Portal North. ISSUE 2 - Magazine - Page 16
RIGA, LATVIA
Latvia’s capital has been a UNESCO World Heritage
Site since 1997 and its compact core is ideal for
exploring on foot. There’s much to see and experience,
with plenty of bars and restaurants for fuel.
Take the lift 120m up to the viewing platform at St
Peter’s Church to get your bearings and soak up the
panoramas. On the far side of the River Daugava, you’ll
see the angular National Library of Latvia. Pause to
view the Blue Guard Chapel, a Baroque masterpiece,
before leaving the church.
The nearby House of the Black Heads may sound like
a facial treatment hub but it’s one of Riga’s grandest
structures. Look up and you’ll see an astronomical
clock and sculpted 昀椀gures. Originally constructed
almost 700 years ago, it was rebuilt in the 1990s
following wartime destruction. Enter to view the
medieval cellar and banquet halls.
For snacks and souvenirs, stop by the repurposed
airship hangars that form Riga Central Market.
Remember to pack something chic for a night at the
Latvian National Opera or a drink with cracking views
up in the Skyline Bar.
Step count: 10,000
It’s a 10-minute stroll to the so-called quiet centre,
a concentration of Art Nouveau architecture. Check
out the art centre on Alberta Street which tells the
movement’s story.
Getting there: Fly direct to Riga from a range of UK
airports, or connect via Amsterdam Schiphol.
16 PORTAL NORTH ISSUE 2
Riga
