Riga, Latvia

Situated on the shores of the Baltic Sea, at the mouth of the Daugava River, Riga is Latvia’s capital, as well as the Baltic area’s largest city and economic and cultural centre. As a member of the Hanseatic League, it was the Baltic area’s largest commercial centre; during its history Riga was successively under Swedish, Polish, Russian, German and Soviet rule.

Riga’s historic inner-city is a real treasure-box for the visiting tourists, and it has been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Besides its medieval buildings (St. Peter’s Church, Riga Cathedral), its richly decorated burgher houses also make the atmosphere of the old-city unforgettable. The 15^th century building, referred to as “The Three Brothers”, stands out from among the other former trading houses.The city’s castle, built in 1330, serves today as the residence of the President, and also gives home to a number of museums.