Riga — Latvia's capital and the largest city in the Baltics — stands out with its Hanseatic Old Town, one of Europe's richest collections of Art Nouveau architecture and a buzzing Central Market. With a direct flight from Tbilisi, Riga is a great pick for anyone who wants a European city atmosphere without the crush of mass tourism. Here's how to get there and what to see.
✈️ Flights from Tbilisi
- airBaltic: TBS → RIX direct, about 3 h 30 min
- Ticket price: $220-400 round trip, depending on the season
- Riga International (RIX) — 10 km from the center, ~$2 by Bus 22 — details in our RIX to city center guide
- Alternative: a connection via Warsaw or Istanbul — sometimes cheaper
- Travel365's price calendar — find the cheapest dates
🛂 Visa and entry
Latvia is in the Schengen area, but Georgian citizens enter visa-free with a biometric passport — up to 90 days within any 180. Check your passport validity before flying: at least 3 months must remain past your return date.
From the second half of 2026, ETIAS rolls out gradually — an online authorization for visa-free travelers. See our ETIAS guide for details.
Riga fits perfectly into a Baltic route — Tallinn is 4.5 hours away by bus, Vilnius 4 hours. Seeing all three capitals in one trip is realistic.
🏛️ Top attractions
- Vecrīga (Old Town): a UNESCO World Heritage site — narrow lanes and Hanseatic houses
- House of the Blackheads: Riga's calling card on the Town Hall Square
- St. Peter's Church tower: the best panorama of the city from 72 meters
- The Art Nouveau quarter (Alberta iela): Mikhail Eisenstein's famous façades
- Central Market: Europe's largest market, housed in Zeppelin hangars
- The Freedom Monument and Bastion Hill — the city's main meeting point
- Day trip: the resort of Jūrmala — half an hour by train
💰 Budget
- Hotel: 3★ $75-130/night || 4★ $130-200/night
- Food: a local bistro $10-20; dinner at a restaurant $25-45
- Transport: a single E-Ticket ~$1.30 (€1.15); Riga Card 24h ~$5
- St. Peter's tower: ~$13; most museums $4-9
- Jūrmala train: ~$2 each way
🗓️ Best season and practical tips
The best season is May-September — long days and warm weather (+18-25°C). In December the Old Town comes alive with a Christmas market, while deep winter is cold and dark. Prices drop noticeably in spring and autumn — see our shoulder-season guide.
For internet, get an eSIM in advance. If the Baltics and Scandinavia tempt you, Riga is often compared with Stockholm — seeing both in one route works well too. Plan your flights on Travel365's price calendar.
Have Sunday breakfast at the Central Market with the locals — smoked fish and rye-bread sandwiches cost a third of restaurant prices.
Tags
