All places

A red-brick market hall across the river (completed in 1923), a state-protected monument that reopened after restoration in 2022. Food traders, cafés and shops, a flea market on Sundays, a one-hour gastro tour with seven tastings every Thursday at 11:00, and cookery masterclasses.

A bread museum in Aglona where the hostess greets you in Latgalian folk dress with songs and a welcome in the Latgalian dialect. You hear about the history of bread and how rye bread is made, try milling grain, taste freshly baked bread and Latgalian dishes, and bake your own rye loaf to take home. Programmes €10–20; arrange your visit by phone.

An aviation education and entertainment centre inside the Mols shopping centre. Three flight simulators: a Cessna 172, a Piper Matrix with a 180° screen, and an aerobatic plane on a motion platform with VR goggles.

A hotel right on the beach in Majori with the status of a medical institution. More than 300 treatments, including Ķemeri mud rituals; the “The Garden” water centre has a 25 m pool with warm seawater, a Roman steam bath, a Himalayan salt sauna, a cedar sauna, a whirlpool, a children’s pool and waterfalls, and there is a separate Russian bath complex, “The Banya”.

A three-day Christmas fair at the Ķīpsala exhibition hall that bills itself as the largest in the Baltics: free entry, free creative workshops in the “Rotaļnīca Quarter”, an inflatable park and the Baltic Food Zone. In 2026 it runs 11–13 December.

A jewellery workshop in Sigulda’s Castle Quarter making copies of ancient Baltic jewellery and modern pieces with ancient symbols. In a masterclass (about 45 minutes) you make your own pendant or piece of jewellery, such as a Namejs ring.

A 33 km, 750 mm-gauge railway between Gulbene and Alūksne — the only narrow-gauge line in the Baltics with regular passenger services. A ride on the “Bānītis” through the Vidzeme countryside is a trip for the whole family.

A museum in the former St George’s Church in Old Riga. While its “Design Process” exhibition is open, children can use the Design Studio, trying ceramics, kinetics, poster design and weaving with worksheets linked to the works on display.

A museum in the Laima factory building on Miera iela: the story of how chocolate is made and of the brand, whose roots go back to 1870, a comparison of chocolate types and a hot-chocolate tasting. In the creative workshop you make your own sweets and take them home in a gift box. Tickets €3–16.

A small municipal zoo in central Daugavpils, laid out as an artificial jungle: pythons, caimans, koi carp in the pond, macaques and sugar gliders among the lianas, plus rabbits and guinea pigs that children can stroke. Wed–Sun 10–18, closed Mondays and Tuesdays; cash only.

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 puppet theatre in central Riga, founded in 1944; it moved back into its renovated building on Barona iela at the end of 2023. Shows for children and teens in Latvian and Russian, plus productions for adults.

A natural history museum in central Riga with roots in the Riga Naturalists’ Society, founded in 1845. Exhibitions cover Latvia’s nature, geology, animals and plants — a good stop for families with children.

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.

A spa hotel among the dunes at Lielupe: a 25 m pool with cascades, a heated children’s pool, a whirlpool, a Finnish sauna, a Turkish bath and a contrast shower. Treatments for children and teens use cosmetics that are safe for young skin, and there are Latvian rituals with cranberry, honey and amber oil.

The Latvian National Sports Centre’s tennis base in a pine forest: nine courts in two indoor halls and nine outdoor courts. There is also squash, beach tennis, a mini-tennis court and a gym.

One of the largest water parks in the Baltics: more than 20 slides, ten pools, saunas and a spa. In summer there is also a beach area with a terrace.

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.

A museum at Dunte Manor, where Baron Munchausen lived with his wife Jacobine: wax figures, weapons and hunting trophies, distorting mirrors and a shooting gallery. In the forest there is a trail with 55 wooden sculptures (1–4.3 km), a 1 km path to “Munchausen’s Beer Mug” and an amusement ship.

The historic circus building in central Riga, now a stage for contemporary circus — productions by Latvian and visiting international companies — and family shows such as the Christmas programme in December.

The largest collection of historic vehicles in the Baltics: more than 100 cars and motorcycles over three floors and 4,000 m², from a replica of the Benz Patent Motorwagen to Soviet-era and Kremlin cars and racing cars. Interactive displays, a children’s play zone and a café. Open Tue–Sun 10–18; adult ticket €12.

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 Old Riga museum holding about 8,000 porcelain pieces from the mid-19th to the late 20th century, with porcelain making and painting workshops — for example pressing textures into a small porcelain dish (from age 6). Pieces are ready a few weeks later; booking required.

The oldest museum in the Baltics, which began in 1773 as the private collection of Riga doctor Nikolaus von Himsel. It sits in the Riga Cathedral ensemble in Old Riga and holds the largest collection on the history of Riga and its shipping.

A 50-metre pool for serious swimmers and beginners alike. Swimming lessons for kids and adults, plus a gym, sauna and climbing wall.

Craft workshops next to Sigulda’s New Castle: make and paint your own Sigulda walking stick (a craft on Latvia’s intangible cultural heritage list), cast a bookmark from recycled paper, make a leather key ring or bracelet, or shape a mug with your name on it in the ceramics studio.

A craft brewery on a manor estate just outside Valmiera. The 1.5–2 hour tour covers the estate’s history and brewing from raw grain to finished beer, shows antique tools and ends with unfiltered beer tastings. The Beer Kitchen serves seasonal Latvian food such as fish from Lake Burtnieks and pork marinated in winter beer; summer beer garden, shop and rooms for parties.

The planetarium and observatory at the Ventspils Creativity House: 360° films about nature, space and the planets in an 8 m, 40-seat dome, in Latvian, English, Russian and Lithuanian. On clear days you can view the Sun through a telescope, and evening observations run from September to April.

A science centre running since 1995: about 200 interactive exhibits on the laws of physics and optical illusions, a planetarium, a small underground labyrinth and the “Garage Theatre” with sound-and-light experiments. Visits must be booked by phone in advance.

A vertical wind tunnel near Sigulda where you can feel freefall without jumping. You fly under an instructor’s watch; 4–6 minutes is recommended for a first visit. With the briefing and suiting up, it takes about an hour. Flyers from age 4; all gear is provided.

A multiplex in the Akropole Rīga shopping centre, opened in 2019 as the first Apollo cinema in Latvia.

A cinema in the Domina Shopping centre in Teika, opened in 2021.

A cinema in the Rīga Plaza shopping centre, opened in 2021, with eight screens and 963 seats.

A motor museum in Bauska with four collections of historic vehicles. Upstairs there is a carpenter’s workshop and a 1930s landlord’s rooms interior, plus temporary exhibitions and events. Open Tue–Sun 10–18.

A family fish restaurant in Ragaciems, a fishing village on the Gulf of Riga. Fish and seafood plus meat and vegetarian dishes, generous portions and a seafaring interior. Open daily 12–21; book ahead on warm weekends.

Bowling across the Lielupe for groups and families, suitable for beginners and regular players alike.

A bowling club in Imanta on Lielirbes iela: bowling lanes, a children’s play area, a bar and restaurant, and party packages.

A gaming venue with VR games, professional racing simulators and a lounge with PS5 and Xbox Series X, for solo visits, groups of friends, birthdays and company events. Open Tue–Thu 14–22, Fri 14–24, Sat 12–24, Sun 12–20, closed Mon.

Swimming pool in Riga. Sports complex with a pool and a swimming school. Weekday hours: 07:15–21:30.

Daugavpils Innovation Centre in a former cinema hall, opened in December 2022: interactive displays on physics, biology, dinosaurs, technology and entrepreneurship, robots and touchscreens, and a lab for experiments. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 12:00–18:00.

An indoor drift hall across the river from the Old Town with a 3,000 m² track: drift-trike rides (up to 10 riders at once, riders over 125 cm) and passenger rides in a BMW drift car. Open daily, from 11:00 on weekdays.

One of the largest escape-room operators in Riga, with about ten themed rooms, from the family-friendly “Time Machine” (6+) to the scary “House of Mysteries” (16+). Teams of 2–7 players get 60 minutes. A second site is at Miera iela 61.

An interactive game arena with a 5×8 m LED floor, music and video projections: run across lit-up squares and complete tasks that test speed, reactions and focus. From age 4, up to 8 players at once; booking only.

Table tennis club with table hire, group training for kids and adults, and private lessons. A second hall is in Iļģuciems.

An entertainment centre in Old Riga on the 4th floor of the Galerija Centrs mall: electric go-karts, an interactive Pixel room, virtual reality, a private karaoke room, pool and minigolf, all under one roof whatever the weather.

An illusion theatre and museum in Torņakalns: magic and illusion shows for families and an exhibition on the art of illusion. Visits by arrangement.

An escape room near Cukurfabrika station: you have 60 minutes to find clues and solve puzzles to get out of the secret bunker. Up to 5 players; recommended from age 10. Call ahead for opening times.

A public wood-fired sauna in Ziepniekkalns with a large cool-water pool, €15 with no time limit. Wednesday is women’s day and Tuesday is family day; there’s a courtyard picnic area, a masseur and a buffet with beer and kvass.