Christmas in Riga or two days in a pre-holiday fairy tale! Riga New Years events
Do you want to celebrate the New Year in one of the fabulous places in the world? Head to Riga, a truly magical corner of the Baltics. The capital of Latvia will be able to enchant any traveler with its charms. Stepping on the narrow winding street of the Old Town, you will plunge into a real fairy tale. On the eve of the main holiday of the year, a special magical atmosphere reigns here, obliterating all facets of reality.
Festive events
In our company you can book the following excursion tours for the New Year in Riga 2017:
Celebrate New Years in Riga
On New Year's Eve in Riga there are especially many tourists from different countries of the world. The city is enveloped in an indescribable New Year's atmosphere: residents decorate houses for the holiday, the streets are illuminated with flickering lights, stunningly beautiful Christmas trees with figures of snow-white touching angels are installed on the squares, you can hear Christmas melodies everywhere. Guests of Riga enjoy visiting local fairs selling amber souvenirs, pottery, local gifts of nature and much more. Here you can taste delicious bread, Riga balsam, Latvian beer and various sweets.
To celebrate the holiday, locals and tourists gather in the old town near the embankment of the Daugava River. Here they set up a stage with screens where artists perform. Various entertainment activities and attractions work for children. Hot drinks, songs, dances, delicious treats - this is how the New Year is celebrated in Riga. And at midnight, guests of the city watch the most beautiful fireworks over the river.
On New Year's Eve 2017, be sure to visit the local attractions. Particularly popular is Old Riga - the central part of the city, where ancient cathedrals, castles and houses are located. Climbing to the observation deck of St. Peter's Cathedral, you can see the panorama of Riga from a bird's eye view. Also, tourists often visit the neighboring cities of Riga, such as Jurmala - the pearl of the Baltic Sea, Sigulda - a treasury of medieval castles, Rundale - a storehouse of Baroque architectural style.
tour cost
Outside the window, the snow whirls in a slow dance. Winter envelops the city in a white blanket and lights Christmas lights in the houses. At such a time, every person dreams of a New Year's miracle that will take him to a magical land. Now you can fulfill your dream and meet the New Year 2017 in Riga - a fabulous city of children's dreams! The capital of Latvia knows how to charm the traveler - it is enough just once to step on the narrow winding street of the Old Town. And to plunge headlong into a fairy tale, take a walk along the streets of old Riga. On the eve of the New Year, a special magical atmosphere reigns here, which erases all facets of reality ...
Riga will present a New Year's fairy tale to all its guests
New Year's events in Riga
According to tradition, in Riga, not one, but several main ones are installed at once: at the House of Blackheads on the Town Hall Square, at the Esplanade, on the Dome and Railway Station squares, on Brivibas Boulevard ... A whole rabbit town has developed on the Esplanade, where real animals live! Local Christmas markets run from early December to mid-January.
They are located on Dome Square and Bastion Hill, Livu Square and Esplanade. Amber souvenirs, dishes, clothes are sold in wooden New Year's houses. The custom of organizing Christmas markets has been around for many years. In the shops of folk craftsmen it was always possible to purchase many different goods. Here you can also taste the famous Riga bread, Latvian beer and various sweets.
For young visitors, there are entertainment events and attractions. Most of the residents of Riga and guests of the city celebrate the New Year at the Freedom Monument and on the Daugava River Embankment. Here they set up a stage with screens and entertain people with songs and dances. Exactly at midnight, fireworks are thundering over the river. This is the only day of the year when it is officially allowed to drink alcohol on the street.
Entertainment establishments in the capital of Latvia will welcome visitors New Year in Riga restaurants
You can have a bright New Year's Eve at the Rozengrals restaurant. The restaurant is located in the basement of wine cellars on Rosen Street, not far from Dome Square, and is styled after the Middle Ages. The menu includes dishes from the 13th century, and musicians play ancient instruments.
The elite restaurant "Le Dome" on Mnesnieku will appeal to connoisseurs of gourmet cuisine. Guests of the establishment are offered lobster tails in a special sauce, duck leg confit, foie gras with savoy cabbage. And for gourmets, pineapple with coconut ice cream, as well as mint panna cotta and alcoholic rum jelly are waiting for. Not all restaurants in Riga are open on New Year's Eve. Therefore, it is better to book a table in one of them in advance.
Ancient city romance
Old Riga is the most visited tourist destination in Latvia. There are ancient castles, houses and cathedrals here. Spend a day or two for sightseeing, stopping occasionally at tiny local cafes to warm up. Be sure to visit the observation deck of St. Peter's Basilica. A wonderful panorama of the city opens from there.
Secluded streets of Riga hide a lot of interesting and unusual Organ music concerts are traditionally held in the Dome Cathedral on Catholic and New Year's Eve. Those interested in the history of the Baltics can visit the Ethnographic Museum. Exhibitions of applied art are held in its halls. And the Academy of Arts presents works that can be purchased.
In Old Riga, the Christmas mood is especially strong. It's so great to walk along the snow-covered streets and go to a secluded coffee shop, where candles flicker in the gloom and the aroma of coffee with Riga balsam soars! And the bells of the Riga City Hall, beating festive melodies, will take you into a New Year's fairy tale.
Excursions in Riga and its surroundings
If weather conditions permit, go to admire the castles of Rundale and Cesis, as well as breathe the sea air of Jurmala. The resort has a wonderful water park "Livu", which is open on holidays. Go there if you have a couple of days off in Latvia. The weather here is unpredictable during the period. Newly fallen snow can be replaced by rain and freezing temperatures. Most often in Riga in January it is snowy and cool: -1 ... -4 degrees.
The mysterious Cesis Castle will reveal another side of Latvia for you High humidity and wind increase the feeling of coldness, and you need to dress warmly. It is advisable to use clothing that does not get wet or blown by the wind. If you can't walk, you can book a sightseeing tour on a tourist bus. It lasts one and a half to two hours. Tour buses leave from the National Opera.
Accommodation in Riga
Getting to Riga is easy and inexpensive. There are also many options for accommodation - these are hotels located in ancient buildings a five-minute walk from the historical part of the city, and modern hotels that are located a little further from the center. All establishments offer a good level of service, comfortable rooms and a delicious breakfast. For a fee, you can join the gala dinner.
Take the opportunity to taste the national cuisine in Latvia. As a rule, the banquet is accompanied by an entertaining show program, lottery and contests. In any case, New Year's Riga will definitely amaze you with its medieval charm, rich choice of entertainment and hospitality of the locals!
The first candle on the Advent wreath lights up and it's time to wait for a miracle ... Fabulous streets of the Old Town and noisy markets, elegant Christmas trees and illumination, bright performances for children and organ classics in churches ... Also Christmas in Latvia is, of course, mulled wine and steamed cakes, sausages with lingonberry sauce and roasted almonds ...
Why go to Riga, Latvia for Christmas
- Latvia nearby. From Moscow or St. Petersburg - one night by train or 1.5-2 hours by plane, from 10 hours by comfortable bus or by your own car (from 12 hours).
- In Latvia and Riga they speak Russian. They will understand you everywhere (restaurants / cafes, hotels, museums, theaters ...) and will gladly prompt and tell you everything that interests you.
- Comfortable weather. In Latvia at Christmas - at the end of December - it is relatively warm and there is snow (if you're lucky!).
- It's delicious here. Coffee with a bun or a gourmet dinner in restaurants and cafes in Riga is always delicious. And don't forget to plan your visit to the Riga Central Market. Here you should definitely try smoked chicken, fish of different varieties and types of preparation, cheese with caraway seeds, real rye bread, fresh homemade beer, smoked meats ...
- Stormy cultural life. Organ at the Dome Cathedral, ballet at the Latvian Opera, Riga Russian Theater ... But tickets here need to be booked in advance - better a month in advance!
- Riga does not sleep at night. Walk along the streets of the Old Town, visit a pub, listen to live music in a restaurant ... At midnight a different life begins in Riga.
- Christmas holidays in Riga are budget friendly., and gifts for Christmas in the Latvian capital can be bought cheaper than in London. The study found that a weekend for two in Riga would cost just £ 504 (€ 570), including flights, airport transfers, accommodation, food, drinks and of course Christmas entertainment.
- In addition to Riga, there is where to go not far away - take a walk along the seashore in Jurmala, go skiing in Sigulda, walk through the halls in the palace in Rundale ...
Riga is the birthplace of the Christmas tree!
The Christmas tree is the main argument, why go to Riga for Christmas! The world's first Christmas tree was installed in Riga in 1510.
Unfortunately, very little is known about the first Riga Christmas tree. For example, it is reported that the festive spruce was dressed up by men in black hats, and after the holiday the tree was burned. But many researchers agree on one thing - the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree appeared in historically multinational Riga as a result of a mixture of Christian and pagan beliefs.
Be sure to find in Old Riga - near the House of the Blackheads - the place where the world's first city Christmas tree was adorned. It is marked with a memorial - a plate on which it is written that it was here, in this very place, that the first Christmas tree in the world was installed in 1510.And in honor of the 500th anniversary of the first Christmas tree in the Old Town - at the corner of st. Kalku and Tirgonu, in the Egle recreation park - installed a large mirrored Art Nouveau spruce. At the top she has - rightly, a Riga cockerel. Now the mirror spruce is one of the main symbols of modern Riga and an indispensable place for a souvenir photo.
How Christmas is celebrated in Riga - traditions and customs
Advent wreath
Advent wreath - a wreath of fir branches with four candles woven into it. AND preparation for Christmas in Latvia begins 3 weeks before the main Christmas evening(in lat. - Ziemassvētki, on the night of December 24-25). Every Sunday one candle is lit in the Advent wreath. On the first Sunday, one candle is lit, on the second - two, and so on ... All four candles are lit on Christmas itself. And it is celebrated in Riga for three days. All three days are official holidays:
- December 24- Christmas Eve
- December 25- Christmas
- December 26- the second day of Christmas
Drawing the deck
Christmas Eve - December 24 - is considered special. It is also called "quiet evening". For example, according to ancient customs, the owners drag a log (log) around the house, and then burn it. By the way, in Old Riga and the Ethnographic Open-Air Museum every year you can take part in the process of "drawing a log". It is believed that together with him they burn all their troubles, sorrows and tears, drive away evil spirits ...
Christmas night in Riga
Christmas in Riga, Latvia is celebrated much wider than New Year. For example, the Christmas caroling custom still lives here. Now, mostly children in masks go from house to house with songs and good wishes. In return, they receive gifts: pies, piparkukas and sweets. On the evening of December 24, concerts and performances begin on the main streets. Although Christmas in Riga is considered a home, family holiday, today many people go out to walk the streets and listen to songs at concerts.
Christmas in Riga - where to go and where to celebrate
Christmas markets, concerts, performances, just walking ... There are enough options to spend the most fabulous time!
Christmas markets and markets in Riga
Christmas markets and markets have been opened in Riga since the beginning of December. The most important fair is open in Old Riga - on Dome Square (Doma laukums)... Here, one of the first to install the main Christmas tree in Riga (in the forest, the spruce is chosen by children and the mayor of the city). This usually happens on the first Advent (the first Saturday or Sunday in December). At the Christmas market in Old Riga, trade unfolds and Christmas food is prepared- gray peas with bacon (lard), sausages, sauerkraut is stewed ... Here (usually on Saturdays and Sundays) there is a very rich cultural program - actors and folk groups perform with traditional Christmas carols).
Christmas markets in Riga are open
- in the Egle park(open-air recreation park Elka on Kalku street)
- on Livs square (Līvu laukums)
- on the Esplanade... Fair in the park between Elizabetes streets, Kr. Valdemara, Brivibas and Kalpaka boulevards are known for their whole rabbit town. Real rabbits live here in real miniature houses.
- Christmas Fair at the Academy of Arts of Latvia - a relatively new tradition in Riga. Here you can see and buy original hand-made design, artwork, creative souvenirs and gifts. From 24 to 26 December, this fair, unlike all the others, does not work.
Christmas markets complement Riga's vibrant festive kaleidoscope aromas of mulled wine, roasted almonds, and gingerbread cookies ... Here you can see and buy scented candles, woolen socks, hats and scarves with a traditional pattern, wooden toys and rag dolls, amber jewelry and silverware ...
Festive Christmas services
Festive services are held in the churches of Riga and Latvia on December 23 and 24, 25 and 26. The most solemn services, accompanied by organ, of course, are held in the Dome Cathedral. It should be borne in mind that the services and greetings before concerts are here in Latvian. Majestic organ music sounds these days in St. Paul's Cathedral.
Christmas concerts and festivals in Riga
At Christmas, residents of Riga and guests of the city are welcome at Riga Christmas concert(Kipsala Exhibition Center on 25 and 26 December), at concerts in the capital's churches and cultural centers, performances for children, sports activities for the whole family, traditional Festival "The Way of Christmas Trees"... Every year, in the beginning of December, about 40 Christmas trees are installed all over Riga - brick, glass, wood, in general - different and different. The authors of unusual urban installations are professional artists, students of the Latvian Academy of Arts, representatives of creative professions. Of course, Christmas trees look best at nightfall.You can buy tickets for concerts, performances online- on the websites of the organizers or specialized online posters.
Latvian national cuisine - must-haves for Christmas in Riga
Gray peas with fried bacon (Pelēkie zirņi ar speķi un ceptiem sīpoliem)
A traditional Latvian Christmas dish is boiled gray peas with fried bacon. It is certainly served in restaurants, bistros, cafes (for example, in the well-known chain of democratic restaurants "Lido"). Latvian housewives cook peas themselves, pouring fried bacon (lat. - spek) and onions on it. All boiled peas on this day must be eaten so that the tears of this year do not remain the next. Today, ready-made peas can be bought for Christmas in any supermarket; now there is a national dish in the form of canned food.
Stewed sauerkraut (Sautēti skābēti kāposti)
Sauerkraut with carrots is stewed and also served with fried onions (sometimes with meat). This is an indispensable dish in Latvia in autumn and winter, and is well suited as a side dish with blood sausages.
Blood sausages and with sweet lingonberry sauce (Putraimdesas)
Blood sausage or blood pancakes are one of the traditional dishes of Latvian cuisine. You should definitely try them at the Christmas markets in Riga.Sklandrausis (Sklandrausis, Sklandu rausis)
These are small open cheesecakes made from rye dough. Boiled potatoes or carrots are used as the filling (the traditional type is still with carrots). The filling is mixed with sour cream and eggs.
Bread Soup (Maizes zupa)
Bread soup is a traditional Latvian dessert. The basis is dried rye bread. Bread soup is prepared with milk or cream. When the bread swells, the rest of the ingredients are added - berries, dried fruits, sometimes nuts and sugar. Today you can buy semi-finished soup in supermarkets, the contents of the package will only have to be poured. By the way, an unusual gift from Riga will always be appreciated by friends or relatives from other countries.
How shops, museums and institutions work in Riga, Latvia at Christmas
This means that all state, municipal and other institutions and organizations, as well as banks, do not work (the exception is bank branches in large shopping centers). There is no reception of visitors at the embassies, consulates (but there are usually telephone on duty). The opening hours of museums should be clarified in advance, some of them are active all the holidays, some are not.
How do shops work in Riga at Christmas?
During the Christmas weekend, from 24 to 26 December, shops and markets in Riga and throughout Latvia work on a reduced schedule.
December 24 As a rule, supermarkets and hypermarkets work 1-2 hours less - from 8:00 to 20:00, maximum until 21:00.
December 25 shops start working later - from 9:00, 10:00, and some even from 11:00. But in the evening, as a rule, according to the usual schedule. Supermarkets in Latvia most often work until 22:00, hypermarkets - until 23:00.
Do not forget that alcohol is sold in Riga and Latvia only until 22:00!
Shopping centers in Riga at Christmas also change their schedule:
December 25 and December 26 shopping centers start working from 11:00 or 12:00 and work until 20:00.
Riga Central Market On December 24, 25 and 26, it usually works from 8:00 to 17:00. Christmas markets in Old Riga and in the city center work long on Christmas weekends - until 19:00 or 20:00. The exception is Christmas night itself on December 24 - then trading is open until a maximum of 18:00.
Pharmacies in Riga, Latvia are usually located in large retail centers or supermarkets networks Rimi, Maxima, ELVI, MEGO. Therefore, they tend to work on the same schedule as the stores or shopping centers themselves. If the pharmacy is already closed, then on holidays and weekends there should always be information on the door where the nearest 24-hour pharmacy is located.
Opening hours of shops, pharmacies, markets during the Christmas holidays usually posted in advance at the entrance and on sites. Therefore, when planning shopping for these days, choose the time convenient for you in advance!
How cafes and restaurants work in Riga at Christmas
Restaurants and cafes in Riga work hard on Christmas. But! If you are planning to spend Christmas night in a restaurant, select and book in advance. Otherwise, there is a chance of not getting where you really wanted. As a rule, it is December 24(as on December 31st on New Year's Eve) the restaurants have a special festive program (with DJs, artists and famous singers / bands) and a special menu is being prepared. Therefore, tables must be reserved and paid for this evening in advance! Already from the beginning of December, restaurants begin to post information and a detailed program of the holidays on their websites.
It is customary to leave a tip in restaurants in Riga - at least 10% of the order amount!
Cafes, bars, pubs and other catering establishments in Riga they also work all Christmas night. Various holiday programs are also held here, it is also better to read about them and additional conditions in advance on the websites.
A favorite place for the whole family for Christmas in Riga —
I could not even imagine that Riga would turn out to be such a magnificent city. For some reason, it seemed to me that the capital of Latvia is quite ordinary, it is not anything special, therefore, when we were planning our New Year's trip, for a long time we could not decide what to choose as our destination: Tallinn or Riga. Even though we have been to Tallinn five times already. Ultimately, the choice fell on Riga, and I am very, very glad that we came here.
Latvia is a northern country, so the weather for New Year in Riga is not much different from Moscow. , on the outskirts of Riga we got into a real snow storm, which only intensified upon arrival. The snow fell for six hours in a row: sometimes quieter, sometimes with violent force, flying into the eyes and behind the collar. Brrr! It was unpleasant. But the impressions of Old Riga negated the feeling of discomfort from bad weather. Old Riga inspired, surprised and amazed - so much so that I wanted to walk around it all night long. The city was beautifully decorated for the holidays, and its houses were like the scenery of old London. Snowdrifts and flakes falling from the sky intensified the festive atmosphere, and all together created the impression that we were in a work of art, on the pages of books with classic Christmas stories, where old houses and narrow streets, sloping roofs, invariable magic and romance.
Riga is an excellent destination for traveling during the New Year holidays, while one of the closest residences of real Christmas, which we are only trying to recreate, to Russia.
1. We settled in Radisson Blu outside Elizabeth, named after the Empress Elizabeth, who greatly favored Riga during her reign. 
2. I will tell you about the hotel separately. Today we will walk from him through a winter fairy tale directly to the old town. 
Old Riga is the name of the historical center of the city, located on an island separated from the rest of the districts by a narrow channel on one side and a wide Daugava (in Russia this river is called the Western Dvina) on the other. So the old city is much larger here - outside the center there are dozens or even hundreds of blocks of stunning old buildings, churches and cathedrals, mansions and estates. Probably, the name of the historical center was fixed long enough, when all this splendor seemed to be a novelty. And over time, the inhabitants of Riga did not begin to revise the city toponyms.
Old Riga is just a stone's throw from the hotel. You need to go through the park, then past the university, another park, cross the canal there on the pedestrian bridge, and that's it - you are there.
4. Park fence on the side of the university and an old billboard. There are an incredible amount of such authentic, classic details in Riga, and they all create the general cinematic atmosphere of the city. I have never been to Riga before, but when I read books about some beautiful city of the twenties or thirties, I always imagined it that way. 
5. Riga very often resembled Prague: in terms of the architecture of buildings, the amount of Russian on the streets and something so inexplicable in the air. Nevertheless, with all this, the city is individual, it cannot be confused with any other. 
6. This is not Old Riga yet - this is how almost the whole city looks like, with the exception of residential areas. 
7. There is no metro in Riga. But there are trolleybuses and trams. 
8. Incredibly beautiful old building of the University of Latvia. The windows from the bottom to the top illuminate the electric lamps, incredibly popular in the Baltic countries, in the form of seven candles, located on an isosceles triangle - a stand. The same fashion - to put such a Christmas candlestick on the windowsill - has long been in Russia: in St. Petersburg and, in general, the North-West of the country. 
9. Behind the University of Latvia there is another park, in the middle of which is the same canal, on the other side of which is the historical center. In the distance in the photo is the silhouette of the National Opera. 
10. Most of the bridges across the canal are pedestrian. 
11. View through the park to the building of the University of Latvia. 
12. I have never been to the same really Christmas city before. There is some incredible magic in the Riga air! 
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15. The snow does not stop and only gets stronger. However, this is not a problem. There are a lot of cozy coffee houses in Riga, where you can drop in, shake off the avalanche of snow from your coat, scarf and hat and sit by the window to catch your breath, so that in a couple of tens of minutes you can again run out into the street and continue an exciting walk through one of the most Christmas cities in the world. 
There are very narrow streets in Old Riga, but, nevertheless, traffic is not blocked here - you can stop by and admire it yourself by car. You can even park here - however, the parking will be gold. By analogy with Moscow, you need to pay for parking here, the tariff varies depending on the area, in addition, it is progressive: the first hour is cheaper - the second is more expensive (in the Old Town, the first hour of parking on the sidewalk will cost 4.27 euros, from the second hour - 7.11 euros for each 60 minutes, horror!). Local residents are given season tickets.
16. Old architecture in the historical center is adjacent to a successful new one. In general, Old Riga successfully combines buildings from various eras: from the Middle Ages, and the times of the Russian Empire, and the First Republic, and the Soviet period, and modern times. It's interesting to look around. 
17. Old Riga, as it seemed to me, is not at all comparable to Tallinn. These are two completely different Baltic capitals. I would advise equally be sure to visit both. 
18. The historic center is nicely decorated for Christmas. It is quite spacious, there is a lot of air and open spaces, which were occupied by numerous Christmas markets on the eve of the winter holidays. 
19. Most of them are still working in early January. It is immediately evident that Riga loves a tourist from Russia. And with pleasure he prolongs the celebrations of Christmas and New Years for the Russian holidays. The residents of Riga themselves go to work right after the New Year - like the rest of Europe. True, unlike most European countries, where trees begin to accumulate in landfills from January 2, here the holiday does not even think to stop at this time. 
20. A restaurant dedicated to the American forties, fifties and sixties. Something like - only with real iconic cars displayed right in the restaurant hall. 
21. The snow is getting stronger and stronger. The Christmas mood is getting higher. 
22. There are a lot of people in the Old City, but no crowds. In addition, there are just dozens, if not hundreds of lanes, where you can turn off the main streets and immediately find yourself face to face with the beautiful Riga. 
23. The city is decorated with love and very generously. 
24. One of the central streets. Lots of coffee shops! Almost like in New York Starbucks, coffee shops in Riga - on every corner. 
25. Snow removal equipment cannot cope with the intensity of precipitation, therefore, on the first evening, there is no trace of thinking about driving around the city in a car. Even on studded tires, which, by the way, are allowed to enter Latvia during the cold season (check the time period for which this permit applies is on the national government websites), the car easily gets out of control: it slips when accelerating, activates ABS when braking. As a result, you have to drive with maximum concentration and with the speed of a snail. Overclocking to 30 and above is dangerous. 
26. The old town is very spacious and in a splendid condition. For some reason, before my trip to Riga, I often came across reviews, where they blamed the devastation prevailing in the capital of Latvia and the general depression of the region (the main argument is the dramatically decreasing population of the country, which has almost tripled since independence). In fact, in the center I did not face ruin, and indeed after Portugal, Latvia and, directly, Riga look very solid. And even more so when compared with provincial Russia. 
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28. That evening, walking around Riga, I could not get rid of the memories of my very first trip abroad. and the weather on my first day there was exactly the same: snowfall, frost and Christmas mood. 
29. By the way, Prague was reminded not only of the weather, but also the architecture and the general mood. Riga is a twin of the Czech capital. I have not yet met a single city that is so similar to Prague. 
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32. What coziness in these streets, wrapped in snowdrifts! 
33. The main Riga fair. 
34. She's the most beautiful! 
35. There are enough people, but there is no sense of the crowd. The very thing for the holiday. Almost all Russian speakers: both strollers and sellers. Along with this, there is no "tagil" around. 
36. The main tree is real! Looks great and decorated. 
37. Right next to her is a very beautiful decorative house with a manger in which the newborn Jesus lies. 
38. Mulled wine (without disguising its name as "Christmas drink") and other goodies are sold everywhere. Mulled wine at the main Christmas market costs 2.50 euros. I will definitely tell you about the prices in detail - in the next article about Riga. But, warning your questions, I will say: Riga is a very economical city. Often, bills come out significantly cheaper than in Moscow. Yes, even at the current rate. 
39. There are many vats in which all sorts of snacks and drinks are prepared right on the fires. 
40. Very beautiful decor of tents and gazebos installed in the square. Real Christmas! 
41. How beautiful! 
42. The fair is big enough. 
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44. Everyone, frozen, tired - it's time to go to our warm and cozy hotel :) 
Riga is a great place to celebrate New Years and Christmas. The reality here turned out to be much higher than expectations, which were quite restrained. I don't know if I was the only one who was so "lucky" - earlier I had the impression that the capital of Latvia is a rather boring place. In fact, everything turned out to be exactly the opposite. Riga has definitely become not only one of the main discoveries of 2016, which has just begun, but also of all recent years. The fact that at least once a year we will definitely look here is now a fact.
A little later I'll talk about what a cool hotel we lived in, and what Riga is like outside the historical center - everything is very cool there too.
Happy holidays to all of you, friends! And don't even think about ending up celebrating! We still have at least one full evening, night and day ahead! Don't slow down! :)
The last weekend before Catholic Christmas I spent in fabulous Riga: I inspected the new Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga, found out which restaurant serves the best food, who brews the best mulled wine in the Christmas market, where they make the best coffee, and where they make excellent cocktails. In a word, this post is my little Riga guide.
1. Riga has many advantages, but one of the main ones is its proximity to Moscow. Fly only twenty hours. This time I was traveling in AirBaltic business class. There were not many people on the flight, the service is attentive and the cheesecake with caramelized nuts is simply magical.
2. My weekend home is the recently opened five-star Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga. This is an important discovery for the city - there have never been any hotels of this level in the capital of Latvia. Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga occupies the building of the former hotel "Riga" - my dad, for example, who often visited the city in Soviet times, immediately understood which hotel I was staying at. "Riga" was known in the old days. The hotel has been under reconstruction for almost four years - now it is brand new, brand new, cozy and luxurious at the same time.
3. In the lobby, guests are greeted by the most beautiful Christmas tree in Riga. I really liked that the color scheme of the Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga immediately refers to amber, a stone that is very proud of in Latvia. Here are the balls on the Christmas tree of warm amber color.
4. Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga is very lucky with its location. It stands opposite the National Opera, at the very junction of old and new Riga. The old center actually starts at the doorstep of the hotel; at the same time, there are unusually spacious rooms for a hotel located in a medieval city, the minimum area of which is as much as 35 meters.
5. Spaciousness, elegance, respectability - this is the Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga.
6. The best things have been preserved from the old hotel "Riga", for example, these bas-reliefs with views of the city in the lobby.
7. Chandeliers have hung in this hotel before. And in the foreground is the layout of the Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga in the form of a gingerbread house.
8. The proximity to the National Opera (literally opposite!) Is repeatedly emphasized in the Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga - for example, the notes above the headboard of my room.
9. All rooms have a mandatory bath and shower. And everything is kept in warm amber colors, of course!
10. Being alone in the midst of the hectic month of the year is priceless. To be honest, I am looking forward to the New Year with great impatience - I really want to finish all the work and take a horizontal position.
11. In the meantime - December, needles, candles.
12. I was very glad to find the wine of my friends, Tenuta di Bibbiano, in the wine list of the Amber restaurant working in the Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga. Remember I told you about?
13. If you come to Riga and don't even stay at the Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga, please do not miss the excellent Grand Bar located on the ground floor of the hotel anyway.
14. It was here, in the bar (the first in Latvia!) Of the then hotel "Riga", that Jazep Arbidan invented the first alcoholic cocktails in the USSR. They are in front of you! I chose a combination of Riga balsam, caraway liqueur, etc. “Riga champagne” (sparkling wine for which grapes are bought abroad, but the wine itself is made in Latvia). The husband preferred a stronger version, where the traditional Riga balsam is paired with vodka. Well, salty - exactly salty! - cucumbers as a piquant accent. We asked the chief bartender Oskars about everything - he told us in detail how he consulted with Jazep when preparing a cocktail card, and that for the sake of preserving that very taste, it was pickled cucumbers (there were no pickled cucumbers at that time!) And it was Riga sparkling wine , not prosecco.
15. We really liked the Grand Bar. We spent a whole Saturday evening there with pleasure.
16. It seems that if you fly to Riga for performances at the National Opera, which is located opposite the hotel, you need to start the evening right here.
18. Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga has a huge and very beautiful spa center.
19. For example, a spacious swimming pool. Behind it is a whole cascade of saunas and baths.
20. Air croissants for breakfast.
21. And very good poached eggs with Baltic salmon and red caviar.
22. View of the old town. See how close everything is!
23. If you are going to Riga for the New Year, keep in mind that there will be a festive evening at the Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga.
24. What else to do in Riga besides the bar, spa and sleeping in the new hotel? Don't miss, for example, the Riga Art Nouveau Center, a wonderful little museum dedicated to Riga Art Nouveau. The photo shows the staircase of the museum, probably the most photographed in the city.
26. And this is the staircase in the Dome Cathedral. Listening to the organ here is part of the compulsory Riga program. Check the concert schedule.
27. Be sure to go up to the observation deck of St. Peter's Church. The view of the old town from there is wonderful - the whole of Riga is at a glance and looks absolutely toy.
34. There is a Christmas fair on Dome Square. Music sounds almost all day long - it plays jazz, then national motives. Feet start dancing by themselves, especially if you warm up with mulled wine beforehand.
35. The first time I visited Riga was in December 1990. The most striking impression was the unusual yellow light of the lanterns and large flakes of snow. Great to be back!
37. This gentleman has the most delicious mulled wine in the whole Christmas market. It's great, by the way, that almost everyone here at the fair is cooked on a live fire, which makes the whole center of Riga smell of smoke and wood.
38. Condensed milk tubules! Well, isn't it lovely? Nearby were sandwiches on Riga dark bread with raw smoked sausage and pickled cucumbers.
39. One of the best coffee spots in town is the cozy little Parunasim cafe.
41. The spiers of the Riga churches are decorated with cockerels. Previously, one side was gold, the other black. Depending on how the wind was blowing, they turned to the merchants arriving by water in Riga from one side or the other, making it clear whether the weather would allow them to enter the port and whether the deal would take place. Sugar cockerels are sold at Riga Christmas markets.
42. And knitted mittens are also sold. And socks, and hats, and scarves with national ornaments - too. I even saw a Mini Countryman with a national pattern instead of the usual stripes!
44. If you get bored with Riga gingerbread (although how can you get bored?), Get outside the old center and stop by for a coffee at the Imagehouse concept store. First, there is a very beautiful interior. Secondly, great coffee and delicious desserts. Thirdly, there is a small but amusing selection of clothing brands like Walk of Shame or Mother of Pearl. Fourth, a good selection of home accessories. Literally obliquely from Imagehouse, there is a wonderful lingerie and homewear store Amoralle. This is a Latvian brand with amazingly beautiful shirts, peignoirs and dresses, very beautiful lingerie.
45. On Sundays, many residents of Riga have brunch at the Biblioteka # 1 restaurant. I don't like the buffet format, but I know it has a lot of fans. If you are one of them, write down this place for yourself.
46. The best restaurant in Riga, for my taste, is the fish restaurant Le Dome. The chef, charming Sergei Shiporov, himself, of course, chooses products on the Riga market. This one, for example, a pike perch, was caught by a Latvian policeman who is engaged in fishing in his spare time and is a regular supplier of Le Dome. A pike perch with a flashing light, one might say. And very, very worthy. I also liked that Sergey organically introduces light Asian accents into the menu. Herring with wasabi and oriental sauce was very good! Do not miss!
47. Contemporary bistro with an emphasis on local products - Muusu. Not as refined as Le Dom, but worth a visit. Here I have Baltic salmon, yolk, celery puree.
48. Another modern Riga restaurant is the new St Petrus. Also recommend! All these establishments are included in the new edition of the White Guide gastronomic guide to the Baltics. The number one restaurant in Latvia is named Vincents. Unfortunately, this place disappointed me - the chef, Martin Ritynsh, retired, the cuisine looks anachronistic (Norman butter, French oysters, Japanese beef, Pacific tuna - why is it all at once?), The emphasis is on serving, and doesn't taste good. Service is still good, but I wouldn't recommend the restaurant to you. Pictured is salmon (I love fish!) At St Petrus.
49. Also, don't miss the Riga market, especially its fish pavilion. How much is there in total! And fresh fish, and dried, and smoked, and salted - eyes run up. The must-haves include smoked eel and smoked or salted salmon, which can be vacuum packed with ease.
50. One of the best stands on the market - with moonshine. An excellent idea, by the way. You can try (40 ml costs 1.2 euros) and then buy a bottle, or you can just use the counter as a bar - drink a glass and run. I don't drink moonshine, but Pasha tried it and said that it was excellent. Design, idea, implementation - all for five!
51. Behind a nearby counter sell herring under a fur coat. And although the Riga market is far from the glamorous and fashionable Moscow markets, I advise you to take a time and look here.
52. And be sure to take the time and get to Jurmala and walk along the coast of the winter sea.
Come to the sea in the off-season,
in addition to material benefits,
has the same reason
that it is temporary, but the way out
outside the brackets of the year ... - wrote Brodsky.
Do you agree? On this very path, I think, I first went to the Jurmala beach in December 1990. Behind me is the house of creativity of the USSR writers, where my mother and I were staying then. I was seven, I saw the sea for the first time, but the winter sea - yes, for the first time. The building is still standing - every time I come to Jurmala, I go to visit him. I think maybe there is my childhood somewhere? No, not there.
53. I go to Jurmala by taxi (half an hour on the way and 20 euros), but you can get there by train too - it leaves from the main Riga station. Jurmala - I think you know about it - is a series of small resort towns, the most popular of which are Majori and Dzintari. In winter (at least in December on a weekday) it is pretty deserted. You can get to Majori, walk along the central street Jomas, go out to the sea and walk along the beach until you get bored. As you get bored - go out to the road, call a taxi and go to lunch. The traditional place is the restaurant "36 line", the new Faces was also praised to me.
54. Wonderful, wonderful Jurmala. You cannot leave Riga without visiting here.
55. How long does it take to get to Riga? Three days is enough. A couple of days - to walk around the city, see the old center and Art Nouveau buildings, dine at Le Dome, drink at the Grand Bar, soak up a little at the spa, huddle at the Christmas market, go to several museums and a concert in Dome Cathedral. The third day - Jurmala for half a day and the market. And home! Riga has a great new airport, where there is not only a business lounge with cool furniture, but also many nice cafes and shops, and even a barbershop.
Raise your hands, who is going on holidays to the Baltics and to Riga in particular?