I was clueless and without expectations. The Baltic nations comprise a region of Europe I'd never thought much about visiting. However, thanks to budget travel and low-cost airline carriers, I could momentarily escape the hectic life I was leading in London.
I chose to escape London's energised streets by flying to Riga, pack on my back, ready to explore the primordial streets of Latvia and Estonia's capital cities, for a long weekend.
Here's how it unfolded.
A Raucous Flight to Latvia
Shortly after the wheels of the plane hit the tarmac at Riga International Airport, I moved swiftly down the stairs – ahead of the voluminous crowd, through immigration to a bus waiting outside the terminal.
The rapid escape was, in part, due to the vociferous banter inflicted on my eardrums during the two-and-a-half-hour flight. In recent times, with the rise in cheap airfares, Riga has gained popularity as a destination for English lads’ bucks parties. I was unfortunate to be ensconced in a Ryanair plane, three-quarters filled with testosterone-driven, highly-intoxicated men behaving badly.
Riga by Night
The same evening, complete with a sore head from the evening’s flight, I moved languidly from the hostel to the city’s streets. Getting around on foot, even with a throbbing headache, was easy: thanks to small dimensions, the key features of the historic centre are nearby and easily accessed.
My time in Riga was limited and, despite a lack of avid curiosity about visiting the Baltics, I was determined to see as much as I could, to pique my interest and turn up the wanderlust a notch.
Even with a nine-pm arrival time, I decided to wander along cobblestone streets in the Old Town. It soon became apparent why Riga has been dubbed the Baltics’ beating heart: awash with Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Romanesque architectural styles, romance and history dance along the streets in step with the wide, wandering eyes of new pedestrians. Still fascinated by size, with arms outstretched, I was nearly able to touch the ancient walls on either side of Rozena Street.
After having explored part of the maze, my stomach groaned: the aromas filling the streets led me in search of dinner. I followed my nose to a traditional Latvian, buffet-style restaurant. As I walked through the front door, ornamented in regal tones, my eyes moved to tables across which plates of steaming food decorated the room. My eyes grew to be bigger than my pint-sized stomach, which stretched like a balloon as I tasted my way through several dishes.
I recognised potato mixed through the pancake at the centre of my plate. The ingredients used to create the other dishes, samples of which I’d greedily collected, were unfamiliar yet nonetheless delicious.
My initial encounter with Latvian cuisine was, ergo, very satisfying.
Riga by Day
Over the next few days, I continued exploration of the city on foot.
Following an extended period wandering more of the Old City’s cobblestone streets, visiting Dome Cathedral and St Peter’s Church, my stomach once again assumed control of navigating the tour. At the largest Soviet-style market in the Baltic region, my fingers danced over locally grown berries, succulent and juicy balls of deliciousness that I consumed progressively as I continued to amble. This particular walk returned me to St Peter’s. From the spire, the view of the city was magnificent.
St Peter's Church is closed on Mondays, open between 10:00 and 18:00 every other day except for Sundays on which it delays opening to the public until 12:00. Entry will set you back €9.
Established in 1993, the Museum of Occupation was next on my Riga itinerary. With a hot chocolate and slice of cake in tow, I wandered to the museum, home to relics of the country’s tumultuous past.
Walking through the halls provided education about the plight of the country’s people under two occupying tyrannous regimes spanning fifty-one years, starting in 1940. The oppressive and successive USSR reign, spliced at a point by Nazi Germany, created a depressing set of circumstances for Latvians countrywide. It was a poignant reminder that the human spirit, even in the face of oppression, is resilient.
Entry to the Museum is free, a voluntary donation suggested if you feel compelled. It is open daily between 11:00 and 18:00.
To conclude my visit of the Latvian capital, I rested weary feet in a beer garden by Dome Square.
The crucible of life unfolded as I sipped a pint of €2 Aldaris Uguns. Latvia came to life as the sun set, casting splinters of gold onto the cobbled ground.
Tallinn’s Charm
Four hours after departing Riga’s main bus terminal, I arrived in Tallinn, the capital of Latvia's northern neighbour: Estonia. Getting in at night meant sneaking into a hostel dorm to avoid disturbing the room’s other occupants. Fervent attempts to avoid creating noise were pointless: nothing could be heard above the snoring that shook the building.
The ambivalent attitude I’d maintained before leaving London, by this time, had morphed into one of fervent curiosity. With a new bounce in my travel step the next morning, I left the snorers to their noisemaking and exited the building with celerity.
The early morning start provided an opportunity to experience daily life unfold: shop owners tidied around store entrances, preparing for the influx of shoppers; market stall operators rearranged produce as fresh fruit and vegetables moved into customers’ bags; and sharply adorned men and women sashayed through the streets, magnetised to the resounding chime of nearby church bells.
In a similar vein to strolls through Riga, I was equally impressed by the stunning synthesis of architectural styles in Tallinn. Imbued with a more distinct influence of Russia, looking heavenward to the spires and roofs of the city’s skyline was addictive. Despite distinct similarities in shape and colour, each feature emitted a unique characteristic, creating a mosaic of architecture along the street.
After exploring the Old City, I wanted to feel sand between my toes so I made my way to the shoreline by Kadriorg. Despite summertime temperatures warming the air, the water was cold, leaving me to defrost in the sun on the beach post-splash. With sand in every crevice of my body, I shook, redressed and returned to Tallinn to prepare for my return to London.
Recollections of a Weekend spent between Riga and Tallinn
Even though only brief, visiting Latvia and Estonia piqued my curiosity and infused me with a healthy dose of wanderlust. This corner of the continent is growing in popularity and I can see why so many travellers, including groups of British lads on bucks weekends, are coming in hordes: it's budget-friendly, an historic masterpiece and an architectural chef d'oeuvre.
Having barely scratched the surface, I would return in a heartbeat. Chances are, I will, when the time is right.
