Things to do in Riga

A late-19th-century villa turned culture venue. In summer there is live music in the courtyard every week, the M/Darbnīca bar-club gives artists a stage, and the hip-hop club De Flou is on the villa square.

Riga’s first “Kiwi pub”: a big bar with Latvian and foreign beers, sport on several screens, pub food and a summer terrace.

A museum in a former locomotive repair shop in Pārdaugava, holding the largest collection of broad-gauge rolling stock in the Baltics. On set days children can climb into historic trains such as the ER2 electric train and the TE3 diesel locomotive, ride a hand-pumped draisine in summer and join school-holiday workshops.

A LIDO restaurant complex: a timber building with a windmill on Krasta iela serving Latvian food. It opened in 1999, with its first guests arriving for the millennium New Year, and added an amusement park and a skating rink in 2003.

The University of Latvia’s botanical garden in Zasulauks, with a palm house and a Tropical Butterfly House where, from spring to autumn, blue morphos, owl butterflies and other exotic species fly among banana and coffee trees and orchids. The butterfly house opens daily 10:00–16:00 with a garden ticket.

One of Europe’s largest markets: five pavilions rebuilt from First World War zeppelin hangars, plus an outdoor trading area. Meat, fish, cheese, vegetables, bread and spices; inside the pavilions there are places to eat Latvian dishes, fish, grills and craft beer. Pavilions 7:30–18, outdoor market 7–18.

The zoo in Mežaparks by Lake Ķīšezers covers around 20 hectares and keeps thousands of animals of several hundred species, from giraffes and lions to red pandas. The tropical house is home to birds, reptiles, frogs and insects, and there is also a country branch, Cīruļi, in Kurzeme. Tram 11 takes you there.

An observation deck on the 17th floor, about 65 m above the city, in the Academy of Sciences high-rise, completed in 1961 and for many years the tallest building in Latvia (about 108 m). A lift goes to the 15th floor, then two flights of stairs. Opening hours can change with the weather.

A bar in an old wooden house with a low-key entrance: Latvian craft beer, a big courtyard terrace and antique furniture in a relaxed, alternative atmosphere.

A laid-back Old Town bar that doubles as a collection of film, fantasy and comic memorabilia, with an arcade game and a terrace. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Tennis club with courts in Teika, Purvciems, Pļavnieki and Jugla; the indoor courts are in Teika and Jugla. Coaching, courses and table tennis too.

Indoor and outdoor tennis courts in the west of Riga. Courts can be booked on weekdays and at weekends.

A floating Russian bath on the shore of Lake Ķīšezers in Mežaparks: a panoramic window, a mini cinema, a kitchen and the option to stay overnight. €40 an hour; a Japanese ofuro wooden tub, massages and scrubs cost extra.

Four indoor hard courts and four outdoor courts, plus four beach tennis courts. Court rental includes the gym, sauna and running track; there is table tennis and coaching for kids and beginners.

A craft beer bar in the Briāna street quarter with beers of many strengths and flavours and a popular summer patio.

A French restaurant in the Dome Hotel in Old Riga; in summer there is a rooftop terrace looking across the Daugava. Listed in the MICHELIN Guide. Tue–Sun 12–23.

Tennis school with indoor and outdoor courts plus a beach tennis court. Coaching, tournaments and classes for kids.

Latvia’s first social sauna club, on the waterfront in Andrejsala. Sauna masters lead 75-minute sessions set to music for up to 40 people, cycling through heat, cold plunges (there are three) and rest. Sessions are mixed-gender with separate changing rooms; tickets and passes are sold online.

Six indoor and two outdoor padel courts in Čiekurkalns. Coaches, a kids’ corner, a café, a sports shop and free parking.

Paintball and laser tag on Zaķusala island. Paintball uses softer, more accurate balls; laser tag shows live results and stats after each game. Between rounds there are heated shelters and a rest area with tables and grills where you can bring your own food. Open 24/7 by booking.

A quarter of 16 renovated former residential buildings with bars, street food, concerts and karaoke. Family-friendly by day; at night there is dancing, a vintage bar and terraces such as Tallinas Pagalms and Ezītis miglā.

An Old Town sports bar with plenty of screens for football and NFL, an international beer list, pub snacks and a terrace in warm weather.

Event and party equipment hire in Riga and across Latvia: tents and canopies, tables, chairs and benches, TV screens and presentation kit, attractions and games, lighting and heaters. Suitable for family celebrations and weddings as well as company events, conferences and large outdoor events.

A tennis academy with an indoor tennis hall, plus two outdoor padel courts. On site: gear rental, coaches.

A party spot in the Sporta 2 quarter: cocktails, craft beer and Neapolitan pizza, a terrace and nights with Latvian DJs.