48 Hours in Riga For Architecture Lovers

On the banks of the Daugava River lies a huge surprise for architecture lovers: Riga, Latvia.

Latvia’s time-tested capital’s old soul bears the traces of long-gone European empires and alliances. Whether hunting down Riga’s Germanic architectural roots or uncovering its Russian sensibilities, a walk through Riga’s Old Town and New Town will reveal most interesting blend of urban architectural styles in Northern Europe & the Baltics.

Can’t stop gawking at architecture when you travel? Spend your first 48 hours in Riga stalking out these eye-catchers:

Day 1: Old Town Riga

If at first glance Riga strikes you as Gdansk or Bremen transplanted in Latvia, I wouldn’t blame you. You’re not so far off.

From the late 13th- until the late 16th-century, Riga was part of the Hanseatic League, a Germanic trading guild that painted Northern, Western, and Central Europe with its distinctive and compelling architectural styles. Remember those boxy, staircase-like façades you couldn’t stop staring at in Amsterdam? Yep, that’s thanks to those good ol’ Hansa fellas.

Town Hall Square

Their architectural promiscuity found its way as far as Riga. And there’s no place better to dazzle at their genius than in Town Hall Square, the beating heart of Old Town Riga. The main building in question: the House of Blackheads, a union hall sexy enough to make even the most staunch anti-communist blush.

Town Hall Square in Old Town Riga, Latvia

St. Peter’s Church

Pulling Town Hall Square together from behind is St Peter’s Church, symbolizing both Riga’s medieval past and its tenacity. The church was completely destroyed in World War II, so what you’ll see now is the result of a decade-long reconstruction project after the church. (A job well done, wouldn’t you say?)

Don’t stop your visit to St. Peter’s Church short at the outside. Sure, its brick-walled interior doesn’t compare to St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. But the view of Old Town Riga atop the steeple is worthy of your camera lens.

St Peter's Church in Old Town Riga, Latvia
St Peter’s Church

More Old Town Riga Architecture

In and about Old Town during your first 24 hours in Riga, your visual cortex never rests.  Here are some more architectural delights you’ll encounter:

Colourful Alleyway in Riga, Latvia
Don’t be fooled by the Irish pub: this isn’t Galway in Technicolor
Cafés in Old Town Riga, Latvia
Coffee with a view
Beautiful Medieval Buildings in Old Town Riga, Latvia
I wouldn’t mind living in one of these!
Colourful Building in Old Town Riga, Latvia
Brightening up a rainy day…
Rainy Square in Riga, Latvia
Old Town Riga’s beautiful even in the rain…
Red Medieval Building in Old Town Riga, Latvia
Could this be a medieval firehouse?
Medieval Wooden Restaurant in Old Town Riga, Latvia
1293? Yeah, this restaurant’s kinda old.
Swedish Gate in Old Town Riga, Latvia
Swedish Gate: Oldest remaining part of Riga’s city walls

Day 2: New Town Riga & Pārdaugava

New Town Riga is a bit of misnomer. It’s not new by any stretch of the imagination. But compared to the medieval architecture of Old Town Riga, what you’ll find in New Town feels decidedly modern.

Art Nouveau

The main reason for escaping the Old Town Riga bubble is simple: Jugendstil, better known as Art Nouveau. And for architecture lovers wanting a glimpse of the Art Nouveau architectural style, New Town Riga displays one of Europe’s finest collections.

Art Nouveau Building on Alberta Iela in New Town Riga, Latvia
Typical Art Nouveau building on Alberta iela

Start on Alberta iela (Albert Street), an endless stretch of elegant Art Nouveau façades crafted by some of Eastern Europe’s most famous architects including Mikhail Eisenstein, father of the venerable Soviet director Sergei Eisenstein.

Nearby Brīvības iela (Freedom Street), Elizabetes iela (Elizabeth Street), and Strēlnieku iela (Strelnieku Street) are also worth exploring for their Art Nouveau buildings.

Art Nouveau Dragon in Riga, Latvia
Do you think he breathes fire?
Art Nouveau Building in Riga, Latvia
An only slightly melodramatic photo of an Art Nouveau building
Devilish Grin Art Nouveau in Riga, Latvia
No, this isn’t terrifying at all.

Miera Iela

Wandering elsewhere you’ll soon discover another style famous in Riga: wooden architecture. Along gritty Miera iela (Peace Street), not far from Central Riga’s Art Nouveau elegance, stumble into New Town’s withering wooden buildings alongside some of Riga’s most interesting street art or for more well-preserved examples of Latvian wooden architecture hop over the Daugava River to Riga’s Pārdaugava district.

Old Wooden Architecture on Miera iela in Riga, Latvia
Might be a bit of a fixer-upper.
Street Art in Riga, Latvia
About as confused as I am as to what “Kas tu esi?” means.
Wooden Building on Miera iela in Riga, Latvia
How would this look with a nice coat of stain?

Riga Travel Essentials

Where to stay

With all its class and character, Old Town is my recommendation for narrowing your search for hotels in Riga. You’ll pay a little more in Old Town, but the atmosphere is worth it!

My recommendation in Old Town is St. Peter’s Boutique Hotel. The small guesthouse sits on a (usually!) quiet side street, only a couple blocks away from Town Hall Square and other Old Town Riga attractions.

Getting there

By air: If you wanted to fly directly to Riga, you could. But that’s rarely going to beat the price of flying into other regional hubs. A cheaper way is to fly to Tallinn, or even better, Helsinki. Both are interesting cities worth exploring on their own! Search for cheap flights on Skyscanner.

By bus: Already in the Baltics? You can catch a LuxExpress bus from Vilnius to Riga for as little at 3 EUR with an advanced booking. The trip takes about 4 hours and 10 minutes. The same company also runs the Tallinn to Riga route in 4 hours and 25 minutes for a similar cost.

Ryan O'Rourke

Ryan O'Rourke is a Canadian traveller, food & drink aficionado, and the founder & editor of Treksplorer. With over 20 years of extensive travel experience, Ryan has journeyed through over 50 countries, uncovering hidden gems and sharing firsthand, unsponsored insights on what to see & do and where to eat, drink & stay. Backed by his travel experience and in-depth research, Ryan’s travel advice and writing has been featured in publications like the Huffington Post and Matador Network. You can connect with Ryan on Twitter/X at @rtorourke.

DISCLAIMER: Treksplorer is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its affiliated international sites.

DISCLAIMER: You'll notice that from time to time I link out to recommended hotels/tours/products/services. If you purchase anything through these links, I'll receive a commission. It won't cost you anything extra, but it will help keep me trekkin' on and delivering more free (and unsponsored!) travel information to you. Thanks :)