Just returned from our 4 night stay in Riga. We flew out on time with Ryan Air out of Liverpool for a very cheap price of £55 for both of us return. The flight took about 2 and a half hours and collected our baggage very quickly and headed off for the bus. We jumped on the 22a bus which we caught just over the road from the main airport building. It cost .25 each and .50 for our luggage. A local lady told us where we needed to get off and then we took the short stroll to our hotel. We later learnt that the 22 bus would have dropped us off closer but that wasn't a problem for us.

We were staying at the Konventa Seta for 86 Euro a night, which I booked directly with the hotel. The location was spot on, very central and was a very good 3* hotel.

Food and drink in Riga was very cheap but did vary in price from place to place. As anywhere else it was a bit more expensive in the old town near some of the must see places but it was still very reasonable. An example of this was a visit we made to a Double Coffee cafe on Dome square for a much needed hot drink. We were given an English menu and were charged more for our drinks there than at a Double Coffee cafe in a different part of town on a Latvian menu. During the day I would try some of the local cafes to try their local dishes and of an evening I'd go out to a restaurant such as Chinese, Mexican and the likes. A favourite place of mine in the afternoon served a very nice local beer for .55 and a very filling large bacon soup for .65. Just what the doctor ordered after a walk around the massive central market.

While we were there we visited the :-

Central market which was massive and was held in 5 or 6 old Zeppelin hangers. You name it they sold it. Hundreds of meat, fish, veg, cheese stalls.

Cat House which was a house with a cat on its roof now facing forward but the story has it that the owner originally placed them so their rears were facing the guild hall across the road, in defiance of the guild since they denied him entry. He was eventually admitted to the Guild on the condition that he turn the cats around to a more appropriate position.

St Peters Church which cost 2 lats each to get in but for that you go up to the top of the spire in the lift and had an amazing view of the city.

Powder Tower which was free to enter and used to hold the gun powder for the city and now is a museum showing the weapons and uniforms worn by soldiers through the ages. Each room displayed information of different wars and eras in great detail but unfortunatly was not in English so we just looked at the pictures.

Reval Hotel Latvia was well worth a visit. Go up in the lift to the 26th floor and enjoy a cocktail while taking in the views of Riga.

Thats it for now but if you have any questions just fire away.