Stuart Forster discusses Latvia travel photography and food images while underway in Riga, the Latvian capital.
If you enjoy travelling to Christmas markets and eating good food, Riga, the capital city of Latvia, is a place to consider visiting. During 2018 Latvia commemorated a century since the country’s independence.
Disclosure: Stuart visited Latvia as part of a group familiarisation tour organised by the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia.
Food and travel photography
A century you may wonder? During World War Two Latvia became part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics but independence was restored in the early 1990s. Despite having been an independent nation for a generation, Latvia still has the feel of a place that’s largely unexplored by Western tourists.
Night view of the illuminated arch at the Christmas market by the Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral of Riga, Latvia.
Bars, cafés and restaurants in Riga
The city has a positive buzz and hosts a number of chic bars and boutiques. Modernists (Krišjāņa Barona iela 31) combines being a design store and a place to meet and enjoy a glass of Champagne. The Rocket Bean Roastery (Miera iela 29/31), meanwhile, is a laid-back café and coffee roaster that imports its beans from Central America.
Slow-cooked pork belly garnished with edible flowers served with seasonal vegetables at a restaurant in Riga, Latvia.
In terms of the quality of its food and culinary presentation, Mute (Tērbatas iela 63) has a lot to shout about (see what I did there?). The team from Mute’s kitchen are shown on the photo I’ve selected as the header for this post.
Lamb burger served within a black bread bun with a slice of French cheese at a restaurant in Riga, Latvia.
One of my favourite meals of the trip was at the subtly illuminated restaurant Garage (Elizabetes iela 83/85), after an evening at Riga’s opera house, the grand Latvian National Opera.
Duck breast served with seasonal vegetable served in Riga, Latvia.
Latvia travel photography
To taste traditional Latvian cuisine, we headed to Niklavs (Mārstaļu iela 1), in the city centre, and Lido, within Europe’s largest wooden building.
Layered honey cake served with fresh fruit, an example of Latvia travel photography and food images captured by Stuart Forster of Why Eye Photography.
From the perspective of a visiting travel and food photographer, it was great to be able to access high-speed Wi-Fi in cafés, bars and restaurants. That meant I was quickly able to upload and share posts to Instagram and Twitter.
Smiling female staff at Modernists, a concept store combining a Champagne bar and store plus designer furniture in Riga, Latvia.
Getting around in Riga
The centre of Riga is fairly compact, meaning that it’s relatively easy to get about on foot between places of interest. If you’re heading further afield then the trams of the public transport system are easy to navigate and, of course, you could always book a taxi if you want to reach an outlying area.
The Nativity of Christ Cathedral (Kristus Piedzimsanas pareizticīgo katedrale), a Neo-Byzantine Russian Orthodox church seen under a blue sky in Riga, Latvia.
You can see more of Stuart Forster’s photography from Latvia illustrating a post about things to do in Latgale, a region in eastern Latvia. On the same website, you can also find a couple of posts from the town of Sigulda, which is approximately an hour from Riga and a good place to head if you enjoy visiting castles, walking and adventure sports.
Woman wearing a hat while selling cakes at a Christmas market in Riga, Latvia.
Riga proved a good destination to explore with a camera.
Flaking green paint on the door of a wooden house in Riga, an example of Latvia travel photography.
Further information
Take a look at the Latvia website for ideas about things to do and see in the Baltic nation.
An Art Nouveau staircase in Riga. The Latvian capital has a high concentration of Art Nouveau buildings from the early 20th century.
The Live Riga website has information about things to do and see in the Latvian capital.
A woman photographs the snow falling on a city centre street at night in Riga, Latvia.
Regent Holidays (020 7666 1244) offer a three-night stay at the Radisson Radzine in the city centre of Riga, Latvia, from £395 per person. The price is based on two sharing on a bed and breakfast basis and includes return flights and transfers.
Rainis monument, in memory of Jānis Pliekšāns (1865 – 1929), Latvian poet and playwright, under a blue sky in Riga, Latvia.
How to get to Latvia
Air Baltic flies from London’s Gatwick Airport to Riga International Airport. The duration of the flight is two hours and 40 minutes.
The Saint Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Church in Riga.
Enjoy this post on Latvia travel photography? See more of Stuart’s work in this post about photography of Kynren at Bishop Auckland.
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