Listen to Jazz
This seems like a perfect plan for the evening: a glass of wine in hand, interesting strangers at the next table, and jazz music that takes you back to pleasant memories or, on the contrary, into dreams.
Radisson Blu Latvija
On Thursdays, the lobby bar is known as Riga Jazz Lounge. From 8 to 10 PM, you can listen to local and international jazz performers.
In addition to spiritual nourishment, there’s real food too: juicy steaks and burgers, delicious poke bowls. Come here with friends to enjoy jazz and a tasty meal.
Address: Elizabetes iela 55, Centra rajons
M/Darbnīca
M/Darbnīca is the main spot on Riga’s jazz map. Every month, the cultural space hosts jam sessions. It has also held a series of concerts dedicated to jazz legends like Joni Mitchell, Betty Carter, and Billy Strayhorn. The event featured representatives of the new jazz generation, such as Reinis Puriņš, Toms Mikāls, and Paula Saya.
facebook.com/mdarbnica
facebook.com/mdarbnica
Warm Up with Delicious Food
Remember: khinkali warms your stomach, and wine warms your heart. But secretly, you can choose warming dishes and drinks to suit your taste. We’ve compiled a list of recommendations, featuring the best cafes and restaurants.
Māsa
Every corner of this restaurant is filled with art: the walls showcase local and international works. For example, a piece by Danish artist Lukas Bjørnsten — cute kittens that look like they were drawn by a child.
The menu includes hummus, chicken liver pâté, and tartare. To complete the perfect restaurant visit, enjoy wine and signature cocktails.
Address: Dzirnavu 31
instagram.com/masa_riga
instagram.com/masa_riga
Babo
Georgian cuisine in its most traditional form: khachapuri with gooey hot cheese, juicy kebabs, and khinkali with rich broth inside. And, as is customary in Georgia, the staff is incredibly hospitable. Plus, there’s no Georgian dish that doesn’t pair well with wine. The restaurant is featured in the Michelin Guide.
Neighborhood’s pick: kharcho with beef cheeks
Address: Dzirnavu 42
Mercado
A Mexican cuisine restaurant. To come here, you must bring a cowboy hat, a neckerchief, and a guitar. Or, if you don’t have those, just bring a good mood. You’ll be listening to maracas, synthesizers, and guitars while enjoying tacos and nachos.
Neighborhood’s pick: chili con carne
Address: Brīvības 90
Visit a Candy Factory
If you’re already munching on toffees, chocolates, and creamy cookies from Latvia’s most famous chocolate factory, Laima, it’s time to get to know it better. First, to fall even more in love with sweets. And second, to ensure you won’t fit into your favorite jeans by summer.
Chocolate Museum
Right in the center of Riga, where another factory building opened in 1938, there’s a wonderful interactive museum. Here, you can touch everything and even taste some things: at the start of the exhibition, there’s a chocolate fountain. The aroma is unforgettable. At the end of the museum journey, guests can take photos with giant soft candies against the backdrop of a “fairytale sweet land” — kids usually love this interactive experience.
The Laima Museum isn’t just about the factory’s history but also the history of chocolate in general. You can learn how the Aztecs used the first cocoa beans and what’s happening in the chocolate industry today. The museum also hosts chocolate workshops. The atmosphere is incredibly inviting. And, of course, it’s worth visiting for one of Laima’s eight flagship stores.
Drink Coffee and Read a Favorite Book
We’ve gathered places with an atmosphere like, “Who is this mysterious stranger reading Emily Brontë and sipping lavender raf?” But it’s fine without that — the spots we’ll tell you about welcome any mood, even if you’re imagining yourself as a novel’s protagonist. Because a bookstore combined with a coffee shop is a place for fantasy.
Roberts Books
Roberts Books is a second-hand shop for English (and other) books where you can enjoy coffee or a glass of wine while reading. Located on the bustling Dzirnavu Street, passing through the wrought-iron gates of house 51 leads you to a spacious, shady courtyard. The tranquil atmosphere of a bookstore reigns here, and you can browse the shelves for hours. Literature on history, economics, psychology, anatomy — in Russian, Latvian, and German — as well as comics, dictionaries, and magazines, fill the café’s walls.
The cozy atmosphere at Roberts Books transforms during creative evenings, filled with lively discussions, poetry, or chamber music.
Address: Dzirnavu iela 51
Zuzeum
A place where everything becomes art: the skill of brewing good coffee, creating beautiful spaces, and an atmosphere where you want to linger.
The small bookstore features a unique selection of art-themed books in English and Latvian, as well as creative books and stories for children that you won’t find in other bookstores.
Address: Lāčplēša iela 101
Go Skiing (Just in Case It Snows!)
In this low-snow winter of 2025, we haven’t lost hope of skiing. So, here’s a list of known ski trails — but, of course, check the current weather conditions.
Lucavsala and Uzvaras Park
You can spend time outdoors and ski within the city. Lucavsala and, starting this year, Uzvaras Park offer this opportunity.
The 900- and 1000-meter trails are perfect for a short ski run. If you’re looking for a more serious workout, you can hire a professional instructor and turn your ski outing into a training session.
Opening hours: The parks welcome active recreation enthusiasts from 10 AM to 9 PM.
How to get there: Take trolleybus 19 to Lucavsala or various transport options to Uzvaras Park (tram 10 or buses 4, 4z, 7, 8, 21, 25, 38, 39 to Slokas iela).
Bikernieku trase
If you want to escape the city hustle for nature without spending hours on the road, head to Bikernieku Forest. Here, you’ll find perhaps Riga’s most picturesque ski trail.
The complex offers three loops of varying lengths — from 1,100 to 4,900 meters. All routes are lit until 11:59 PM. The wide trail is suitable for classic and skate skiing. If you’re new to the sport, you can hire an instructor.
As a New Year’s gift to winter sports enthusiasts, the trail around Lake Linezers now features artificial snow, ensuring skiing is possible even during a “warm” winter.
Opening hours: You can ski with your own equipment from early morning until late evening. However, equipment rental is available on weekdays from 11 AM to 9 PM, on Saturdays from 9 AM to 9 PM, and on Sundays from 9 AM to 7 PM.
How to get there: Bikernieku Trase is just 10 km from the city center. Take trolleybuses 14, 18 or buses 5, 15, 16, 31 to S. Eisenstein Street 16. Drivers can park near the base office or the Audio Center.
