Discover the Top 10 attractions to visit Riga with Irro Charter!

Top 10 attractions to see in Riga with Irro Charter

The capital of Latvia, Riga, is the pearl of not only Latvia, but also the whole of the Baltics. Riga Old Town is included in the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List. More than 700 thousand people live in Riga, which makes it the largest city in the Baltic State. Every century has left its mark on the features of Riga. It can be seen in the architecture - in the Old Town and in the city center. Cultural heritage coexists harmoniously with today's rapid pace. Riga is also called the pearl of architecture - a city where churches built in the city's beginnings, medieval buildings in the Old Town, unique examples of Art Nouveau, as well as centuries-old wooden architecture can be seen in one place. Riga has the largest number of free WIFI points per square kilometer and population in Europe, so in the summer of 2014, Riga became the capital of free WiFi in Europe.

Riga can be reached either by plane via Riga Airport (RIX), coach or by ferry. You can, of course, make your way through the city by public transport. However, if you would like to visit Riga in a more formal, comfortable and easy way, consider using our charter bus service. Coach Charter Europe has been involved in the tour bus industry for over 40 years. As a family-owned bus company, our goal is to provide exceptional charter bus rental services customized to your itinerary needs.

If you want to travel with your group, then a charter bus from Coach Charter Europe is the best way to get to Riga. Bus Company by Coach Charter Europe advises group managers to plan their time between visits wisely to handle itinerary points and to remain flexible for other tasks.

We welcome you to the top ten ideas on your next trip to Riga:

Livu Square Riga

1. The dome Church

   The Dome Church is the only cathedral-type church and cathedral monastery complex in the Baltics. The foundation stone for the dome was laid in 1211, but construction began around 1215. Around 1300, the construction of the premises was completed. During the construction, the plans, styles and materials of the church changed. Instead of the planned two towers, one had to settle for one for financial reasons. Built in 1595, the 140-meter-high church tower was the tallest in Riga at that time.

2. Riga castle

   Riga Castle was built in 1330. Originally it was a 3-storey fortress-like building with an inner courtyard and 4 towers. The townspeople have destroyed and restored Riga Castle countless times. During the restoration of the castle from 1491 to 1515, the Lead Tower was also built, as it can be seen today, the ruined dining room of the castle was covered with star and cell vaults, and the patroness of the Order St. Sculptural reliefs of Mary and Master of the Order V. Plettenberg. After the abolition of the Livonian Order in 1562, the castle gradually lost its significance as a separate fortification and was included in the city's defense system. At the beginning of the 18th century, the moat of the fortifications was filled, but at the end of the century, the Castle Square was created.

3. The Freedom Monument

   The symbol of the freedom of the Latvian people - the Freedom Monument, erected with funds donated by the people and solemnly unveiled on November 18, 1935. During the Soviet era, laying flowers and gathering at the monument was forbidden. A trolleybus destination was created at the foot of the monument. It was used as a starting point for cycling races. At the foot of the monument were the first events organized by Helsinki 86 at the beginning of the Awakening. In 1990, the street around the monument was closed to traffic. On November 11, 1992, the guard of honor at the Freedom Monument was restored.

4. Laima's clock

   Laima Clock was built in 1924 with the practical purpose of allowing citizens to arrive at work on time. In 1936, the watch was decorated with the name and logo of the country's largest confectionery manufacturer "Laima". For many years after the Second World War, the clock was used as a stand for political information. In 1999, the Laima watch underwent a complete reconstruction, restoring its appearance as it was in the 1930s. Now the square near Laima clock is one of the most popular meeting places among both citizens and guests of Riga.

5. Latvian Ethnographic Open-air Museum

   The Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum is located on the shores of Lake Jugla, founded in 1924. The museum was opened to the public in 1932. It is one of the oldest, richest and largest museums in Europe, covering an area of 87 hectares. The Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum houses farmsteads, craftsmen's houses-workshops, windmills, blacksmiths, potters and tar kilns typical of Latvia's ethnographic areas - Kurzeme, Zemgale, Vidzeme and Latgale. At the beginning of the 19th century there was a school for farmers' children, as well as a pub, which still operates today in the museum territory. The museum also displays 20th-20th century years of new farm buildings. The museum has a wide cultural program, it is possible to observe the work of craftsmen during the festival and try your hand at ancient crafts yourself. You can rent a coach with driver in our bus company and enjoy your 20 minutes ride to this historical museum.

Riga Park

6. Old Town - Old Riga

   From the 13th century onwards, the Old Town was the economic, financial and cultural center of the region, which over time became a thriving city, which was also confirmed by its role in the Hanseatic League. Riga has never been a purely "Latvian" city, but multicultural, determined by the city's development. He tried to occupy the city invariably and was also involved in protracted internal unrest. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the city was mostly inhabited by Germans, followed by Latvians and Russians, as well as Lithuanians, Poles and people of other nationalities. All this influenced the development of the city's culture, especially in the architecture of Old Riga, where you can meet the features of German architecture, as well as Russia, Italy, the Netherlands, and other cities.

7. Town Hall Square and House of the Blackheads

   The town hall square was formed from the market square and until the 19th century was the economic and administrative center of the city, although it was much smaller than it is now. Mysteries were performed on the square, parades, competitions, tournaments and dances took place. However, for several centuries the town hall square was also a place of punishment for criminals, to which the bell of the Church of Jacob called to go. One of the main buildings of the Town Hall Square was the Town Hall, which was a three-storey building with a tower and a clock in it. The second most important building in the Town Hall Square was the House of the Blackheads, which was first mentioned in sources in 1334 as the New House of the Great Guild.

8. Vermanes

   The park was inaugurated on June 8, 1817. The initial area of the park was 0.8 ha, but now it is 5 ha. The park was donated to the city by Anna Ģertrūde Vērmane, who established a public exotic tree park with a rosary and a restaurant, which she wrote in her will as a gift to Riga. Initially, there was a fence around the park and it also had its own guard. After the death of A. Vērmane in 1829, a granite obelisk was installed in her memory in the park, which was demolished after the Second World War, when the park was renamed Kirov Park. In 1869, a sundial and a bronze-cast zinc fountain in Berlin were installed in the park.

9. National Theatre

   The current National Theater building was built as the city's second theater. The construction of the theater lasted from 1899 to 1902 according to the project of architect A. Reinbergs. The independence of the Republic of Latvia was proclaimed at the open sitting of the People's Council on November 18, 1918. The National Theater was founded on November 30, 1919. The main pediment of the theater building was decorated with a large coat of arms of the city of Riga, which confirmed the house's belonging to the city.

10. Circus

    1880 the famous circus artist A. Salamonskis bought the land on which the circus is now built. He came to Riga every summer to set up a circus tent in his square and show a program in which he also participated. However, the tent became small and A. Salamonskis decided to build a stone building. The current Riga Circus building was built in 1888 according to architect J.F. Bauman project. The circus building is unique because its dome structure is very originally invented. The construction is based on the most common railway tracks. Sixteen columns consisting of three rails connected together and holding a round circus dome. The Riga Circus Building is an Architectural Monument of National Importance.

If you need an airport shuttle service or a full day charter bus service for your sightseeing tours, please feel free to contact us. Our Coach Charter Europe charter bus rental team will help you with any concerns you may have about hiring a tour bus. By hiring a coach with a driver from our 'Coach Charter Europe's bus service, you can have a high degree of flexibility when it comes to taking into account all the various aspects of your journey. We're going to be there every step of the way for you as a charter bus rental company.