Car rental Riga - from 8€/day

Riga is Latvia's capital and home to one-third of the country's population. Riga is Latvia's primate city, being substantially bigger than the country's other cities. It is also the largest city in the three Baltic nations, with one-tenth of the total population of the three Baltic states. The city is located on the Gulf of Riga, near the mouth of the Daugava River, which flows into the Baltic Sea.

The old center of Riga is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its Art Nouveau/Jugendstil architecture and 19th century timber buildings. In 2014, Riga shared the title of European Capital of Culture with Ume, Sweden. Riga hosted the NATO Summit in 2006, the Eurovision Song Contest in 2003, the IIHF Men's World Ice Hockey Championships in 2006, the World Women's Curling Championship in 2013, and the IIHF World Championship in 2021. It serves as the headquarters for the European Union's Office of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC). It was awarded the European Region of Gastronomy in 2017.

Riga International Airport, the largest and busiest airport in the Baltic republics, serves the city. Riga is a member of Eurocities, the Union of Baltic Cities (UBC), and the Union of European Union Capitals (UCEU).

Riga One-Way Car Rentals

The following are the most common one-way rental choices for pick-up in Riga and drop-off in another city:

From Riga to Tallinn, prices start at € 24 per day.
From Riga to Vilnius, prices start at € 23 per day.
From Riga to Amsterdam, prices start at €136 per day.
From Riga to Warsaw, prices start at € 56 per day.

City facts that are useful

Riga has a humid continental climate since it is located on the Gulf of Riga (which is part of the Baltic Sea). In July, the average high temperature is 22°C (71°F), whereas in January, the average high temperature is 2°C (28°F). Every year, Riga receives a substantial amount of snow. Because to its northern latitude, the city enjoys 16-18 hours of sunshine per day during the summer; however, it only has 6-7 hours of sunlight per day during the winter.

Riga is the biggest nation in the Baltic republics and the fifth-largest city on the Baltic Sea, with a population of about 615,000 people. Its wider metropolitan region is home to an additional 450,000 people. This implies that every second Latvian resides in or around Riga, making Latvia one of Europe's most concentrated countries. Riga is split into six districts, each of which is further subdivided into 56 neighborhoods.

Best vacation spots and activities

Art Nouveau is a term used to describe a style of Art Nouveau, or Jugendstil, architecture is one of the distinguishing features of Riga's city center, with over 800 buildings in this style. Many of these are in Vecrga (the Old Town), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, although notable examples can also be seen on Alberta and Elizabetes streets, which also contain the Riga Art Nouveau Museum.

Former KGB headquarters. For decades, the building on the intersection of Stabu and Brivibas streets was the most dreaded location in Riga as the headquarters for the local branch of the Soviet State Security Agency. After Latvia recovered its independence, the building was restored and is currently home to a section of the Latvian Occupation Museum. Visitors may explore the former interrogation cellars and learn about the organization's history in Latvia.

Pārdaugava. The left bank of Riga, literally meaning "across the Daugava river," remains uncharted region for international tourists but provides much for the interested traveler to explore. The neighborhood is home to the new National Library of Latvia, some of the city's best-preserved wooden buildings, and expansive gardens and parks. The neighborhoods of genskalns and Torakalns are emerging creative, cultural, and culinary hotspots.

The Latvian National Museum of Art is located in Riga, Latvia. The National Museum of Art is one of the best museums in the country, housed in a magnificent structure in the city center in Old Town. The museum, which was recently rebuilt, includes hundreds of paintings, sculptures, and other pieces of art created by Latvian masters over the ages. The museum is immediately close to the Art Academy of Latvia, which is a functional higher education institution but regularly organizes other exhibitions and events.