The setting for Riga really has to be seen to be believed. Here, the architecture is so beautiful it dazzles and the river is the deepest shade of blue. Sitting on the glorious south coast of the Gulf of Riga, at the mouth of the Daugava, the blissful river views are accompanied by a jigsaw puzzle of Hansel and Gretel houses, with its swathe of Mr Kipling iced roofs and yellow frescos.  

The sacred buildings are dotted along the narrow cobbled streets and around the quaint squares. Beneath the classical roofs lies the distinctive style of the Art Nouveau which makes this city an architectural pearl. In the hustle of modern Riga, where properties boom with the speed of the economy, Riga’s past continues to keep its hold.

Perhaps nowhere else in Europe offers the opportunity to investigate the ravages and changes of European history at such an intimate level. Riga has been ruled by the Poles, Germans and Swedes, and with such stunning Art Deco architecture, a vibrant night life and varied restaurants, the Soviet gloom has been replaced with Baltic optimism. 

Prepare to fall in love with this post-Soviet city with our 3 Nights break from only £149 pp!