Tips for Riga and Latvia

Three days is just enough to fall for Riga. The centre is compact, walkable and easy on the budget, so a long weekend can take in the Old Town, the world's finest Art Nouveau, a huge market, the best viewpoint in the city and even a day at the sea. Here is how we would spend 72 hours, the same route we point our own guests towards.

Arriving in a new city is exciting and a little overwhelming. This guide walks you through the practical steps for your first week in Riga, so you can settle in fast and get back to enjoying your semester.

Riga packs a lot into a walkable centre. From the medieval Old Town to one of the world's greatest collections of Art Nouveau architecture, here is what to see, all reachable on foot from our residences.

Riga's food scene is affordable, varied and student-friendly. From specialty coffee to hearty lunch deals, here is where to eat and drink well without spending much.

Miera iela, literally 'Peace Street', is Riga's creative heart and the neighbourhood around our Miera and Stabu residences. Part tree-lined boulevard, part artists' colony, it is where students, makers and locals mix over coffee. Here is what makes it special, and why it is one of the best places in the city to live as a student.

Where you live shapes your semester. Riga is compact and walkable, but each district has its own character, and the right one for you depends on whether you want nightlife on your doorstep, calm leafy streets, or to be a step from campus. Here are the five areas that matter most for students, what each is really like, and where our residences fit in.