We all want more time to spare, but sometimes we just don’t have it. We get it, you guys live busy lives and want to see the best of destinations in a short amount of time. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

Visiting Riga on a time budget? This self-guided walking tour is perfect for those visiting the capital city of Latvia, Riga, with only 3-4 hours to spare. 

Luckily, the uber-cool up-and-coming city of Riga is extremely compact and walkable, and you’ll still be able to see a lot in a half day.

So strap on your walking shoes and let’s get into this Half Day Itinerary of Riga!

Where to stay in Riga

Before you start exploring Riga, you’ll need a place to stay. Riga is a place full of inexpensive accommodation - so your money really goes a long way here. Here are our top choices for the best places to stay in Riga, designed for any kind of budget.

Budget: Ibis Riga Centre

The Ibis Riga Centre is centrally located, which makes it the perfect base for your half-day in Riga. Like all Ibis hotels, the rooms here are simple, clean and comfortable. One of the best things about staying here is that they serve a tasty buffet breakfast from as early as 4am, to as late as 12pm.

Take a closer look at the Ibis Riga Centre by clicking here.

Mid-Range: Stabu Sēta Residence

This gem is an absolute must-stay. Featuring a fitness room, immaculately designed rooms and a sauna area - you’ll be surprised to know that staying here is still relatively inexpensive.

Take a closer look at the Stabu Sēta Residence by clicking here.

Luxury: Grand Poet Hotel and SPA by Semarah

There’s not that much else to say about the Grand Poet Hotel, because the photos speak for themselves. An absolutely gorgeous property with a modern, lavish interior, the Grand Poet Hotel and SPA is right in the centre of Riga, and serves as one of the most sought-after hotels in the city.

Take a closer look at the Grand Poet Hotel and SPA by Semarah by clicking here.

1. St Peter’s Church

The saying goes “save the best for last”, but well, we only have a few hours in this charming city, so why not save the best for first? Start your itinerary off with the magnificent St Peter’s Church, a parish church dedicated to St. Peter.

With construction starting as early as 1209, the church was restored in 1954, after World War II.

While the exterior and interior of the church are indeed beautiful, the real star of the show here is the view at the top of the church’s observation tower. In my opinion, this is where you’ll get the best views in all of Riga – 360-degree panoramic of the entire city. It was even more amazing to see the view with the buildings covered in snow!

2. House of Blackheads

Possibly Riga’s most recognisable buildings, the House of Blackheads is in the center of Riga Old Town, and was a guild for merchants, shipowners and foreigners in Riga back in the day. Today, the House of Blackheads operates as a popular museum in which tourists can walk through grand ballrooms, presidential workspaces and historical exhibits.

While we’re sure the inside is great too, we were more than happy to see the House of Blackheads from just the outside. Again, we don’t have much time so we’re skimming on just the cream of the crop here!

3. Cat House

There’s a really intriguing story that you have to briefly read about before you visit Cat House, as it is quite hilarious!

There are actually two versions of the ‘cat legend’, but nonetheless, you can pay a short visit to this historic building that features one of Riga’s most iconic symbols – a statue of a cat on top of the building.

4. Three Brothers

Another quick stop, the Three Brothers is a housing complex of three houses. They are actually the oldest complex of dwelling houses in the city, and each house signifies a different stage of development in the dwelling house construction process. All of these buildings are all extremely old, built between the 15th to 17th centuries. 

5. Riga Cathedral

Located in a beautifully spacious city square, Riga Cathedral is an instantly recognisable landmark in Riga. Riga Cathedral is truly huge, and it might take you some time to take in the grandeur of this building. If you have time, you should also take a quick look at the church’s interior.

6. The Freedom Monument

This is one of my favourite stops in Riga. At the Freedom Monument, you’ll be able to see locals hanging about, just going through their daily lives. It’s a slice of local culture that I love to be amongst, and it also helps that there’s a beautiful monument too.

The Freedom Monument was erected in honour of soldiers killed during the Latvian War of Independence. Today, it is considered to be a symbol of independence, freedom and sovereignty of Latvia.

7. Nativity Cathedral

Just a short walk from the Freedom Monument and closer to the other side of the city, the Riga Nativity of Christ Orthodox Cathedral is an Orthodox church in Riga that features Neo-Byzantine style architecture. Russian in appearance and featuring gold domes, this is one of Riga’s most unique buildings.

8. Art Nouveau Buildings

No visit to Riga would be complete without at least a quick stop to some of Riga’s most famous Art Nouveau buildings. Riga is actually highly renowned the city with the highest concentration of Art Nouveau architecture, anywhere in the world. In fact, around a third of all buildings in Riga’s centre consist of Art Nouveau buildings. 

So why does Riga love Art Nouveau so much? For the Latvians, the Art Nouveau movement represented individuality, locality and a practical style of architecture.

The best streets to check out some of Riga’s Art Nouveau architecture are Elizabetes iela, Albert iela and Vilandes iela.

Most of the buildings on this street are residential homes – so you won’t be able to go inside, but for the purposes of gazing at some interesting Art Nouveau architecture, it’s the exterior that matters anyway.

So there you have it – a quick tour of the highlights in Riga city. If you’re really in a rush, to be honest, you could probably complete this itinerary in under 2 hours. But if you have a spare 3-4 hours up your sleeve, I would really recommend taking it slow and enjoying your time in Riga.

I’m completely aware that there are many more things to do in Riga! Some of the things I missed on this itinerary include:

• Riga Central Market

• Swedish Gate

• Latvian National Opera and Ballet

• Museum of the Occupation

• Latvian National Museum of Art

How was your half-day in Riga? Did you manage to see all the sights? Let me know in the comments below!

Click here and follow my travel journey through Instagram. See you there!