HI all,

We've (5 fellas) have just booked with Ryanair for 4 days in Riga towards the end of Feb 2006.

Can anyone give some info on the city ???, best place to stay thats centrally located...best places to go and see (I did say 5 fellas - so I'm not talking abiout museums, etc.)..and what to watch out for ???

Any special security precausions we should be aware off ? Etc.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Tom

Tom

My wife and I will be going in January, we also fly with Ryan Air (great prices). We have booked into the Konventa Seta in the old square. It has excellent reviews on trip advisor. As we will be going before you, I'll post a report on my return.

If anyone has any tips, recommendations on places to go, things to do, I would be very grateful.

Thanks in advance

Gareth

Hi Tom

You'll find loads of information HERE and for security advice see the FCO website.

Pippy

here was my trip in detail-

my trip in detail-
flew from liverpool for 30 return and arrived at riga aiport, which is very modern and even the shops weren?t charging the earth for things like most airports in the world and instead of a taxi to the city centre we got the number 22a bus and it cost 25p to go there. Took around 25-30mins and we got off at the central bus stop. Its not really a station but were people get on and off. We headed in the direction of the old town (a very nice lady stopped and asked us if we were lost and pointed us the right way). Got to the HOTEL KOLONNA, a nice new hotel and only £45 for a room per night for 2 people, with sat tv and en-suite facilities. The hotel is right next to all the bars and food outlets in old town and i highly recommend it for a stay.
We got out and about at around 2?ish and got some burgers from ?hesburger?, they wasn?t brilliant, but at around £1.50 for a full meal who am I to complain. Mooched around a few streets and ending in going to a bar for a drinkypoo and at 70p we were happy to be there. We found for the next 2 days that bars/clubs would charge between 70p ? 1.50 for a pint (1/2 litre). Most bars were about 1.20 and most beers are above 5% in strength. Don?t drink shorts, but saw the measures people were getting at it was at least double to treble uk measures. Eating out was dirt cheap if you fancied what the locals ate. I looked around the market and had a freshly made cheese and tomato pizza for 28p and it came straight from the oven. Cakes were between 8p to 20p and looked delicious. We only had food in one eat in place and it cost around £6 for the steak ribs. We are more interested in beer and pubs.
I didn?t see much on the Friday, but went to the market on Saturday for a nosey around and found it to be massive. i started by walking the wrong way and when i realised my mistake i got a tram for 25p and it dropped me right at the market. The indoor market was 4 big aircraft hangers with meat in one, fruit and veg in the other, farm produce and teas and coffees in the next and clothes and things in the last. The outside market sold just about everything and I was stopped by people trying to sell me pairs of jeans for £2-3 pounds and shoes for 5. I went over to the train station and caught the train to jarmala and it only cost 1.01 lats and took around 45mins. Jarmala beach was very clean and the Baltic sea cold but fantastically transparent and clean. I walked along for around an hour and back up the road to the shopping area and then back on the train. Jarmala didn?t have much to offer except beach and a few shops, but I would imagine it be beautiful in the summer. Got back into riga and went for a nosey around the shopping centre and bought a few gifts from there and also the market.
Back at my hotel, I awoke my mate who had been out all night until 9am in the morning and we went for a nosey around a few sites, 3 brothers and Swedish gate and st peters church, before heading back to the pub. We went in dickens pub and another Irish one and then headed to tgi Fridays for some food and met 2 beautiful local girls, kate and alex (maybe you?ll know them) and we chatted for over an hour. Went out at night and had a another good night in various pubs and clubs and arrived home at 5am. We had to leave for the airport at 9.45 so had to have a little kip. Got a taxi back to the airport just for comfort and it cost 10 lats. Things on the airport going back were cheap and a bottle of water (1 ?lit ) and some chewing gum and sweets to suck cost just over a pound.
All in all, it was a good trip, HOTEL KOLONNA comes highly recommended and is in a great location. The food and drink are cheap, the locals friendly, but don?t expect much friendliness around the hustling market, it?s a first come first serve basis. Don?t think riga has a lot to see for more than a few days, but I would go back soon. Hope my piece helps anybody going.

dont use money booths for money exchange, use banks or cash machines.

*Edit - family site.*