DISCOVERING RIGA'S ARCHITECTURE AND LOCAL FLAVOURS

Description

What does Riga taste like? We will find out on an excursion that will take us on a journey through the past, via the city's most important museums and monuments, enjoying the unique flavours of some local specialities.

What we will see

• Town Hall Square, historic centre of Riga
• St. Peter's Church, John's Courtyard, St. John's Church and St. George's Church
• "Three Brothers"
• Cathedral Square and Cathedral
• Tasting of the famous Riga Black Balsam
• Central market and local delicacies

What we will do

• After boarding our coach, we will head for Town Hall Square. There, we will begin a walking tour, heading towards the city's historic centre.
• We will be immediately transported into the 13th century when we will arrive at St. Peter's church which, with a height of 123 metres, was the highest building in Europe until the Second World War.
• Crossing the medieval John's Courtyard, we will find ourselves in front of the church of the same name, now home to the museum of applied arts, and St. George's church.
• Walking through the historic centre, we will discover the "Three Brothers", three adjacent buildings so-called for their very similar appearance.
• We will continue through the centre of the Old Town, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There, we will admire Riga's magnificent Cathedral: the city's main evangelical Lutheran place of worship, and the largest medieval church in the Baltic States.
• It will then be time for a break and a treat for our taste buds: we will discover new flavours with a tasting session of the famous Riga Black Balsam. The balsam, composed of some 24 different ingredients and bitter in taste, is known in Latvian popular medicine as a cure for all seasonal illnesses.
• After our tour of the Old Town, we will head for Riga's central market. Inaugurated in 1930, it was already the largest market of its era; today, with 5 enormous pavilions, it is the largest market in the Baltic States and one of the largest open-air markets in Europe.
• Even though the excursion is almost over, Riga will have another culinary surprise in store for us: at the market, we will sample various local food products including dairy, bread, fish and seafood.

What you need to know

• The excursion will take place mainly on foot.
• We recommend wearing comfortable shoes.
• Places on this excursion are limited. We recommend booking early.