Riga: The New Prague
Place: Riga, Latvia
Though Tallinn is a nice city (with cool sea breeze), it is also quite small. Actually, I was sort of feeling bored quickly. Off I headed to the third Baltic country.
Latvia is only the 2nd largest country of the Baltics (it has about 2.5 million people, fewer than Lithuania's 3.6 million). However, its capital, Riga, is the largest city in the whole region (though still with fewer than 1 million). You can feel it is more cosmopolitan than Vilnius and Tallinn.
Riga is also the city feeling more of that "Old Soviet Union" than other Baltic cities. In Vilnius and Tallinns, taking bus is more like "honor system" (German style I guess):you punch and cancel your tickets when getting on a bus or tram. There may be an inspector but usually you don't run into one. In Riga, there is actually a 'conductor' on almost each bus. They comes to ask for your fare right after you get on the bus. Well, it's good way to offer more job opportunities, I guess...
Riga does have a very large Russian population (who may or may not speaking Latvian language), so Russian (or at least those Cyrillic alphabet) signs are more prominent than other Baltic states. That sort of adding a little more "old Soviet feeling." Though I used to read that the relationship between local Latvian and Russian population were not that well. Now they are in E.U. and the economics is doing very well, so hopefully the ethnic relationship also has improved.
Riga's old town (called "Vecriga") is bigger than Tallinn's but it is not hilly. There are some very nice cobblestone streets around old town. One square, the Cathedral Square, is especially beautiful. This cathedral is the largest in the Baltic Region. However, the most visible church is St. Peter's Church. With the tallest spire in the city, you can see that wherever you go in Vecriga (so you won't get lost easily). I had the pleasure to go to an organ concert in the Cathedral.
Riga is also fast becoming "the New Prague." (a certified one, since our family friend from Prague also thought so) After Latvia joined EU, several Western European budget airlines (including easyJet, which I have flown a few times) started their routes to Riga. Latvia's expanding airline, Air Baltic, also started many new routes. Now there are organized "stag party" or "hen party" coming all the way from U.K. Many new bars and nightclubs have opened (some of them are strip joints). It is quite common to see a group of drunk English speaking people in the streets of Vecriga now.
Actually, the hostel I stayed, Friendly Fun Frank's, is also a famous party hostel. I did try to save money (and this time I did make reservation, instead of just walking in just like I did in Tallinn and Vilnius, Riga is more popular!) and ended up in a 16-bed room (!). Fortunately, there is a 24 hours bar downstairs, so the party hostel guests can stay as late (or as early) as they want and don't come up to bother people already asleep. Also, it does helps that they offers 6 computer terminals with high-speed connection (and for free).
I saw a lot of new building rising up both inside and outside Vecriga. Many of them will become luxury hotels. It is foreseeable that this city will become very touristy, just like what Prague, Budapest, and Krakow have become.
Go there fast if you can.
Downloadable "In Your Pocket: Riga" Guide
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