Why Riga Might Be Europe’s Most Underrated Summer City

I wasn’t expecting Riga, Latvia to be such a great place to visit but it completely surprised me. Riga is full of green spaces, has fantastic biking and walking infrastructure, good food, and plenty of things to see and do. On top of that, it’s much more affordable than many other European summer destinations.

In this video, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know before visiting Riga: getting here, getting around, safety, language, payments, and accessibility. I’ll also share some of Riga’s highlights—from Mežaparks and Jurmala Beach to Art Nouveau architecture, the Central Market, and Old Town attractions. Plus, I’ll cover food, drink, a grocery haul, and a full cost breakdown of my stay in Riga.

#riga #latvia #earlyretirement #fulltimetravel

Links for items Discussed in this video:
Apartment (note that they have several; I stayed in the studio): https://www.booking.com/Share-NXx5u5c
Riga Free Walking Tour: https://www.guruwalk.com/walks/35782-...
Riga Information Website: https://www.liveriga.com/en
Riga Public Transport: https://www.rigassatiksme.lv/en/
Bolt: https://bolt.eu/en
Riga Trains: https://www.ldz.lv/en
Euro Velo 11 Cycling Route: https://en.eurovelo.com/ev11/latvia
E11 Forest Trail Hiking Route: https://baltictrails.eu/en/forest
Mežaparks: https://www.latvia.travel/en/sight/me...
Jūrmala Beach: https://www.visitjurmala.lv/en/
Ala Pagrabs Restaurant: https://www.folkklubs.lv/home/
Humana: https://humanalatvia.lv/en/home-en/
Jewish Ghetto Museum: https://okupacijasmuzejs.lv/en/

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Patagonia Windbreaker: https://www.rei.com/product/144128/pa...
Mountain Hardware Ghost Whisperer: https://amzn.to/3Oik7rN
Darn Tough Running Socks: https://amzn.to/4fTRBIA

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Chico Bag: https://amzn.to/4fQO1jb
Osprey Collapsible Pack: https://amzn.to/407ulRv
Patagonia Fanny Pack: https://amzn.to/4encOtB
Kindle Paperwhite: https://amzn.to/4i1v1zZ

Camera Gear/Electronics:
GoPro Hero 11: https://amzn.to/4h2vIYf
GoPro Media Mod: https://amzn.to/4gXIvvr
Hollyland Lark 2 Wireless Mic: https://amzn.to/4g1JCcj
Jabra Elite 5 Wireless Earbuds: https://amzn.to/3CraFjo
SanDisk 2TB Portable SSD: https://amzn.to/4hkQ5QD
Ankor 20,000 mAh Battery Bank: https://amzn.to/3AExGys
Tessan Universal Travel Adapter: https://amzn.to/40jon0W

Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:47 Visas
00:01:36 Getting Here
00:02:19 Getting Around
00:02:43 Green Space / Walking / Running / Biking
00:04:05 Accessibility
00:04:30 Where I Stayed
00:06:17 Payments / Cash
00:06:24 Language Barrier
00:06:37 Weather
00:06:55 Medical
00:07:07 Embassies
00:07:14 Safety
00:07:35 Community
00:07:51 Things to Do
00:08:08 Mežaparks
00:08:42 Jurmala Beach
00:09:43 Walking Tour
00:10:13 Central Market
00:10:57 Thrift Stores
00:11:15 Art Nouveau
00:11:24 Old Town Attractions
00:11:55 Library
00:12:53 Day Trips
00:13:28 Food and Drink
00:14:35 Cost Breakdown
00:15:39 Grocery Haul
00:16:53 Conclusion

Comment with questions, tips, or ideas you want to explore. Now, let's hit the road!

#travelcosts #budgettravel #fulltimetravel #over40 #solofemaletraveler #retirementtravel #travel #slowtravel #worldtravel #internationaltravel #travel #travelplanning

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