Riga Well, what about, certainly the largest city in the Baltic one that more resembles a metropolis. With a delightful old town and a bustling nightlife. Enjoy the charm of the roads and colors of the buildings of the old, enjoy a beautiful panoramic view from the tower of the church of S. Peter, do not miss the huge and extravagant market and the special and interesting ethnographic museum. The train and bus stations are located on the south-east of the old city, 5 minutes on foot and in their vicinity there are a couple of shopping centers with huge and stocked supermarkets.
to sleep, despite the high number of visitors do not worry, many hostels in the center. We stayed the Riga Old Town, Valnu iela 43, opposite the bus station you must cross the wide street that closes out the old 12-bed dormitory with bath 8 Ls (12 €), but if you book over the Internet may cost less, by 5 Ls up. The reception desk is in the pub on the ground floor, from there through a door leads to the staircase leading to rooms on the top floor there is a free internet terminal in the basement and the kitchen, you also are given bed linens and towels. The staff is kind and sympathetic, they are also available for consultations, the Lonely Planet guides, in English, the Baltic republics and neighboring countries. Other hostels are the Riga and Riga Backpackers Hostel, both in Marstalu iela, the first at number 6 and another at 12, in the old town and have rooms with different types of beds from 6 / 7 Ls. While near the train station there are the Central Youth Hostel Hostel in el'Elisabeth Birznieka Upis iela 20 ....
After the first day's to get pleasantly lost in the old town and its surroundings, going from church to monuments, the second day we went to explore the huge market, located within Zeppelin airship hangar of 5 and developed all around, where you'll find every kind of thing really. E ' a strange and picturesque that spend a bit 'of your time.
Then we went to the Latvian Ethnographic Museum, a wonderful outdoor museum located on the shores of Lake minstrel on the eastern borders of the city, where you can admire the beautiful wooden buildings and details of the Latvian countryside of the early twentieth century and thousands of objects from the rural life of yesteryear. Admission costs 1.50 / 1 Ls (adults / students) and take the bus to reach No. 1 by Merkel iela (0.20 Ls ticket) and get Brivdanas Muzejs, half an hour or so, be careful not to wrong with the No. 1 trolley bus passing the intersection with Terbatas iela.
Try absolutely the pelmeni, dumplings filled with various kinds of meat but there are also vegetables, boiled or fried, at the local Pelmeni (Kalku iela 7) in the center is open from 9 am to 4. It works like a self-service, we went to the counter, you fill the pot and then you go to the cashier, a large portion costs about 1 Ls; else not to be missed are the Pirago, meat pies baked, sold in local front.
The nightlife is very lively, where many locals go and have fun, too bad but for the many guys who stop you on the street and invite you to enter the strip club that abound in the center. A good pub is hard Pulkvedim Neviens Neraksta which literally means no one writes to the Colonel, located in Peldu iela 26, open daily entry 2 Ls, always very crowded, you can Berva a beer sitting at a table, go wild on the track and maybe get to know while on the road to fumarvi a cigarette. Across the street is another place where you can spend an evening. The disco is the most popular is the Roxy, in the heart of Old Town, Kalku iela 24, is open daily 5 Ls, two floors and 4 rooms with different dance music. A fun place if you love dancing, full of people, so many local girls and perhaps a bit 'too many Italians. In the central square are but some nice outdoor bar, great for a drink before making two jumps in a few local. Over the weekend open other rooms, among them the two main nightclubs and the Hollywood Club Essential.
The last day we spent in Jurmala, a series of small towns that develop along the coast west of Riga Take the train to Majori ( several trains per hour, 0.51 LS 40 minutes), the largest town, take a walk along the main street Jomas iela, pedestrian, here you will find many shops and restaurants where you eat or drink something. As a quite tourist resort prices are not very cheap, I suggest, therefore, the Veranda at number 58, nice and more rustic than others, the food is good and inexpensive and the food is plentiful, main courses of meat accompanied by grilled mixed vegetables. If weather conditions allow it go on the immense beach, then that is the main attraction of the place, situated north of the station and enjoy a bit 'of sunshine and rest, but pity for the many insects that assail you.
The next morning we left the Latvian capital, we will return only few hours to catch the bus and we allowed ourselves a couple of days of peace and tranquility but not relaxing in the Gauja National Park. Our destination is the pretty town of Sigulda, which lies at the foot of a steep and picturesque wooded and home to several medieval castles and caves. Reached by rail (0.71 Ls 1h 15 ') located on a hill, is very small and spread around the station, the main street is Pils iela where there are few restaurants and pubs in the present and a supermarket, another in place is located 500 m east of the station and is open from 8 to 23. On the two hills in front, beyond the river, lie the villages of Krimulda and Turaida. We stayed This hostel in the one placed inside the manor Krimulda, large white building with a huge garden, also used as a clinic for children. It has wooden summer houses located outside the building, the cost is 5 Ls to people and the rooms are simple but charming from 2-4 or more beds, the atmosphere is fantastic. To achieve this, with a backpack on his shoulders, it is strongly recommended to take the cable car (1 Ls - a / r 1.5 Ls) located in the north to Sigulda Poruka iela, starting early every 15-30 from 7 to 19.00 and minutes through the valley enjoy breathtaking views of the area and get to Krimulda, a few meters on the left and found the manor.
Another place where you can sleep is the Makara Camping, a camp for campers on the banks of the river and you can rent tents and mattresses for those who does not have it. It also organizes canoeing and rafting, a nice experience to try since the prices are not excessive. Go through all of Sigulda, descend into the valley and reached the bridge take the left road, the camp is just ahead.
The main activity around here is to stretch their legs and take long walks, enjoying the spectacular landscape and the main sites, or the castles of Sigulda, Krimulda and Turaida, caves and Gutmanis Viktors. Get ready to walk so much, you can try to hitch that does not seem very common even if we they gave us a lift.
From the hostel to reach Sigulda and vice versa, on foot you have three choices: go down the stairs, about 200, to the left of the castle, through a small grove, over the bridge and go up the road, but quite comfortable a bit 'tiring to do with the sunlight; viable alternative and less tiring, especially if you want the madness to go in the evening as it is lit, take the road / trail was in progress paving, which falls next to the cable car, follow the road come to the valley, the bridge etc.; third and final chance, but strongly recommended since very long, about 8 km, is to take the road but does all around the valley.
Any decision you take if you're out of your mind as the undersigned and you want to go in the evening, bring a flashlight that can be very useful.
A good place to eat is Draugi Tris (Pils iela 9, 8-22) that serves tasty dishes, abundant and affordable. The food is displayed in a long counter, in the building is located adjacent to a pub.
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