Great ideas to enjoy in Riga

Fun things to do for those Latvia holidays

Riga is known for its Double Christmas celebration. The Lutheran and Catholic Latvian population celebrate Christmas on December 24 and 25 and the Russian Orthodox community that still follows the Julian calendar, celebrates Christmas on January 6 and 7. And some people like Christmas so much that they celebrate twice. Every year there are festive Christmas fairs in the Old Town in the weeks before Christmas. Mulled wine, gingerbread figures, knitted mittens and much high quality hand-made arts and crafts are on sale. Large, international shopping malls help make the capital into a very attractive Christmas breaks destination where xmas gifts can be bought at very friendly prices. Have a magical winter break in Riga and find out for yourselves why it’s called the ‘Christmas Tree City’.

From the downtown it takes only 15 minutes to reach an 18-hole golf course. By a scenic lake you can feel the fresh air and a mild breeze as you enjoy your time on the rolling green golf course. Golf holidays and golfing weekends in the Baltic States are very popular, as the course standards are exceptionally good and the cost of these golf packages are much cheaper than Western Europe equivalents.

Shopping in Riga is wide and varied and offers a rewarding experience whilst on a city break. We would strongly suggest you visit the central market, which happens to be one of the largest in Europe, selling pretty much anything you can think of. The market was built in the 1930s and consists of 4 large pavilions, which during WWI were used to hold aircrafts. The bustling atmosphere of this superb market is a unique experience and makes a fresh change to the usual modern hyper markets.

For entertainment during your weekend breaks to Riga, why not visit the circus, which is the only stationary circus in the Baltic States or try the Puppet Theatre. The Puppet Theatre brings children’s dreams alive, with a delightful program, filled with magic, colour and inspired performances.

Health and beauty is important to the Latvian people, so it’s not hard to find quality hair and beauty salons on every major street. The prices are very moderate in comparison to London salons and they offer an equaled professional service. A ladies haircut and styling is about £12.00 and cosmetic procedures like face cleaning are of a similar price.

The State Museum of Art exhibits over 32,000 works of art and has the largest Latvian Art collection in the World. The museum is particularly well planned, with collections organised in a manner that visitors can follow the progress of Latvian art throughout the centuries. It’s an informative and inspiring museum and for those travelers that appreciate art and culture, the State Museum of Art is worth a viewing.

Take advantage of doing something completely different and try many of the high adrenaline activities on offer. What about trying ‘hardcore shooting’? Try an afternoon at a shooting range, firing off automatic weapons, Kalashnikov’s and pump action shot guns. Clay pigeon shooting can be organised and outdoor paintballing is another crazy adventure weekend activity to try your hands at. These aren’t activities just for Riga stag weekends or sports tours, they’re definitely suitable to anyone, who wants to experience something completely different on their short break in Riga. Recommended group sizes, should be at least over 6 people, to make it cost effective, otherwise it can be quite expensive.

If you’re having an architectural overload then try the Motor Museum, which has an eclectic collection of cars and only has a £1.00 (aprox.) entrance fee. It makes for an interesting diversion, with: old Soviet automobiles, Rolls Royce’s, BMWs and wax figures. It’s something different to see on a holiday break in the Baltic States, so give the museum a try.

Another great idea is to visit the Museum of War, located in the Powder Tower, in the old town. Inside these 17th century, three metres thick walls, sightseeing tourists can enjoy the permanent war exhibitions which includes an array of weapons used in over 700 years of conflict. It’s an interesting Baltics holiday excursion, we suggest you take a peek.

The Latvian Photography museum has a large collection of 10,000 images that reflect the life of its country. The collection defines the most important political and cultural events of Latvia and extends to everyday life of Latvian people, its countryside and remote villages. It’s a rewarding visit for any foreign visitor, as it allows you to see the country from many (and unusual) view points.

the capital has its fair share of large shopping malls, like mc2 and Centrs. These large complexes are very westernized and typical of the ones you might find back in England, with large department stores, designer boutiques, salons and souvenir shops. There are many great shopping experiences to be had, so take advantage of a better currency rates and cheaper products, whilst on holiday in Latvia.

One can try 4x4 off roading, Quad biking, indoor and outdoor go-karting in Riga. For speed freaks, you’ll love these activities, guaranteed to get the heart racing. We recommend these driving activities for parties of over 8 people to make it costs effective. Driving activities are very popular amongst the Latvia stag parties that come to Riga, but are as equally popular with our corporate city break clients.

If pampering yourself on holiday is not your style, then take advantage of the many leisure activities. All around the capital there are sport & fitness centres but there are even more exciting activity centres outside the city. In Sigulda, tourists can ride down the Olympic bobsleigh track or experience the thrill of a bungee jump. The Riga bobsleighing has been particular popular with our stag do clients, being a group orientated activity. For even more daring travellers, why not arrange parachuting, paragliding, diving or even hot air balloon trips. If you like active holidays, you’ll love Latvia, so contact our offices today, to find out more.

The Zoo is home to 3000 animals and is a pro-active green organization, continually improving and expanding its facilities, for its inhabitants and the 300,000 holiday visitors it receives each year. One can touch the domestic animals, play games and have educational fun. The zoo is staggeringly varied and has well thought out centres and is set in a pine forest park, which is great for strolling around and recharging from the chaos of the capital.