Enjoy Riga, Latvia from a bird’s eye perspective

Riga is truly a beautiful Baltic capital city.

It has impressive architecture, a charming old town, stunning examples of art deco, and can easily be visited in a  weekend or serve as a base for longer trips to explore the surrounding seacoast and the countryside.

Riga’s old town is quite compact, with winding, medieval streets. There are two panoramic points worth visiting for a great view over the city.

The first is St. Peter’s cathedral, just in the center of town. St. Peter’s went through several eras of construction, but the original structure was begun in the 13^th century.

The steeple was added in 1491 and it is  a visit here  provides  a great view over the old town skyline, with  its numerous spires, and the Daugava River.

Another panoramic point is the Hotel Radisson Blu (formerly the Reval Latvija), once a boxy, characterless Soviet hotel, which has been beautifully converted into a modern hotel offering stunning views over the old town.

Our kids loved looking out the room’s window each morning and pointing out where we had been. Guests can also take advantage of the top-floor sauna with glass walls looking out over the city. I found this an enjoyable – and relaxing – way to start each morning.

Even if you’re not staying at the hotel, you should make a visit there to the popular top-floor bar to enjoy a drink and see all of Riga laid out before you.

Enjoy your visit to lovely Riga and your views of the city from high up above. For more Baltic tips, see my earlier post on the spectacular art nouveau architecture in Riga  and my tips for a visit to Vilnius and Trakai, in neighboring Lithuania.