Destinations / The Best Places to Visit in Riga / St. Jacob Cathedral

Latvia is a small and cozy country on the Baltic Sea.
The pure nature, the sea, the pine trees, the beautiful architecture, medieval castles and streets in the Old City of Rigato, the exquisite art nouveau buildings, the friendly and unobtrusive natives, with whom it is possible to communicate in Russian-all these give a special charm.
Someone is going to Latvia because of nostalgia, someone else because it's the closest "Europe" and you can get for just one night by train.
Someone goes to admire the sea and the unique beach of Jurmala - tens of kilometers of pure white sand, framed by pine trees.
The Old Town, the Dome Cathedral, Riga, Raymond Pauls, Lyme Vaikule, Brain Storm, Flower Street, Baker Street, Sherlock Holmes, New Wave, KVN, Riga balsam, Dzintars, chocolate Lyme, smoked chicken, cheese, cumin, smoked eel fishing villages, amber and linen are all Latvia.
Riga is the capital of Latvia , the largest city in the Baltic States , the main tourist center of the country.
Riga is located on the shores of the Baltic Sea, although the majority of the residents and tourists go to the sea in the resort of Jurmala , just a 20 minute drive from Riga.
  Ten reasons to come to Latvia   Medieval history and fabulous architecture The Old Town consists of medieval houses, churches of the 12-16 century, the area where executed or pardoned, suppressed rebellions, you will not notice how immersed in the sweet atmosphere of the Middle Ages.
However, much you've seen for a long time .
.
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in the movie: The Three Musketeers, midshipmen, Knight of Ivanhoe, Sherlock Holmes and Dr.
Watson and finally the unfortunate Professor Stirlitz Pleischner - all the "visited" these parts.
And here is the center, the oddly decorated building of the early XX century in Art Nouveau style.
Outside the city locks these German barons, castles, built for the Russian Tsars and their approximaty, now many of them turned into a cozy hotel where you can relax in the quiet tree-lined parks, fun hunting, fishing, horse riding.
  Jurmala   Half an hour from Riga and you are in Jurmala - the largest and the most famous resort of the Baltic states.
Jurmala is always hospitable and affectionate.
The sea, the sun and pine, the pine-ionized clean air smell! The sandy beach is 32 kilometers in length, over which the Blue Flag of the European Union flies, certifying the purity of water, the beach and the high level of infrastructure development.
Jurmala is famous for its pleasant temperate climate - a resort that doesn’t absolutely require acclimatization!   The rich cultural life   Once each visitor to Latvia considered binding authority to hear about the magnificent Dome Cathedral - a great tradition that deserves to be continued ! Riga also has a wonderful Opera House, Riga Russian Theatre, with more than a century of history, there are festivals of opera and ballet, folk festivals.
Latvia was the mistress of the "Eurovision 2003".
In Jurmala each year is a competition for young singers "New Wave" , the festival of "Wailing Kivinen" .
  A full range of entertainment at affordable prices   Traveling by boat, hot air ballooning, bowling, golf, paintball, are all readily available and very inexpensive in Latvia.
Delicious food The famous "Lido", the Irish and the English pubs, restaurants and cafes almost every ethnic cuisine suit all tastes and size of the purse.
Outside the city are many cozy cafes and pubs.
Be sure to try the famous smoked chicken, fish of all sorts and kinds of cooking, caraway cheese, sweet rye bread, fresh home-made beer, smoked meat, and for friends grab Riga Balsam and chocolates "Lyme.
" All very tasty and cheap!   Pure nature   Most of the country's territory is covered by forest.
The proximity of the sea, the low population density and the lack of large enterprises have made Latvia clean and tidy corner of Europe.
Take some time to get out of the town, at your service, rural cottages with all modern conveniences, fresh air and a deafening silence.
Feel the joy of solitude and merge with nature.
  Original gifts   Amber, wood, glass and metal… Visit the Ethnographic Museum where are numerous exhibitions and sale of products made of amber, wool, linen, clay, silver, or visit one of the many salons.
Foresee your surprise and delight - that is, it turns out, what can be done from amber, wood, glass or metal - and all these can also buy the example of the amazing authors jewelry, made in a single copy.
A pleasant surprise will be the price of similar products.
  Nightlife   The brilliant night Riga is at your feet.
Crowds of people are walking in the streets of Old Town, open the doors of restaurants and cafes and music is everywhere.
At midnight, life is just beginning! In Latvia, you will not find shops and cafes with a sign "saying in Russian" - just go and ask, you are always welcome! In 2014 Riga will be the cultural capital of Europe.
Together with it the honorary title for a year will share the Swedish city of Umea.
  Cultural Capital of Europe   The tradition of the annual award of the status of the cultural capital of Europe was born to different cities in 1985.
The first cultural capital of Athens began.
In the 2000 th there were as much as 9 - Avignon, Bergen, Bologna, Brussels, Helsinki, Krakow, Prague, Reykjavik, Santiago de Compostela.
Being the cultural capital is a big responsibility, but it is very nice.
Events in Riga in 2014 fill up a large number of new cultural and entertainment events and those that are held annually (Night of Museums, Old Town, White Night, etc.
) will be even bigger and more colorful.
So the holiday a year for the people of Riga and guests are guaranteed.
A special direction "Riga 2014" develops a program of activities for 2014.
It is known that the event would be established within six themes: "The thirst of the ocean," " The Survival Kit", " The Road Map", "Amber lived," " The Liberty Street", " The Carnival of Riga.
" In 2014 Riga finally opens its doors to a new building of National Library of "The Castle of Light".
The construction of a massive and expensive project of a new library, which caused a storm of emotions and grievances for Latvians started in 2008.
Riga City Council is also timed to this date.
Latvia became an increasingly popular tourist destination in Europe.
Guests come here from all over the world in the weekend in Riga , for a vacation by sea in Jurmala and in winter even in Sigulda .
Foreign tourists attract accommodations and meals as well as cheap.
Travel in Riga to understand the busy life of this Baltic country.