Riga, Latvia - Part II

Although I was only in Latvia for a few days,

I was able to squeeze in plenty of amazing experiences. 

Logistically speaking, it's really easy to get around. 

City center is a quick 15 minute drive from the airport. 

We opted to stay at the Radisson Blu Ridzene Hotel in Riga,

and honestly, it was perfect for our needs.

Walking distance to all the major attractions,

this five star hotel is not only affordable (by american standards), but also comfortable,

and as a bonus, it offers a delectable breakfast buffet. 

Highly recommend!

After checking out Riga's city center on the first day, 

we decided to head out of town. 

Destination: Jūrmala.

Located 25 kilometers west of Riga, 

this seaside town is a popular getaway for most locals. 

We wandered the beaches and checked out the romantic Art Nouveau architecture before heading back for dinner. 

Speaking of dinner... every meal we had in Latvia was SO good!

From pickled herring, to lamb shanks to suckling pork knuckles,

every dish left us stuffed yet drooling for more. 

In fact I'm drooling just thinking about it now. 

me and my statue

Riga, Latvia - Part I

So here's a fun game to play...

next time someone asks you where you're going for vacation, 

tell them - Riga... Latvia. 

Pause for reaction. 

My guess is that more than half of the people you say this to will be confused. 

I can't blame them. 

There are 195 countries in the world. I don't expect people to be able to name them all. I certainly couldn't. 

I had to google that by the way. <insert wide-eyed emoji here> For some reason I thought there were more than that. 

Anyway. 

The point is, that I spent a few days in Riga, Latvia last month, 

and it was amazing. 

And I want to tell everyone about it so that you don't have to be startled the next time someone tells you they're going there,

or better yet,

so you can get it on your radar and eventually visit it yourself.

So a couple of fun facts about this place:

-Latvia declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

-Riga is the capital, and dates back to at least the 12th century.

-Latvia is one of the three Baltic States, and has land borders with Estonia, Russia, Belarus and Lithuania. 

-The official language is Latvian, however a lot of people speak Russian and English.

My other impressions of my time spent in Riga?

This place is absolutely gorgeous!

The city is well known for its Art Nouveau architecture. 

Its old town is filled with such buildings, and has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its architecture, 

much of which dates back to the late 1800s and early 1900s.

I honestly just loved everything about this place.

The pictures just don't do it justice.. you really need to check it out with your own eyeballs. And nose. And mouth. 

"If you haven't tasted it, you have not been in Riga."