In short
Riga has around eight hundred Art Nouveau buildings, the highest density on the planet. They are gathered in the quiet Alberta iela district and are looked at from the street, free of charge.
The central market occupies five former German zeppelin hangars. It is one of the largest in Europe and serves as the city's canteen.
What it really costs
Latvia is in the eurozone, which removes any currency change. Housing and eating out cost about half of the Scandinavian capitals, two hours away by air.
The central market halves the food budget: its stalls serve full meals for the price of a coffee in Stockholm.
What nobody tells you
Winter is long and dark: snow lies from December to March and the day lasts seven hours in December. The city is built for it, life happens indoors.
A significant share of the population speaks Russian as a first language, a Soviet legacy, and it has been a live political subject since 2022. It is handled with care.
The beach at Jūrmala is half an hour away by train, along thirty kilometres of sand. People from Riga go there in summer the way you go to the sea, without it appearing on any circuit.