ALTERNATIVE RIGA FREE TOUR
The real Riga uncovered on an alternative look at the city
Daily 12:00
Meeting point: Entrance to St Peter's Church. Ends close to start point
2 hour 30 mins duration.
The Alternative Riga Free Tour shows you the Riga Central Market & Moscow District. This tour is the longest running daily Free Tour in Riga and is perfect for those who want to see more than just the touristy Old Town and get a better understanding of daily life in the city. This is a great chance to have access to an alternative guided tour with a more contemporary / general overview of Riga past and present. The alternative tour has proven to be popular amongst guests who have a deeper interest in exploring Riga away from the regular hot spots.
What will I see on the Alternative Riga Free Tour?
We will visit the Central Market of Riga, home to huge pavilions made from reused Zeppelin hangars. Today this area stands as one of the largest covered, permanent markets in Europe. The Warehouse district with its rich history of trade, Moscow district and wooden houses that date back to the 1800s, The Jesus Church, one of the largest wooden churches in Latvia and The Science Academy (Stalin's Birthday cake). We will also learn about the holocaust in Latvia and Riga with a visit to the Great Choral Synagogue site and Žanis Lipke monument as well as inner Central Riga. This is a great way to explore more than what most visitors will see and to learn about Riga along the way! Join us daily at 12:00 for this legendary route. Your guide will be on hand to answer questions concerning Riga's past, future and present!
Discover the alternative side of the city and step outside the bubble.
For sure Old Riga has a lot of charm, but exploring alternative areas outside of the touristy center is also a great way to find out more about the city! With so many different districts around Riga, it makes sense to explore what the city has on offer.
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The Free Tour starts at 12:00 from the entrance to St Peter's Church. Ends close to Freedom monument.
2 hours 30 mins duration.
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If you wish to join the 12:00 Market and Moscow district straight after the 10:00 Old Town tour it is possible as the end point and start point are designed to allow this :)
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All of our tours would be nothing without you the guests and we want to thank all of you who have made this tour possible over the years. We aim to constantly improve and develop our existing routes so if any of you wish to comment or give suggestions please do get in touch.
The Alternative tour is one of our longest routes, we advise participants to choose the Old Riga tour if they have walking difficulties.
During the Alternative Riga tour we will pass inside of the Riga Central Market but this is not a food tasting tour nor do we stay for lunch during the tour.
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Due to the distance covered on the tour we advise participants to use a toilet before the start and if needed during the tour; there are facilities at the Central Market so just let your guide know if you get caught short!
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Good shoes and an open mind are needed to make the most out of this tour. We are certain that these areas we cover are not for everyone, if you are in doubt then probably you should join the Old Riga free tour as on this tour we cover a more classical route and area.
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The aim of this tour we developed was really to show some sense of reality in the city. See you soon!
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