Author: expatsinriga

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Artisanal Riga

Visiting Latvia as an expat and staying for longer than just a couple of days as a tourist allows to better understand Latvian culture, traditions, and mentality. An intense work, however, does not always give an opportunity to spend endless hours on studying these. Expats in Riga project has prepared this short article about Latvian artisanal industry in order to tell about its uniqueness and value as well as to suggest considering the pieces of artisanal art as great presents for family members, relatives, or friends, left in a home country. Those who have already visited Old Riga, might have […]

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Medieval symbolism and necessity: Riga roosters

One of the symbols, often associated with Riga, especially its Old part, is a rooster. Anyone hanging around Old town and looking around and above will notice golden roosters on the tops of churches scattered through Old Riga. Rooster, a very old symbol of Riga with its decorative role nowadays, had a functional purpose before – since the 15th century it served also as a weather vane. Since Riga has always been a port city, its economic activity many centuries ago depended on the weather conditions, and the weather wanes were a tool for getting a weather forecast on a daily […]

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Creative quarters of Riga

As a text on one of the posters glued to the wall of Andrejsala Singalong hostel in 2007 said, ”You can stay here forever if you succeed”. This is an utopian idea behind the creative quarters philosophy, which usually contradicts with the concept of creative quarters and their role in the society and urban development in the world. Riga, as many other cities in the world, like New York, London, Berlin or Stockholm, has and has had creative quarters in its various areas during different periods of time. Creative quarters are city districts, which initially are in condition lacking development, […]

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Summer Tērbatas street

Summer is a great season for spending free time outside. During the pandemic Riga looks very different in the evening and at night. Empty streets, closed bars, the resonating sounds of steps… Expats in Riga magazine has made a short photo reportage from Tērbatas street, to unveil the way it looks like around midnight.

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Walks around Riga

“Medics to the world” This sculpture can be seen at Valdemara street, near Latvian Museum of Art and Latvian Art Academy. The idea of this piece of art is to reflect on the importance of medicine workers, who need support of the society not only in the difficult times during the pandemic, but also in everyday life so that the medical workers could take care of those who need this. If you live in the centre, which is very rich with the greenery, you would definitely enjoy slow strolls around its central districts. “Monkey Sam” In case you are fond […]

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Flower power

Riga is a very beautiful city full of greenery in the spring and summer time. The winter is almost over but there is not that many greenery around in the streets yet. Expats in Riga magazine introduces some places, where the plant lovers could enjoy the beauty of flowers and plants or study more about plants. Botanical garden with a winter conservatory full of beautiful plants is a cosy place to visit with the family or friends even in the late winter. On the territory there is also located a tropical house of butterflies, which was open today, on the […]

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Roofs of Riga – sightseeing spots

Expats in Riga would like to share some places, which have fabulous views over the city. First of all, it is the St. Peters church’s sightseeing tower, which is located at the height of 72 meters. It offers fabulous city views from the heart of the Old town. Address: Reformācijas Laukums 1, Riga. There is also Riga Skyline bar, which is a place on the top of the Radisson Blu Hotel. It has a wide variety of cocktails in its menu and it is good for sipping drinks with a view over the city, which opens from the 26th floor […]

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Happy winter holidays!

This year as each year December and the beginning of January are the Christmas markets time. Catholic Christmas is over, but there is some time left until New Year’s eve. Many people make presents exactly on the New Year’s eve, making warm wishes and passing gifts to family members and friends. For the sake of different confessions and customs the Christmas markets in Riga are still on. Expats in Riga magazine names just several of them, which are the largest ones. 1. Christmas market at Domina shopping centre. It works from 14th until 30th of December. The working hours usually […]

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Travelling to meet poetry. Rainis.

Rainis is a famous Latvian poet, translator, dramatist, and a public person. Rainis is a pseudonym of Jānis Pliekšāns. He was born in 1865 and died in 1929. He was married to Latvian poet Aspazija. There are several spots in Riga, which are associated with Rainis. First of all, it is a monument to Rainis, which is located in Esplanāde park, near Latvian Academy of Arts. It was oficially opened in 1965. The monument was created in honour of 100 year anniversary of Rainis birthday based on the sketches of the sculptor Karlis Zemdegi by his student Aivars Gulbis. The […]

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Green light streets in Riga

Riga has quite a straight planning of streets. The roads cross in the centre at right angles and there are a lot of parallel streets therefore. The automobile traffic is not very intense but might be busy in the beginning and at the end of the working hours. Usually there might be not very big traffic jams between 17:00 and 18:30 on the working days. There are some tips for those who feel familiar enough with the city to drive a car without a navigation regarding the green light streets in Riga. In Riga the traffic is planned in a […]