Riga is pleasantly surprising

Riga tends to surprise the foreign tourist – fortunately in a pleasant manner. The city stands on the threshold between the old and the new. It is a fascinating combination of Slavic and European character, in which the latter is steadily increasing its grip on the atmosphere of this great metropolis.

Magnificent Art Nouveau
The city of Riga celebrated its 800th anniversary recently, and many of its buildings from earlier centuries have been preserved. The overall appearance of the place is nevertheless dominated by the Art Nouveau style, but in a lighter and more decorative version than the national romantic forms that are familiar in Finland.

The little Paris of the Baltic
Because of its overall appearance and many parks, Riga has been characterised as the Paris of the Baltic. Nowadays this nickname could equally well be justified by the city's numerous fashion shops. The designer boutiques of the downtown district now sport all of the same famous names as those of the French capital.

Gastronomic delights
Riga has likewise attained Parisian heights in the standard of its cuisine. Indeed this city is rapidly evolving into the leading gastronomic centre of the Baltic States, with plenty of top class restaurants and ambitious chefs de cuisine. And what's more, the prices in Riga remain highly competitive, so a dinner to remember will not strain your bank balance.