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At a time when overtourism is causing much of Europe to reduce visitors, it may come as a surprise that one country actually wants more tourists rather than pushing them away.
While certain hotspots in places like Spain and the Netherlands claim they have stamped too many passports – or are simply becoming more choosy about the types of travelers heading to their beloved home cities – one of the region’s emerging cities is taking the opposite approach.
There are already countless gateways to Europe from the US, whether they are household names like Paris, where booking a flight is essentially ‘click ‘n go’, or even lesser-known beauties like Belgrade and Serbia.
But the city we’re talking about has lofty dreams – not just to attract more travelers, but also more airlines and flights.
It’s a bold ambition, but this corner of the continent is home to some of Europe’s best-kept secrets and rising stars, and this trendy city believes it has what it takes to become the continent’s next big travel hub.
Will Riga ever become a household name?
Latvia might not normally be on your bingo card, but this Baltic capital has been on the rise for years and has even been dubbed the “Paris” of the region.
Full of art nouveau wonders and terraces galore, if you squint you can see it.
To be honest, in my experience the locals were a bit brash, which is something Parisians have long been known for as well – and which may have something to do with Latvia’s dating crisis that has been making waves lately.
Despite the unfriendliness of navigation, I must say that Riga is a truly wonderful city.
It was the place where surprised me the most of the 9 countries I had the pleasure of exploring it last year, and what’s more, it’s super safe!
Whether it’s digital nomads taking advantage of an affordable cost of living or travelers like me who prefer to bypass the norm in favor of the lesser known, Riga ticks both boxes seamlessly.
Although I have visited in the middle of the holidays, when the Christmas spirit is practically palpable and permeates the air.
They have some of the best Christmas markets I’ve ever been to – and I’ve been to some stunners in Munich and Vienna.
But the truth is, Riga can be a year-round destination because travelers can justify braving the bitter cold at Riga’s Old World-style Christmas markets, where vendors are wrapped in oxblood cloaks and feel like you’ve turned back the clock to the medieval era without going faint.
Come late spring and summer, it’s also a beautiful beach destination with nearby coastal paradises Jurmala only half an hour’s drive.
The problem is accessibility.
Americans will have to make a stopover no matter how they get here, but Riga is hoping to lure more travelers with new flights and more connections, as arguably no European destination ranks higher in the travel rankings than the Baltics.
Riga is ready to be the main gateway for the Baltic states
Who here thinks Ryanair has the best social media feed of any airline?
Can’t just be myself…
If you’ve been following Europe’s most popular airline, which does fly to Riga (RIX), you may have heard their controversial CEO complaining about the high cost of taxes at certain airports such as the UK and Austria.
As we all know, everyone likes something special. That’s the tactic Riga is using to get the attention of airlines.
When I visited Riga I had to fly to Helsinki and work my way down via Estonia.
In fact, Americans can’t fly directly to any of the Baltic states: Latvia, Estonia or Lithuania, making the trip seem further away than it really is.
RIX offers an attractive incentive program to become the main hub of the Baltic Sea – and not just to solve the aforementioned singles conundrum.
Sorry ladies, I’m busy…
Riga really wants to welcome tourists with open arms, so that you can discover across the board what a magical city it is, where many attractions make you say: “wait, this is in Riga?!”.
Riga’s top attraction: Europe’s largest market
If Riga has one must-visit (assuming you’re not there during Christmas), it’s undoubtedly the Riga Central Market.
This maze of vendors, both indoors and out, has everything worth seeing under the sun, from fresh seafood, imported cheeses, and of course, Latvian staples you’ve probably never heard of, even for seasoned travelers like me.
It is the largest market in Europe and covers a series of huge old hangars where local life, bold flavors and the character of the city all come together under one roof.
I was only in Riga for a short time, but made time to go back every day for cheap food, drinks and snacks for the next destination.
