Live Like a Local: walking in Lativan capital Riga

Portmarnock native Cian Guckian highlights some of Riga’s main attractions

Saturday Morning Walk the cobbled streets and see some famous landmarks like the Freedom Monument. Take a selfie at the House of Blackheads (above) at Town Hall Square. Be awed by the beautiful art nouveau quarter, a short hop from Old Town. Visit the colourful central market, in converted German Zeppelin hangers from the 1930s. Saturday Afternoon The Lido Recreation Centre and restaurant on Krasta iela is a Riga institution. It has a super menu of delicious local Latvian delicacies and an impressive beer cellar.

For an authentic sauna (pirts) ritual, a trip to one of Riga's oldest is highly recommended. You can relax and recharge in soothing surroundings at Balta Pirts on Tallinas iela 71. It costs €13 for adults before 4pm and €15 after 4pm. Saturday Night Try the Latvian speciality cocktail the Black Balsam at Black Magic Bar on Kalku iela 10 Biblioteka No 1 restaurant and the Vincent's restaurant on Elizabetes iela 19 are popular eateries. Finish the night at the Skyline Bar at the Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija on Elizabetes iela 55.

Sunday Morning Take a boat trip on the Daugava River. Visit Riga Castle. Cian Guckian is from Portmarnock in Co Dublin and moved to Latvia to be with his partner. He now calls Riga home.

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