Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps RIGA “In Your Pocket: a cheeky, well- written series of guidebooks.” The New York Times October - November 2009 Autumn Events Celebrations in Riga Football Fever Europa League & World Cup Qualifiers N°81 - 2Ls riga.inyourpocket.com Contents Contents ESSENT IA L CI TY GUID ES Contents Foreword 4 Gossip and rants from the editor Arriving in Riga 6 How to get to your hotel The Basics 8 Getting to grips with Riga History 12 For Latvians autumn is both a time for joy and a time Riga’s past on two pages for reflection. This November 11 will mark the 90th anniversary of a famous battle in 1919 that paved the Culture & Events 14 way for independence. Latvians will also celebrate their independence day on November 18 with concerts, Concerts, galleries and events speeches and parades. For more autumn events check out p.55. Photo of Freedom Monument guard by M.Zaprauskis Where to stay 18 Beds for backpackers and business executives Sightseeing 52 Dining & Nightlife 28 Museums, churches and the like From pork knuckle to sushi Canal cruises 53 Nightlife 44 Take a ride on a classic wooden launch Bars, pubs and clubs Autumn events 55 Celebrations, sports and days of remembrance Getting around 58 Planes, trains and automobiles Mail & Phones 61 It’s good to talk Directory Shopping 62 What to buy in Latvia 64 Sports 66 Europa League matches in Riga 66 Hockey: Dynamo Riga 67 Health & Lifestyle 68 Riga for kids 68 Officials 69 Old Riga walking tour 70 Maps & Index While most local sports fans are happy to turn their attention to Dynamo Riga, who have begun playing hockey on their Old Riga map 71 home ice at Arena Riga, others are thrilled to have the Riga city centre map 72 opportunity to see some world-class football at the Skonto Country map 74 Stadium. For matches in October see p.55 & 66. Photo of a Index/Old Riga street register 75 football match at Skonto Stadium by Roberts Lismanis. riga.inyourpocket.com October - November 2009 Foreword Anyone who has spent some time in Latvia will tell you that the time to visit is summer, but that’s no Europe In Your Pocket reason to write off an autumn trip to Riga. Sure, the beer gardens have packed away their umbrellas and most of the city’s legendary women have moth- balled their mini-skirts (with some exceptions), but there’s nothing quite like an autumn stroll along the Latvian capital’s tree-lined boulevards, canals and parks. Unlike many modern cities, in Riga you’re never far from nature and its fall foliage, so you don’t even need to visit the countryside to watch the leaves change colour from day to day. October and November also promise events and celebrations that you won’t want to miss like Independence Day, Lāčplēsis Day and that most Latvian of holidays Halloween. Sports fans can also watch world-class UEFA Europa League and World Cup qualifying matches at the Skonto Stadium or Kontinental (sic) Hockey League games at Arena Riga. Finally, expats will also tell you that Riga’s nightlife only heats up when the students return to their ‘studies’ at local universities and colleges, so don’t pass up an opportunity to experience autumn in Riga. Newsstand “You do not even need to pack a guidebook: just pick up an In Your Pocket when you arrive.” Simon Calder Our team in Russia is preparing a rather special The Independent & LBC Radio guide right now to tie in with “For further information on what to do in Riga, the In Your Pocket the 1150th aniversary of the city of Velikiy free (Riga) In Your Pocket guide is excellent.” Novgorod. Look out for a special supplement The Sydney Morning Herald in our next Russian guides and online at russia. inyourpocket.com. Elsewhere, you can now get Cover story your hands on Sarajevo In Your Pocket when This issue’s cover shows Latvia’s 19th- visiting the Bosnian capital, and the same team century parliament building or as we like - who have successfully pocketed Slovenia and to call it, the scene of the crime – the Bosnia - are now turning their attention to Italy, place where many of Latvia’s current and to Venice. financial woes were born. On a calm November night it almost looks like a We welcome enquiries from anyone who would peaceful, benign place and not a hotbed like to take part in our Pocket Revolution, either of corruption, greed and partisanship. by contributing content or starting up an IYP. Send Still, it’s quite nice to look at. us an email at [email protected]. Editorial Copyright notice Editor Mārtiņš Zaprauskis Text and photos copyright SIA “Latvijas Researchers Ģirts Upenieks and ceļveži” 1995-2009. Maps copyright ESSENT IA L CI TY GUID ES Mārtiņš Zaprauskis cartographer. All rights reserved. No part Layout & Design Mārtiņš Zaprauskis of this publication may be reproduced Photos Mārtiņš Zaprauskis, unless in any form, except brief extracts for Riga In Your Pocket the purpose of review, without written Laipu 8 - 9a otherwise noted. Events and culture permission from the publisher and LV-1050 Riga photos courtesy of various media copyright owner. The brand name In Your Latvia groups and concert organisers. Pocket is used under license from UAB tel. (+371) 67 22 05 80 In Your Pocket: Vokieciu 10-15, Vilnius, fax (+371) 67 22 34 16 Lithuania tel. (+370-5) 212 29 76. [email protected] Sales & Circulation Editor’s note riga.inyourpocket.com General Manager Ģirts Upenieks www.inyourpocket.com The editorial content of In Your Pocket Sales & Circulation Manager guides is independent from paid-for Ģirts Upenieks advertising. Sponsored listings are ISSN 1407-2335 [email protected] ©SIA “Latvijas ceļveži” clearly marked as such. We welcome all (+371) 67 22 05 80 readers’ comments and suggestions. We have made every effort to ensure Printed by Microdot the accuracy of the information at the Published six times per year Cover: Mārtiņš Zaprauskis time of going to press and assume no ©SIA “Latvijas ceļveži” responsibility for changes and errors. Riga In Your Pocket riga.inyourpocket.com Foreword arriving in riga By bus The first thing you’ll notice upon arrival at the bus terminal or Tourist information autoosta (open 05:00 - 24:00) are the impressive hangars of the Central Market to your right just above the murky waters City of Riga Information Centre I-2, of the Riga canal. Inside, Eurolines and Ecolines offices are Rātslaukums 6, tel. 67 03 79 00, fax 67 03 located to your left as well as an ATM, baggage room (0.24 79 10, www.rigatourism.com. Offers a wide - 0.50Ls/hour, 0.20Ls each additional hour) and toilets for range of information in a variety of languages. 0.20Ls (ask for paper). To your right is the waiting room. A Q Open 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. Also on J-3, Prāgas bar/cafeteria with great views, a baby-changing station, a 1 (Bus station), tel. 67 22 05 55. Open 09:00 - 19:00. shower and even a small hostel are available upstairs. At the Closed Sun, Mon; D-4, Stacijas 2 (Train station), tel. 67 23 far end of the hall are a tourist and bus information centre 38 15. Open 10:00 - 18:30. Closed Sun, Mon. (open 08:00 - 21:00) and currency exchange booth. Baltic Tourism Information Centre H-2, Torņa 4 Getting to town: trams N°7 or 9 stop in front of the bus (IC-102A), tel. 26 47 56 75, www.balticinfocentre. station; ride it one stop into the centre (buy a 0.60Ls ticket com. Information, maps, tours and hotel reservation for from the driver). To get there on foot, turn left, walk through all three Baltic nations. QOpen 09:30 - 18:30. the underpass and follow the signs ‘Vecrīga-Vaļņu iela’ into Old Riga. The cabs outside are notoriously dodgy. Q By car As of 21 December 2007, Latvia is part of the Schengen zone of European nations and no longer operates passport checkpoints on its land borders with Estonia and Lithuania. Just drive across the border. The Russian and Belarusian borders still require time and patience. Happy trails! Q By ferry The ferry terminal and yacht harbour lie less than 1km north of Old Riga. Change money in the terminal. Open 09:00 - 18:00. Getting to town: take trams N°7, 5 or 9 (buy a 0.60Ls ticket from the driver) from Ausekļa two stops to Autumn day near St. Peter’s Cathedral M.Zaprauskis the centre of Riga. Q By train By plane The train station (centrālā stacija) underwent massive The airport (lidosta) is some 13km southwest of the Riga renovations and has been modernised with a spacious city centre. Baggage claim and customs are fairly quick, central hall and many shopping and eating options. but don’t forget to pick up a complimentary copy of Riga International trains arrive at platform 2. Follow signs down to In Your Pocket while waiting for your luggage. A currency the Central Hall (Centrālā zāle), under which are renovated exchange booth is available here (open until the last flight) pay toilets (0.10Ls - ask for paper from the surly cashier) as well as a tourist information centre. Reserve a hotel and a baggage room (0.50 - 1.50Ls/day), open 04:30 room or rent a car in the arrivals hall. A 24-hour baggage - 24:00. Exchange money at the currency exchanges room (1Ls/day) and yet another information centre are also (valūtas maiņas) or at the banks in the main terminal.