Summer in Riga

What can one do if they get into the Latvian capital of Riga in the summer? First, to be glad that they were in Riga and nowhere else, because it, unlike other European capitals, is not unbearably hot and unbearably crowded. The inhabitants are only about 600,000, and tourists are not in the form of crowds. Second, one has to appreciate the meeting with Riga in the summer against any other season, as Latvia is still a Baltic, north country, and here the cold season covers 3/4 of the year. The summer Riga is very green and very colorful.

In addition to enjoying the weather in the countless parks of the capital, you can get acquainted with the different styles of architecture standing side by side along the narrow streets of the Old Town. The oldest of them are the so-called Three Brothers – three narrow and tall houses, the first of which was built in the late 15th century, the second in the mid -17th, and the third in the late 17th century. Today they host the Latvian Museum of Architecture and one of the most popular selfie-spots in Riga. Even in a city, not flooded with tourists, you have to wait in line for a photo of the three famous facades.

Another architectural masterpiece is the House of the Black Heads, which is also a museum, and I strongly recommend that you give the €7 for entry. What you will see today is not the original building of 1334 because it fell victim to bombing in 1941. The reconstruction of 1996-2000 is very successful, and if you have not heard of the Brotherhood of the Black Heads now is the time to repair this flaw. This is an association of 14th-century unmarried traveling merchants, and the “black heads” refers to the clothing of members, not to be lured to the black face of the entrance statue.

And while you are still in the Old Town, you can get on the Tower of St. Peter’s Church and enjoy the 360-degree Riga Panorama from above. You will look into the courtyards of medieval houses. You will see the Daugava River – the main artery of Riga. You will be able to count the bell towers and tell how many churches there are in the capital. You will be able, after all, to navigate in which direction the four domes of the Central Market are located, it being an urban landmark itself. And then head on a quest for local flavors.

As I mentioned local flavors, in August the forests in and around Riga are filled with fruits and mushrooms. There were so many mushrooms in good years, the locals say that they can barely eat them or put them in jars for the winter. You have three options. One – you go for a walk in a nearby forest/park and if you do not recognize the mushrooms, you can look for a local guide who does. Two – you go to the market and buy as much mushrooms as your soul wants. Three – if you are quite casual, you choose one of the many restaurants in the center and get the mushrooms on a plate. Your decision.

Since it’s summer and Riga is just on the beach, you probably won’t want to miss the opportunity for a fast swim. As we have already specified that you are very lucky, you can easily combine the beach with a walk in the woods if you haven’t been there already for the mushrooms. The beaches of the capital are accessible by car, bicycle and train. If you choose, for example, Kalngali Beach, you can have 15 minutes along a black forest road from the stop to the sandy strip. The aroma of pines saturates the warm air, cones crackle under your feet, and flowers bloom on both sides of the road.

The Baltic Sea, as far as I know, was a lake a gazillion years ago, before some geological coincidence opened it to the ocean and it began to salinate slowly. Real slow, that is, since it is almost sweet even today. The color of the water is also wrong for those of us who grew up near the Black or Mediterranean seas. The Baltic is rusty in color. This is not directly evident from the shore, but only when you step inside. The feeling is strange, and temperatures rotate about 20 degrees Celsius, even in August.

You can supplement your visit to Riga with two more places. The first one, I warn you, is quite stressful. It is the former KGB headquarters from the time of the USSR, called the Corner House or the House of Horror. From the outside, the building looks quite innocent and even very beautiful – it was still built for a home, not a prison. The horror began with the self-settling of the new Soviet government in it. The exhibitions on the first floor are free, but if you want to get a better idea of what we are talking about, pay for the prison tour.

You should neither miss the Latvia Ethnographic Open-Air Museum. It is a little far from the center, but is located in the forests and meadows on the shores of a beautiful lake and you can spend all day there – if you have the time. Most houses can be entered inside, as well as the accompanying structures such as barns, warehouses, bathrooms, sheds for oil, dried fruits and fish, carpentry workshops and so on; the largest mill and the largest church too. The latter was particularly interesting to me, as it was not only entirely wooden, but also beautifully painted on the inside.