Anniversary Holiday

Every year, around December 8th, I look to see what we can do or where we can go to celebrate "surviving" another year of marriage.  

Over the last few years, we've been back to our wedding venue for an overnight stay, had an all-inclusive holiday in Ras al Khaimah in the UAE, visited New Orleans and had a Michelin tasting menu at The Kitchin in Leith. This year, we decided to stick with Europe and head to Riga, the capital of Latvia.

Back in April 2020, we were supposed to visit Riga, but the trip was cancelled due to Covid. I'm not sure why its taken us so long for us to rebook, but the prospect of a traditional Christmas market and some Glühwein convinced us.

We flew Ryanair from Edinburgh to Riga on Sunday 3rd December; the flight was 2 hours late, but thankfully we had paid for a lounge so we weren't too bothered. I had pre-booked a taxi on arrival and was delighted given the delay; the journey was only 15 minutes, but it was midnight and -10 when we arrived so we were very happy to be dropped right outside our hotel. It really was baltic!

Our home for the next 5 nights was the Grand Palace Hotel, a five star hotel just a stones throw from the Christmas market at Dome Square. I had originally booked a different hotel, but there was an amazing Black Friday deal and I couldn't resist especially as this hotel was much more central. We checked in and went straight to bed. The booking did include breakfast but we missed it the first morning; we were both shattered and decided to take it easy. We did make it every other day, and it was worth it, although the service was not the best. And the parrot in the corner was quite odd!

As it was our first day in Riga and we had pre-booked a walking tour; I always like to start a visit with a walking tour as it lets you get your bearings while getting an overview of the city. The tour wasn't due to start until later in the afternoon so we decided to hit the Christmas market and get some mulled wine and food. Iain went with a calzone-like pizza. It was actually a Georgian pie which was more like a pizza filled with cheese; it was delicious. I had a couple of slices and then decided on a donut to finish it off.

One thing I will say, I think we underestimated the cold. There was quite a lot of snow on the ground and it was so cold standing about the market, even with my merino wool socks. We decided to go to a nice warm pub, just across from the walking tour meeting place. We both had a beer or two, before bracing ourselves for the cold. It was already starting to get colder, so were relieved when the guide told us the tour would only last 1.5 hours rather than the usual 2+ hours. 

The tour was excellent but the walking was pretty horrendous; we didn't fall but a couple of people on the tour did. The tour passed by St. Peters Church, The House of The Blackheads, The Dome Square and Cathedral and much much more. 

After the tour, we needed to defrost and headed for the nearest pub. I had a few mulled wines, it was too cold to even contemplate a cold drink. After an hour or so, it was time to venture out and get some food. I wanted the paella I had spotted earlier in the day, but I didn't particularly want to spend too much time outside. I ate quickly then we headed to the Tullamore Dew hut to enjoy an Irish coffee and the warmth. 

It had been quite a tiring day even though we enjoyed a long lie, so we decided to head back to the hotel. The bar was open so we headed in; it was a lot more expensive, but we were happy to pay to feel our feet again! I had a couple of Aperol Spritz, but the best thing was the nibbles; it was something along the lines of black toasted rye bread with bacon and horseradish. The bar was almost closing by the time we decided to head to bed, tired but content and warm!

The next few days pretty much followed the same pattern; breakfast, some sightseeing, the Christmas market and plenty of food and drink. Rather than go through each day individually, I thought it best to point out some of the places we visited (not in any particular order).

KGB Building 

The museum showcases the history of KGB operations in Latvia during the Soviet occupation. There is a small museum but the most interesting part, and also the most harrowing part, is the guided tour of the basement prison cells. The place is absolutely freezing and its unimaginable what these people went through. The worst part was the room where people were slaughtered, each mark on the wall representing bullet holes. It had soundproofing and there was a door to the side which led out to a courtyard where the bodies were stuffed into a van and dumped in the forest without anyone being any the wiser.

Freedom Monument

We actually passed this monument on the walk towards the KGB Building. It is considered an important symbol of the freedom, independence, and sovereignty of Latvia. Unveiled in 1935, the 42-metre (138 ft) high monument is made of granite, travertine, and copper and was unveiled in 1935. We were lucky enough to see the Changing of the Guard when we passed.

Latvian National Museum of Art

It was really cold outside and we were waiting for the Skyline bar to open so we decided to make a short stop. Most of the art is Latvian from the mid 18th century to present day. I really liked the temporary installation on the top floor of the museum, I have no idea what it really meant, but it was pretty cool.

House of the Blackheads

This is one of the grandest and most beautiful buildings in Riga; it was erected in 1344 as a warehouse and a meeting place for merchants. From mid 15th century it was also used by Brotherhood of Blackheads, a guild for unmarried merchants, shipowners and foreigners in Riga. Now its an events venue and museum; it doesn't take long to walk around but the bonus is you can buy a ticket which includes either a coffee or a sparkling wine - I'm sure you can guess which one we went with!

Riga Central Market

This place is massive, it has five pavilions constructed by reusing old German Zeppelin hangers and incorporating Neoclassicism and Art Deco styles. This is Europe's largest market and bazaar and there are more than 3000 trade stands with stalls both inside and outside, no matter the weather. We went straight after breakfast which wasn't the best idea given there was plenty of food to try, but Iain always finds space for pizza. I did buy a pair of gloves as I was freezing.

St Peters Church 

The church is the tallest in Riga with a tower measuring 123.25 metres in height; it was renovated in 1967 after as the tower burned down during World War II, and I believe most of the church was destroyed. The new tower is a metal construction and they added an elevator so that visitors can visit the second gallery which stands at 72 metres. We bought tickets for the viewing platform, taking the lift so that we could take some photos from the gallery; it was freezing and very slippery, but worth a visit. 

The hangars are the market!

Museum of the Occupation of Latvia

We decided to visit this museum at the last minute, mainly because it was freezing outside and we wanted warmth. The museum kindly agreed to give us a guided tour even though there was only us and a German, who turned out to be a journalist cycling around the region. The tour was excellent and we really got an understanding of Latvia, the people of Latvia and what they went through during the Soviet and NAZI occupations. I would thoroughly recommend a visit and there is an option of a self-guided tour if you don't fancy listening to a guide for a few hours.

Art Nouveau Museum

This is possibly the weirdest museum I have even visited, aside from the fact we had to put foot covers on before we were allowed in! The museum features an authentic interior of an Art Nouveau apartment and a modern digital exposition, but its the fact all the guides within the museum are dressed in early 20th Century clothing and really play the parts of those who would have lived or worked in the apartment. I tried on a couple of hats, but it was all a bit too weird for me!

Aside from sightseeing, we did visit a few bars and restaurants; again, I've named a few, some better than others!

Skyline Bar 

The bar is housed in the Radisson Blu Latvia Conference & SPA Hotel, one of the many Radisson's in Riga. There is a great view from the bar, the cocktails are fab and the food, an Asian inspired menu, was also good.

O'Paps

We frequented this bar most nights; it had good food, drinks, service, fantastic music and plenty of TVs for watching various sports. The bar was always super busy, but we always found a table. The bar was just a short walk from our hotel so it was perfect given the temperatures were around -12 every evening.

Two More Beers

There are a few bars like this which are part of a chain; the music was good and there was a decent beer flight offer. 

Rock Cafe Riga

Maybe we were unlucky, but the music was terrible!

Cuba Cafe

Dark and looks a bit dingy, but it was quite interesting. I wasn't the biggest fan of the drinks menu, but the Caipirinha was good.

Kwak Inn

Busy Belgian Inn with good food and beer.

Colonel Brew Pub and Kitchen

Strange bar which was quite empty, even the barmen who took our photo and his own, was a bit odd! 

All in all, we had a thoroughly enjoyable time in Riga; even minus 12 degrees during the day didn't put us off. I would recommend a visit to Latvia, but if your not a fan of cold, wait until the summer months....it is festive though!