic and endlessly atmospheric, Riga is the queen of the Baltic cities.
About Riga
Riga is the capital of Latvia. The city's documented population is around 610,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Euro (EUR) and Latvian is spoken; the dialling code is +371.
The Facades of the Art Nouveau and the Streets of the Quarter
Riga is a compact, walkable capital where the essential circuit moves between the medieval old town, the extraordinary art nouveau quarter and the riverside parks of the centre, with the markets, the towers and the waterfront running the classic days. The old town with its spires, its guild halls and its great square, the celebrated art nouveau district with its hundreds of the decorated façades and the castle and the cathedral of the city anchor the essential visits, while the enormous central market of the capital, housed in the old zeppelin hangars, and the embankment of the river distribute the daily life. The beaches of the neighbouring seaside, with their white dunes, and the forests of the region fill the excursions beyond the city, and the whole capital runs the atmospheric, northern rhythm of the great Baltic port.
The Spires of the Old Town and the Guilds of the Merchants
The climate of the city is the brisk Baltic maritime, with the cold, snowy winters, the mild, rainy summer and the long, brilliant summer evenings and the candlelit winters of the northern latitude. The euro is the currency, with the Latvian the language of the city and the English and the Russian widely spoken in the capital. The old town, the art nouveau quarter and the market make the core circuit, and the seaside and the forests of the region lie a short ride beyond the town. Layered, cold-season clothing and comfortable walking shoes for the cobbled centre complete the practical preparation for the northern capital.
The Market of the Hangars and the Seaside of the Jurmala
The art nouveau of the capital, the extraordinary concentration of the ornate, nature-decorated buildings of the master architect of the town that line the streets of the famous quarter, is the supreme wonder of Riga and the largest such ensemble of its style in Europe, with the facades of the monstrous heads, the swirling vegetal and the peacock motifs marching along the broad avenues of the district. The old town of the city, the medieval quarter of the spires, the warehouses and the guild halls that crowds around the great houses of the square, holds the cathedral with its enormous organ, the churches of St Peter and of St James and the decorated houses of the merchants, while the castle of the capital, the enormous fortress of the presidents on the river bank, houses the museums of the history. The market of the town, the colossal indoor market of the old hangars of the zeppelins with its mountains of the fruit, the fish and the handicraft, and the seaside of the Jurmala with its white sand and its wooden villas, complete the majestic, atmospheric circuit of the queen of the Baltic cities.
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- Country
- Latvia
- Population
- 610,000
- Capital
- Riga
- Region
- Europe
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Languages
- Latvian
- Calling code
- +371
- Country code
- LV
Entry requirements for Latvia
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Latvia for tourism.
Frequently asked questions
Is Riga the capital of Latvia?
Yes — Riga is the capital of Latvia.
What currency do I need in Riga?
The local currency is the Euro (EUR). Languages spoken in Latvia include Latvian.
What is the dialling code for Latvia?
The international dialling code for Latvia is +371.
Do I need a visa to visit Latvia?
It depends on your passport. Among the origins we track, travellers from Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda and Argentina currently enter Latvia visa-free for tourism. Use the entry requirements tool to check your own nationality and purpose of travel.
Flying out of Riga? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.