holdall · Riga, Latvia

Riga

Aug 2023

1 week

Summary

Summary

A friend's wedding in Stockholm prompted a visit to Northern Europe, with some cheap flights to Latvia providing a good excuse to visit a new country and spend a couple of weeks before heading West.

Accommodation

Bad

Good

Great

No shortage of accommodation options around the city centre and old town. Prices were reasonable, if nothing special.

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New legislation

Recent changes introduced by the Turkish government has made short-term rentals for under 100 days more restricted. Keep an eye on Reddit threads for up-to-date assessments of how the new legislation is impacting short-term rentals in practice.

Places to work

Bad

Good

Great

Riga has no shortage of coworking options, with spaces dotted around the east side of the city. The Workland chain which has sites across the Baltics and Finland, was a great base for a short stay.

Value

Bad

Good

Great

Eating out is good value, with lots of options available across the city.

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The yen is currently at a 34-year low

While this is undoubtedly a negative for the Japanese, it makes for an exceptionally good time to visit Japan from abroad. Although this trend is unlikely to reverse significantly in the short term, it's still worth checking before visiting.

View cost of living

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Excitement

Bad

Good

Great

As one of the smaller European capitals, Riga somewhat underwhelms in this respect. Even within the city centre, where I was based during my stay, I found it notably quiet, verging on the mundane. After a fortnight, I felt as though I had exhausted the city's offerings.

Working hours

Latvia operates in the Eastern European Time (EET) zone, which aligns well with typical European working hours.

🇪🇺 Consider working European hours from Asia?

I've written a guide on how to structure your day to get the most out of the time difference.

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Do you need to speak Spanish?

Without doubt, being able to speak Spanish with a degree of fluency is a huge asset when visiting South America. I had always put off visiting the continent due to my Spanish skills not extending beyond requesting a "cerveza grande".

But even with my incredibly primitive linguistic capabilities, it was not in any way to the detriment of the trip. English is spoken sparsely, but armed with a few phrases, some polite enthusiasm and a translator, it shouldn't deter you from visiting.

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Where to stay

Whilst it is a relatively modest city in size, you'd be best off close to one of these areas.

Would avoid

Recommended

Vecrīga

There's no reason to not be in the heart of the Old Town if staying for a short trip.

Would avoid

Recommended

Avoti

I stayed in the northern part of this district which is also easily commutable into the centre on foot, with lots of small cafes and bars dotted around.

Where to work

Workland Telegraph

Top Choice

☕️ Good Coffee

📍 Top Location

🥗 On Site Cafe

🧍Community Focused

⭐️ Quality Fit Out

🌳 Outdoor Space

The Workland chain has several outfits across the city, with this one being situated right in the heart of the Old Town. As well as an ideal location, it has a top quality fit out, with a well equipped kitchen with a decent coffee machine.

There's plenty of private spaces available for calls and it was a hassle free process to get set up. At the time of visiting, it was particularly quiet (I believe in due to the holiday season) so whilst it was incredibly peaceful, it certainly wasn't a hub of activity.

Would certainly return to this branch or any other in the chain on a subsequent visit to the Baltics.

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Remote work visa

Remote work visa coming soon

A dedicated remote work visa is available for this country.

This country is actively working on a visa support for remote workers.

There is currently no remote work visa available for this country.

The Latvian government has introduced a digital nomad visa that allows internationals to stay in Latvia for up to one year, with the possibility of renewal for another year, while working remotely. This visa aims to promote immigration of qualified individuals who can contribute to Latvia's business industry and economic sector. Authorities believe it will also boost the tourism sector by attracting remote workers. Although not available yet, the digital nomad visa is undergoing final approvals and changes before being officially launched for digital nomads. Updates on requirements and availability will be provided once finalized.

Visa length

Visa cost

Earning requirements

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To the best of my knowledge this information was correct as of October 2024. If you notice something has changed drop me a message and I'll update it!

‍Citizen Remote is a great source of up to date knowledge for everything to do with remote work visas.

Safety

Off work

Explore the Old Town

The main draw to the city. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a labyrinth of cobblestone streets and medieval architecture, featuring Gothic spires, vibrant facades, and charming squares. it get's particularly busy over the weekends and is the home to much of the areas nightlife.

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Day trip to Jurmala

Only a 30 minute train away from the centre of Riga, Jurmala is famed for its long sand beaches, tranquil pine forests, and charming wooden architecture. If you are a cyclist, there is a great path taking you directly there from the city.

Get lunch at the Central Market

Housed in five colossal former Zeppelin hangars, the market's diverse stalls showcase the essence of Latvian culture and culinary traditions. Best visited on the weekend when the stalls open early for breakfast.

Duration & season

Late August brought with it a real mix of weather, some lingering hot days from summer combined with some horrendous thunderstorms. The temperatures begin to really drop off coming into Autumn with long, cold winters ahead. I wouldn't be in a rush to head back there to experience the winters, when the accessibility to the great outdoor surroundings may be hindered.

Food & drink

Bastejkalna Park

Run

Situated in the heart of the city, this beautifully landscaped park is an ideal place for a morning run.

Cycle to Jurmala

Cycle

The cycle path out of the city centre follows the train line through dense forests to the seaside resort of Jurmala. Mainly flat and well surfaced throughout.

Coastal Cycle

Cycle

Heading north out of the city there are numerous well marked bike routes with quieter beaches than Jurmala.

People

Throughout the duration of my stay, the Old Town was a consistent hive of activity with international tourists flooding the streets over the weekends. I wouldn't expect to find many remote workers setting up permenant camp there year round but I did meet a couple of people in the coworking space I was in.

Given there close historical ties to Russia, there's been a significant influx of Russians to the city as a result of the recent turmoil.

Exercise

Bastejkalna Park

Situated in the heart of the city, this beautifully landscaped park is an ideal place for a morning run.

keyboard_arrow_down

Cycle to Jurmala

The cycle path out of the city centre follows the train line through dense forests to the seaside resort of Jurmala. Mainly flat and well surfaced throughout.

keyboard_arrow_down

Coastal Cycle

Heading north out of the city there are numerous well marked bike routes with quieter beaches than Jurmala.

keyboard_arrow_down

Bastejkalna Park

Situated in the heart of the city, this beautifully landscaped park is an ideal place for a morning run.

Cycle to Jurmala

The cycle path out of the city centre follows the train line through dense forests to the seaside resort of Jurmala. Mainly flat and well surfaced throughout.

Coastal Cycle

Heading north out of the city there are numerous well marked bike routes with quieter beaches than Jurmala.

Verdict

Positives

A small and manageable city.You'll feel like you know it like the back of your hand within a week.
Surprisingly warm weather in summer.Whilst not a stereotypical summer destination, there's sufficient heat to head to the beach.
Good value for money.Still cheaper than other major European capitals.
Visible tech scene.Latvia like the rest of the Baltics, Riga has a vibrant tech scene making it a suitable place for networking.

Negatives

Not very exciting.It doesn't feel like there's an awful lot going on, even in the centre of the city. If you are looking for a bustling working environment, I would look elsewhere.
There seems to be a severe alcohol problem in the city.I can't remember visiting somewhere with so many heavily inebriated people visible on the streets. All of them harmless but by no means a beneficial addition.
Long, cold winters.Whilst the Baltics capitals can make for a great winter city break, I'd have little interest in spending a prolonged period working there throughout the winter months.

Tips

I would consider visitng as part of a wider tour of the Baltic cities. I was quite happy to to depart after 2 weeks which felt like more than enough time. Travel between Riga, Vilnius and Tallin is relatively easy and inexpensive.
Download Bolt before arriving.Taxi's are relatively inexpensive to the city centre from the airport.

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Better known for tacos rather than kimonos.

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