The turbulent history of Riga that used to be a free Hanseatic city, one of the centers of the Livonian Order and a Swedish fortress has endowed the Latvian capital with such an abundance of architectural monuments that a tourist who goes on an excursion without a guide risks falling into confusion not knowing where to start the exploration. In any case, the exploration of Riga will start from the Central District with the Old Town, and most of the sights as well as many cafes, bars, and boutiques. The program of a sightseeing excursion of Riga with a English-speaking guide traditionally includes visits to the following places:
- Town Hall Square famous for the statue of Roland and the House of the Blackheads;
- Dome Cathedral - one of the symbols of the city (1001guide recommends not only seeing the cathedral, but also going to the museum next to it);
- Riga Castle founded in the 14th century;
- courtyard of the Convention - a complex of buildings of the 14-17 centuries;
- Powder tower of the 13th century;
- Albert Street (an excursion of it will especially delight fans of Art Nouveau architecture);
- St. Peter's Church: its observation deck offers a fantastic panorama of the city.