17 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Riga - Atlas Obscura

Unusual Attractions in Riga

The Corner House

A former Latvian headquarters of the brutal KGB secret police is now open as a grim reminder of their atrocities.

Riga Central Market

3,000 market stands in five former Zeppelin hangars.

Art Nouveau in Riga

Flamboyant architecture from the turn of 20th century.

Black Cat of Riga

A black cat protests the City Guild in Riga's Old Town.

The Three Brothers

The oldest housing complex in Riga is a mini timeline of architectural trends.

Castle of Light

Latvia's symbolic mountain-shaped national library is home to millions of cultural tomes.

The Very Old Oak Tree

A preserved oak tree about 3500 years old found in Riga, Latvia.

P. Stradins Museum for History of Medicine

Medical museum that houses most notably the taxidermied remains of Vladimir Demikhov's famous two-headed dog experiment.

See All 17 Things to Do in Riga See All 17 Places

Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.

Unique Food & Drink in Riga

Riga Black Balsam

There's a legend that this Latvian herbal liqueur saved an ailing Catherine the Great.

Atlas Obscura Trips

Baltic Odyssey: Monuments, Myths, and Memory

Take a deep dive into Baltic history and culture on this immersive adventure through Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, covering everything from ancient traditions to bunkers, silos, and grand memorial complexes.

Community Forums / Eastern Europe / Latvia

Top Discussions in the Latvia Travel Forum

Post	Replies	Views	Activity
Castle of Light	2 May 28, 2019	1285	May 28, 2019
Riga Aviation Museum	1 May 28, 2019	768	May 28, 2019
Skrunda-1	2 May 16, 2019	1281	May 16, 2019
Kurmrags Lighthouse	1 September 24, 2019	488	September 24, 2019
The World of Hat	1 August 16, 2019	647	August 16, 2019

New Post Visit the Forum

Riga Leaderboard

Places Added

Places Edited

Places Visited

Recent Riga Activity

nekrosmancer11 wants to go to House of the Blackheads

evaneeful has been to Jauniela (New Street)

Ian Sanwald wants to go to First Ever Public Christmas Tree Marker

Ian Sanwald wants to go to The World of Hat

Ian Sanwald wants to go to Freedom Monument