http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32215 other technologies - buildings, squares, monuments, streets are live and talking through
technologies and creativity.
"Beaming Riga 2011” will take place in the city on 17th – 20st of November in urban
environment. Some more dark autumns evenings transformed into the urban fairy tale by
arts.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32215 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32214 they are doing it to “knock the mind out of the comfortable and dull "reality" to remind
you of an alternative”.
Sound Forest 2011 will be in Riga on 16th – 17th of September.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32214 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32213 Malaysia, „disguising, wrapping and winding the Oriental essence, applying codes and masks as the sign of the festival this year”.
Arsenals is an event that takes over Riga in autumn since 1986 showing the most vivid
international cinema events and the latest and most interesting Baltic films. Several cinema-related events and works of art are also coming out to the streets and screenings of classical silent films accompanied by live music performed by professional musicians is a great tradition of this festival.

Since 1998 Baltic Film Competition is a special section of Arsenals and screens
films produced in the Baltic region in the last two years. Tihs is the film festival
which demonstrates and rewards the latest and best Baltic feature films, short films,
documentaries and animated films.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32213 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32212 movement and other art projects and performances. Every year White Night is organized all over the city at the end of August/beginning of September. ‘White Night 2011’ will be here on 10th of September. More than 65 art, music, theater, survival, performance
events in former factory VEF, Spikeri, Miera street, Old Town, and the centre of Riga
and in suburbs. Enjoy the beauty of arts all night long for free, heading form one place to
another! White Night forum is organized by Riga City Council Department of Culture in
cooperation with the active Latvian cultural organizations, involving a number of Latvian
and foreign artists. The city’s cafes, galleries, bookstores, clubs and other establishments
take an active part in the forum.
„White Night” is part of the joint “European White Nights” project by Brussels, Madrid,
Paris, Riga and Rome. This idea is also adopted by Amsterdam, Bucharest, Porto and
Valletta (Malta), as well as Toronto, Tokyo, Montreal, Chicago and other cities.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32212 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32011 Museum of the Occupation of Latvia housed in a black communist-era building -
.detailing events of Latvia's recent history, from the World War II occupations to the
events of independence in 1991, the museum is definitely worth a visit, in order to
gain a clearer understanding of Latvia.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32011 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32010
A German merchant club the Brotherhood of Blackheads existed here until the middle
of the 20th century. On the top of the building you see a blue astronomical clock and inside the
building in the basement there is an exhibition about the history of the building. Its rooms and halls are rich with golden decorations, 19th century furnishings, paintings, the Latvian State highest award - the Three Star Order
- and the medal collection. Rooms of the building are also rented for cultural and private
events/celebrations, different concerts and exhibitions.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32010 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32009 as you walk through The Old Town. And you don’t want to miss it because it’s what you see on postcards from Riga. You need to take your own picture at this place.
With stalls, workshops and various feasts The Town Hall Square used to be the centre of public life during The Middle Ages. Historians believe it
was originally a market place, but after expansion of the city in 1211 the Town Hall square was formed here. Punishments were executed and pageants used to be arranged here
as well. During World War II the luxurious development of the square was completely destroyed. Thanks to grand reconstruction works in this century the main buildings - the Town Hall and Blackheads House - have been restored.

Today at the Town Hall Square you will find a renovated House of Blackheads, souvenir shops, City Hall and the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia. In the centre of the square you can see a figure of Roland which is a symbol of judicial
power, freedom and independence of many European cities.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32009 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31834 The observation deck is the highest publicly accessible viewing point in Riga. From there you can easily see the city and in the right weather conditions you can see the Riga HES at Salaspils and the highest points of Sigulda (around 50km away from Riga), as well as the Gulf of Riga and ships in the gulf. Not many visitors, welcoming service staff.
You can book an excursion there (around 45min) or just go there and enjoy the view. For detailed information (mission, history, services, technical information etc) check their website. To get there you will have to take a trolley bus number 19 or 24 (at the city center) to the “Zaķusala” stop, which is located on the Salu Bridge. The tower is a 20 minutes walk from the bus stop. It is also possible to park buses and private cars at the tower car park.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31834 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31833 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31833 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31832 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31832 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31831 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31831 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31722 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31722 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31721 their wallet empty because of it, there is affordable vegetarian food at Indian bistro Rāma. The whole place where you will find Rāma is called the Hare Krishna centre – there is an
Indian shop in cellar with incense sticks, cosmetics, food, pictures of deities, jewelry
etc. There is also vedic yoga centre, the girls working there are wearing saris and the
place is filled with Indian chants. The vegetarian food is light and tasty – rice, cutlets, salad, buns, snacks, vegetarian pizza, lassi, fresh juice
and a big variety of teas with a special accent on yoga teas. Happy hour if from 18.30 – 19.30 during which time you get hot dishes with a 25% discount and if buying yoga tea you can get any of their Eastern sweets for free.
Even without these discounts you will pay around 2 -3Ls (£2.50-£3.50) for a good meal. Sounds good, no? This place invites you to get your inner balance while eating.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31721 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31720 people returning home from a night in the Old Town – one of their bistros at the
Old Town works till 4am!
Here you can get two types of cold dishes, two types of soup and six types of dumplings (‘pelmeņi’ is Latvian word for dumplings) - with different types of meat, with cheese and vegetables. For 1-3Ls (£1.20-£3.50) you get an entire meal, and then you're ready to enjoy the city. One of XL Pelmeņi bistros is located right in the heart of the Old Town, another one at the shopping centre 'Galerija Centrs' and another at
shopping centre 'Origo' (Central Train Station). Oh, and they have even happy hours
there: at the shopping centres from 2pm – 10pm, but at the heart of the Old Town (Kaļķu
Street 7) 12pm – 4am(!), that’s when you can get all kinds of dumplings and salads for just for 0.69Ls (£0.85).]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31720 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31685 If the shop already takes you into a little dream world where everything around you is a piece of art then the restaurant Istabas Bufete on the first floor allows you to dwell longer in this little La Boheme world. I think the best thing to order here is a glass of wine, although the food here is prepared by one of Latvia’s most popular local chefs Mārtiņš Sirmais. Here is just a small daily menu and if you want to eat something the chef himself will come and consult you what to order. That’s also the reason why it’s not possible to know how much money you have to take with you. You can get soup, fish, meat and vegetables for around 3 – 8Ls (£4-10) not the cheapest place, but the food there is always fresh, ecological and high quality – these are the values of the chef.
People admire or hate this place. Some of them go away from there totally unsatisfied with the service – no menu, no big choice, just what the chef offers, but mainly people leave with smiling faces and always return there to enjoy its atmosphere and celebrate life with a glass of wine and intellectual talks for hours.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31685 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31637 "Magic Sand" is an international festival. In Riga you will see artwork by 12 professional world class sand masters. Sand sculpture park also offers to make your own sand sculpture (for additional fee), "Game Station" for children, workshops, early morning yoga classes and more. The view to Riga from there is wonderful – water, towers of the Old Town, bridges; and the atmosphere - meditative and peaceful. Artists working, and kids playing in a big sandbox. I also enjoyed playing with the sand!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31637 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31513 The buildings here, today used as market pavilions, were initially built as hangars for the German army’s zeppelins. Now next to the imported food you will find here delicious, fresh, ecological food from the countryside of Latvia, and it’s cheaper than in any shop. The meat pavilion, grocery, green grocery and fish pavilions, the open air market area. And there are a lot of opportunities to taste the food before buying it! If you look at clothes/shoes – it’s a ‘Made in China’ paradise, but between that you can also find high quality stuff. It is the second biggest market–place in Europe.
On my free weekends I take my shopping bag and go to the Central Market to get the best (fresh and cheap) food in the city. It’s not only a market-place, but it also holds cultural events and shows a little different face of Riga than you will see in The Old Town.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31513 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31512 42 meter high monument helps people orient themselves.
On the left side of the monument stands The National Opera House with it’s garden, on the right side is Bastion Hill and in front of it lies the Old Town. All roads in Riga eventually lead to it – the highest freedom monument in Europe.
It is dedicated to 'Fatherland and Freedom' and is topped by a Liberty Statue - a woman with three stars symbolizing regional parts of Latvia:
Kurzeme, Vidzeme and Latgale. At the base of the monument are several sculptural groups symbolizing different values - Labor, Strength of the Nation, Spiritual Strength, Freedom, Family. On the lowest block you can read historical events showed by the help of sculptures. The Monument was created by Kārlis Zāle (1888-
1942), a well-known Latvian sculptor and erected in 1935 during the first period of Latvian independence between 1918 and 1940.

Nowadays everyone is free to place flowers there and people really do it, but during the Soviet era, a running joke, not completely untrue, was that the monument was a travel agency, because anyone who dared to place flowers at its base got a free one- way ticket to Siberia ... The occupation authorities did not remove the monument fearing protests, but there was an unwritten law not to film and take pictures of the
monument. This is the monument Latvians really respect and take care of and now it is as important as it was during the time Latvians didn’t know the freedom.

Nowadays you will find there different cultural events, national holidays, song and dance
festivals celebrated near the monument. Sometimes you will see here a brass orchestra
playing, you will hear the National Anthem or folk songs, you will hear the heads of
the country with their speeches during national celebrations talking to people at this place. On a daytime there are also guards standing at the monument. If you want to see the changing of the guard come at 10am or 5pm. Every morning there are people watching them coming and taking pictures of this small performance.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31512 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31511 on almost every postcard from Riga. There is a Christmas tree made from pieces of mirror (because Riga is the birthplace of the tradition to decorate a tree on Christmas), Souvenier shop with a big black cat next to it called 'Riga Cat' and then there is cafe 'Egle' – open air leisure venue with live music every evening from 8PM. Traditional music, classical rock songs, jazz, popular Latvian rock and pop bands – all kinds of music.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31511 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31510 rock, jazz, sometimes country. And this is the place which with it’s music quite often makes people to move from their chairs and dance. Also the prices here are really reasonable. Sometimes it’s too crowded to find a place to enjoy the music there which is its only downside really.
It’s a perfect place for your evening – right in the heart not only of Riga, but also of the Old Town. For me this is the place to come at the end of working day, this is the place to meet friends and really forget all your problems.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31510