I wouldn’t go if it was the last place on earth...

I went to Riga in April 2003 and loved it - couldn’t wait to go back. I went back in October 2006 and hated it. In three and a half years it had become a hell-hole. The locals are hostile, police are corrupt, women treacherous, men aggressive & scams every which way you turn. On my final day there I couldn’t wait to get into the taxi to get to the airport to get the hell out. The major problem with Riga is it full of Russians. I realise we shouldn’t generalise, but Russians have to be the most miserable, crooked, fatalistic, pessimistic people on earth. Just horrible. There are so many better places to try in Europe; Budapest, Krakow, Wroclaw, Prague to name a few. Even neighbouring Tallinn in Estonia is preferable to Riga though still blighted by a large Russian population. A couple of months earlier I had been in Land of Smile (Thailand) so the friendliness of the people couldn’t have been a starker contrast!! Wild horses couldn’t drag me back to Riga.

Great for: History/Culture, Theatre/Music, Nightlife, Budget Travel, Family Holidays

Last Visit: October 2006

21 March 2008 | A Yahoo! User

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If it was the last place on earth...

I went to Riga in April 2003 and loved it - couldn’t wait to go back. I went back in October 2006 and hated it. In three and a half years it had become a hell-hole. The locals are hostile, police are corrupt, women treacherous, men aggressive & scams every which way you turn. On my final day there I couldn’t wait to get into the taxi to get to the airport to get the hell out. The major problem with Riga is it full of Russians. Russians have to be the most miserable, crooked, fatalistic, pessimistic race on earth. Just horrible. There are so many better places to try in Europe; Budapest, Krakow, Wroclaw, Prague to name a few. Even neighbouring Tallinn in Estonia is preferable to Riga though still blighted by a large Russian population. A couple of months earlier I had been in Land of Smile (Thailand) so the contrast between the friendliness of each country couldn’t have been starker!! Wild horses couldn’t drag me back to Riga.

Great for: History/Culture, Nightlife, Family Holidays

Last Visit: October 2006

21 March 2008 | A Yahoo! User

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The hostility of the people will spoil your trip

I was unpleasantly surprised by the rudeness of the locals in Latvia. They were extremely unfriendly to the point of hostility. There is no finesse to their character - they are brutal, with no manners. They are happy to fleece you of your money though, and prices are not much cheaper than the UK for many things. Ruined my trip. I don't think they realise that there are prettier and cheaper places to visit, with much nicer people, so I would not recommend visiting Riga on any level. The old town is actually not that pretty either, it's pock-marked with soviet era monstrosities. And the museums are what you might find in a village, not a capital city. The tour guides also don't say that the pollution levels are very high and incidents of TB are at epidemic proportions. DO NOT GO!

Last Visit: February 2008

11 February 2008 | raymondey1

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Rudeness of the locals will ruin your trip

I was unpleasantly surprised by the rudeness of the locals. They were extremely unfriendly to the point of hostility. There is no finesse to their character - they are brutal, with no manners. They are happy to fleece you of your money though, and prices are not much cheaper than the UK for many things. Ruined my trip. I don't think they realise that there are prettier and cheaper places to visit, with much nicer people, so I would not recommend visiting Riga on any level. The old town is actually not that pretty either, it's pock-marked with soviet era monstrosities. The tour guides also don't say that the pollution levels are very high and incidents of TB are at epidemic proportions. DO NOT GO!

Last Visit: February 2008

11 February 2008 | raymondey1

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A civilised city for civilised people!

If you are going on a stag/hen week-end or such like then this review is NOT for you. However, if you enjoy culture, art nouveau architecture, good food, nice walks, interesting history then it is a wonderful destination. You'll need at least 2 days here - ideally 3-5 days. Get yourself a good guide book (we had The Blue Guide to Riga), comfortable clothes and shoes and explore! Most sightseeing can be done on foot and at a leisurely pace. Avoid and ignore the "clubs" and "bars" that have somehow given Riga the wrong reputation. These are targeted at the unintelligent groups of drunks who (thankfully) subsidise cheap flights for the rest of us real travellers :-) If you enjoy ballet/opera book in advance (we bought tickets for £10 for best tickets to Nut Cracker at the National Opera House). There are plenty of reasonably priced hotels, cafes and restaurants. In winter take warm and comfortable clothing. Taxi from Airport to the centre from £6-10 and takes 20-30mins. Buses cost 30p. Hotels have a high standard. We stayed at the Domina Inn which is 20 minutes (enjoyable and interesting) walk through the art nouveau district and/or a pleasant park to the centre.

Great for: History/Culture, Theatre/Music, Budget Travel

Last Visit: December 2007

11 December 2007 | A Yahoo! User

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Be very Careful

Having just come back from Riga, myself and my other two friends feel very relieved that we got out unscathed. All in all it is a nice city, Old Riga is absolutely beautiful, but the place just seems to flip at night. There is an extremely moody atmosphere in the bars and clubs and talking to other British travellers over there they all seemed to have either been conned out of vast amounts of money or had a few stitches in their heads from trouble they had encountered from the locals. Our group, just 3 of us kept ourselves to ourselves and still managed get grief in one bar from a local girl who tried to get other locals to give us a good shoeing when we wouldn't buy her a drink at the bar. The skyline bar in hotel Latvia is a very nice bar with a beautiful view but drinks are in excess of 3 lats (£3). We found Riga to be an extremely expensive city, a complete opposite to which we were expecting. I suspect the outer areas of the city are much cheaper. The women over there are stunningly beautiful one after the next. All in all it is a nice city, with an extremely hostile atmosphere and I wouldnt recommend large groups go over there to drink, somewhere like wroclaw in poland is nicer, friendlier and much cheaper if its this sort of trip your looking for.

Last Visit: September 2007

3 October 2007 | A Yahoo! User

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Great party place!

First of all..this is a very, very nice city if you´re there to enjoy the nightlife. That was the only reason why me and a friend of mine went there for a weekend. I just have to mention this:: How come that whenever people write negative things like " its dangerous, locals are violent nazis"..etc etc..IT SEEMS LIKE ITS ALWAYS BRITISH PEOPLE writing these reviews!!!?? Hmmm..(attitude problems?) As for me..i think most major east european cities are far safer than the western ones...(even if you´re drunk). Visit this city!!

Great for: Nightlife

Last Visit: June 2007

11 September 2007 | A Yahoo! User

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a good time had by all!

I booked a trip to Riga and then found this web site with some very negative reviews, slightly worried and apprehensive went to Riga taking on board everyones advice! I went there as part of a group of lads for four nights and had no trouble at all. I did hear that some ppl had been ripped off in lap dancing bars (for a lot of money), so dont take the risk with them. They offer you a free drink on the door but as the saying goes, theres no such thing as a free lunch (or drink in this case!) As for the prices, found it very similar to the UK. the airport bus was only 0.30lat but a beer in the centre was 3.00 lat so questions need to be asked there! Also a meal in the centre can be expensive, paid anything from between 4-10lat. Clubs can be 5/10lat at weekend. Essential and Fashion is particulary expensive. As mentioned by other ppl, taxis can rip you off, best thing is to agree a price first. Its worth have a chat with your hotel/hostel when you arrive, we did and was given some great local knowledge and kept clear of the scams. If you're in a group of lads you can be tarred by the same brush. So, dont get too drunk, dont fall asleep in the street or take a leak in public & for the clubs, dress smart and go in in 2 or 3's max. Have some respect for the locals and you should be ok! Also, dont wear fancy dress/ daft printed shirts such as 'RIGA 07' or 'JOHNO 69'. You'll be automatically branded a stag do and targeted! In summary, very nice place, great night life, beach around 25 mins away for the day after! crime no worse than UK, be as street wise as you would be in England, dont do anything silly, and you'll have a great time there! all the best! PS. Latvian girls are some of the best in the world!

Great for: History/Culture, Nightlife

Last Visit: June 2007

3 July 2007 | A Yahoo! User

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Dont Go!

If you are a bunch of lads going away please dont go to latvia! although as your looking at this you've already booked so all i can say is unlucky and i hope you get out alive! We stayed right in the center so avoided getting expensive taxi's but we were involved in fights in4 of the 5 nights we were there We got held at gun point and also one of my mates was taken into a room and severly beaten for 'looking at a local' the wrong way You'll be lucky to get out alive!

Last Visit: February 2007

14 March 2007 | A Yahoo! User

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WARNING!!!! PLEASE PLEASE BE CAREFUL!!!

This is a warnig to all groups of men whatever age who are going to Riga,please do not be duped into buying a drink for any girls in this place .Latvian women are NOT openly friendly and the ones that are will be out to get money from you.(or their large friends will)We found this out to our cost and got a good beating as well.This place is not a good weekend break destination and the people we have spoken to ALL agree.(there were many!)It is expensive,EVERYBODY is out to rip you off , it is sometimes menacing walking the streets and if you do have problems the police are uninterested (its the norm!) This place on the surface is modern and clean (thanks to EU money) but underneath its still the same drab, miserable, corrrupt and dangerous country we know from the past. There arent many positive things to say really .Yes the architecture is pretty fancy but thats about it.Forget shopping its the same as here if not dearer. Ive travelled all around this world being a former seaman and Ive been to some right dodgy places but this place stinks.We came here thinking it would be a cheap weekend away(40th birthday) nothing couldve been further from the truth.If its expensive here now whats going to happen when the Euro goes in because that why we chose Riga over Dublin or Amsterdam because the prices were so dear there. We`ve come away with our lives we feel,I dont think others will be so lucky. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!

Last Visit: october 2006

16 October 2006 | A Yahoo! User

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