Neigbourhoods of Riga: Honest tour through most beautiful and most unusual areas
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Riga can be very different depending on which part of it you're in. On this tour you'll see all the various districts and hear about how they came to be and what they are now. Starting from the early 20th century's Art Noveau and garden city, wooden houses, little gardens on an island in the river, through soviet occupation with it's monumentalism, but also scant functionalism, then back to the independent Latvia's modern architecture - this tour has it all.
You'll get from place to place in a comfortable vehicle driven by your guide, but keep in mind - there's still quite a bit of walking involved.
If you've already seen (or just don't want to see) the Medieval Old Town, this is the best choice. Most of the places in this tour are less or non touristy, so you'd get a better perspective on what Riga really is.
Alternatively - if you haven't seen the Old Town yet, but only have one day, we can pop it in the itinerary as well - the tour is highly customisable. Just let us know!
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
What To Expect
Art Nouveau Riga
Riga's UNESCO World Heritage listed Art Noveau area is one of a kind and this is where story of the modern Riga starts. We'll see some of the most decorative buildings, some less ornate, but highly artistic, and some of our very own - fusion of Latvian folk motives and Art Noveau the rest of the world knows. This area is very descriptive of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Riga.
Mezaparks
Mežaparks (literally - Forest park) is one of the world's first garden cities - a turn of centuries concept of capturing benefits from both cities and countryside while avoiding the disadvantages of both. Early 20th century saw upper class citizens of Riga building their Art Noveau and Eclectic villas there, which was later joined by the Song festival Bandstand and a Zoo. Mežaparks is still one of the wealthiest areas of Riga today, but thanks to the lakeside and possibility for various sporting activities it's also one of the most popular summer destinations of regular Rigans as well.
Options
Neigbourhoods of Riga: Honest tour through most beautiful and most unusual areas
Pickup included
What‘s Included
Private transportation
Lunch
Tickets to Observation Deck
Tasting in the Central Market
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
3 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Do not miss this tour with Harjis. An exceptional experience!
Richard H,Mar 13, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00There aren’t enough outstanding descriptions to give justice to this tour. The day we spent with Harijs was filled with educational details about Riga and the history of this beautiful country. On the walking tour he pointed out historical details about buildings and churches. The part of the tour that was dedicated to archaeological buildings designers and details was fascinating. He is an exceptional storyteller with incredible pride in the people, their accomplishments, their celebrations and the culture in Latvia. Our trip to the market is a special part of the tour and should not be missed. Trying to describe the size of the market is impossible, but what made the tour was his interest in having us experience Latvian meat, chicken, cheese and syrup. It was a unique and memorable experience. As he drove around Riga he selected things for us to see that he thought would be of interest based on discussions we had during the day. Lunch (after the market) was at a restaurant that served buffet style Latvian food. All fresh and delicious. As a tour guide Harjis is the best. He tailors the tour, mixes it up between walking and driving, gives you an experience unlike any other tour guide we’ve had and has so much knowledge about the history and traditions of his country. We were sorry that the day had to end.
Exceptional day with Harijs - what a fabulous guide!
BarwellFamily,Jan 9, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Exceptional day with Harijs - thoroughly recommended. As a family of four (56, 54, 21 and 19) we were looking forward to our New Year break in Riga and without a doubt, engaging the services of Harijs helped make our trip the very best it could have been. Harijs imparted a huge amount of knowledge to us, not only about the obvious history of beautiful old Riga, but also modern-day Latvia, its challenges and journey since WW2, its culture, people, transport, where they live and their gardens, even food and drinks at "Lido". We came home with an insight into a small but incredible and proud country which was all down to Harijs. His focus on communication and tailoring the tour to suit our needs worked well, "above and beyond" is a phrase that comes to mind. Thank you Harijs, wishing you and your family well.
Great tour! Harijs was...
Sebastian M,May 11, 2022
- Review from Viator
5.00Great tour! Harijs was such a knowledgeable guide and we had a very nice day trip. Customising the tour a bit was no problem and we really learned a lot. The tour gives a great overview of the different parts of the city!
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Operated by Honest Tours