Riga is the most walkable of the eastern-Baltic capital-city cruise calls. The Passenger Terminal at 3A Eksporta Street sits directly on the Daugava embankment, with the medieval Old Town visible from the cruise quay. The walk to Town Hall Square takes 10 to 15 minutes along the river, with the Riga Castle and the spire of St Peter’s Church marking the route.
Once in the Old Town, almost everything cruise passengers come to see is within a 20-minute walking radius. The Art Nouveau quarter along Alberta iela is the easiest single-day commitment beyond the Old Town; the Central Market in its repurposed Zeppelin hangars is a short walk south of the Old Town. The Latvian capital is one of the easiest in Northern Europe to enjoy without leaning on public transport.
Port Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Port Type | Dock at Riga Passenger Terminal |
| Distance to Town | Riga Passenger Terminal sits beside the Old Town; the Town Hall Square area is within a 10 to 15 minute walk along the Daugava embankment |
| Currency | Euro (EUR) |
| Language | Latvian (Russian also spoken); English widely used in the centre and at the cruise terminal |
| Best Known For | The medieval Old Town around Town Hall Square, the Art Nouveau quarter along Alberta iela (the densest Art Nouveau street in Northern Europe), Riga Central Market in five repurposed Zeppelin hangars, and one of the easiest Baltic capitals to walk in a single day. |
- Riga Passenger Terminal , 3A Eksporta Street, beside the Old Town
- House of the Black Heads , Town Hall Square landmark, museum interior
- Riga Central Market , Five repurposed Zeppelin hangars, UNESCO buffer
- Alberta iela (Art Nouveau) , Densest Art Nouveau street in Northern Europe
- St Peter's Church , Gothic tower with viewing platform
Riga Passenger Terminal, Eksporta Street · View larger map
Getting From the Port to Town
Walking: The Best Option
Free- Walk time: 10 to 15 minutes from the terminal to the Old Town
- The Riga Passenger Terminal sits on Eksporta Street, on the Daugava embankment immediately beside the Old Town. The walk to Town Hall Square and the House of the Black Heads takes 10 to 15 minutes along the river. The Art Nouveau quarter is a short walk north of the Old Town, past the Freedom Monument and the canal that rings the medieval core.
Local Bus
EUR 1.50 single (90-min e-ticket), EUR 5.00 day pass- Riga's tram, trolleybus and bus network is run by Rīgas Satiksme. A single 90-minute e-ticket costs EUR 1.50, bought from machines or kiosks; a 24-hour pass is EUR 5.00. For most cruise passengers the walking distance from the terminal to the Old Town is short enough that public transport is only needed for outlying museums or the Jurmala train.
Taxi
Around EUR 5 to EUR 10 inside the city- Taxis queue at the cruise terminal during ship calls. Inside Riga's central districts fares are low compared with Western Europe, though it is sensible to confirm the price before you set off. The Bolt rideshare app is widely used by locals and is straightforward if you have data.
Top Excursions
Deluxe Riga Tour from Cruise Port
Dear cruisers docking in Riga! If you’re eager to immerse yourself in the rich history and enchanting beauty of the city on your first visit, join us for an exceptional shore excursion designed to captivate and delight. Experience the historic charm of Riga’s Old Town, admire the city’s remarkable A
Book This ExcursionRiga Shore Excursion
Is your cruise ship stopping in Riga? Excellent! You have a chance to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site – Riga historical center! We will go on a walking tour of Riga Old Town where you will hear many legends and fun stories of our city. Apart from the Old Town, you will also get to visit Centr
Book This ExcursionSigulda – Latvia's Switzerland and Gauja National Park Tour
If the travelers would like to have quick look to countryside, forests, cultural heritage of Latvia not only the capital city Riga and Jurmala beach, than this excursion is must. Diversity of tourist attractions in Sigulda town and Gauja River national park will pretty surprise and legends will disc
Book This ExcursionPrivate Soviet Riga tour
This Soviet Riga tour provides a compelling view of life under occupation, grounded in the memories of those who lived it. Our local guides use significant city centre landmarks, such as the imposing Latvian Riflemen Monument and the notorious KGB "Corner House," to share personal accounts and human
Book This ExcursionMore Experiences in Riga
Riga Sightseeing Tour for First Time Visitors
A simple, but must excursion to create a first impression of Riga and to orient travelers. The main highlights of Riga in short time sightseeing combined driving and walking tours. It will be useful after excursion as well to know more what and where to eat, where to go, which museums to visit or ho
Tour from Riga to Vilnius: Bauska Castle, Rundale Palace and The Hill of Crosses
One of the best choice for those who want to save time, money and have full of impressions sightseeing tour – excursion from Riga to Vilnius. Highlights of the tour are Rundale palace, Bauska Castle and The Hill of Crosses.
Riga’s Old Town: An Audio Tour by a Professional Latvian Guide
Join me on a self-guided tour through Riga's Old Town, uncovering the essence of Latvian identity. I’m Emīls, your guide through the heart of Riga's Old Town. On this tour, I’ll weave exciting stories from our history and share some Latvian legends. Instead of dry facts and figures, prepare to be en
Riga Highlights Private Walking Tour
This is the perfect introductory tour to Riga and Latvia! We’ll explore the oldest part of the city — Riga Old Town — discover who Latvians really are, share personal family stories, and talk about life in Latvia today.
The best excursions in Riga fill up ahead of peak sailings. Compare options and book before you leave port.
Things to Do in Riga
A focused day in Riga splits naturally between the medieval Old Town and the Art Nouveau quarter to the north. Most cruise passengers can comfortably cover both in a single port day, with the Central Market thrown in if the call is long enough.
Everything in the Old Town is walking distance from Town Hall Square. The Art Nouveau quarter is a short walk north on foot, past the Freedom Monument and the city canal. The market is a short walk south of the Old Town beside the central railway station.
- House of the Black Heads. The reconstructed 14th-century guild house on Town Hall Square is the photogenic centrepiece of Riga’s Old Town. Adult entry is EUR 10 and gives access to the restored interior. Open daily 10:00 to 17:00. The exterior is free to admire.
- Museum of the Occupation of Latvia. Opposite the House of the Black Heads on Town Hall Square, this is the essential introduction to Latvia’s 20th-century history under Nazi and Soviet occupation. Free entry; open Monday to Wednesday plus Friday to Sunday 10:00 to 18:00, Thursday 10:00 to 19:00.
- Latvian National Museum of Art. The country’s main national art collection sits in a restored Belle Époque building in the embassy quarter, a short walk from the Old Town. Adult entry for the permanent exhibitions is EUR 7. Closed Mondays.
- St Peter’s Church and the viewing tower. The Gothic St Peter’s Church on Skārņu iela has a viewing platform on the spire (lift access) with the best elevated view of the Old Town. Church open daily 10:00 to 18:00 (Friday and Saturday to 22:00). Worth the climb early to beat the cruise-day queue.
- Riga Central Market. Five repurposed Zeppelin hangars from the 1920s, listed as part of the UNESCO buffer zone, hold one of the largest covered markets in Europe. Free entry; pavilions open 07:30 to 18:00 (closed first Monday of the month for cleaning). The fish, dairy and meat halls are each worth ten minutes.
The walk from the Riga Passenger Terminal to Town Hall Square takes 10 to 15 minutes along the Daugava embankment, with Riga Castle on one side and the river on the other. It is one of the most pleasant cruise-port arrivals on a Baltic itinerary, and a public bus is unnecessary unless mobility is an issue.
Best Restaurants in Riga
Ratings from TripAdvisor, verified July 2026.
Neiburgs Restaurant
The Neiburgs Restaurant, housed in a historical Art Nouveau building, is popular among visitors and locals who love a good dinner out. Its success is based on the combination of historical and stylish elements in the restaurant’s décor and delicious menu. The interior features lo
#33 of 1,255 Places to Eat in Riga
View on TripAdvisorLe Dome Restaurant
Discover fine dining cuisine with French accents at LeDome Restaurant, located in Riga Old Town. A true gastronomic journey awaits you. All dishes receive the same care and attention to create the finest culinary experience. Restaurant Chef Rihards Veide philosophy is to retain t
#29 of 1,255 Places to Eat in Riga
View on TripAdvisorGutenbergs Terase Restaurant
A locally-rated latvian, central european restaurant in the area, popular with both locals and visitors.
#39 of 1,255 Places to Eat in Riga
View on TripAdvisorRatings & reviews powered by TripAdvisor
Getting Around
The reconstructed 14th-century House of the Black Heads on Town Hall Square is open daily 10:00 to 17:00, EUR 10 adult for the interior. The exterior is the most photographed building in the Old Town. The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia is opposite, free entry, also a worthwhile half-hour.
Essential Travel Tips
The Art Nouveau quarter is concentrated along Alberta iela and the surrounding streets north of the Old Town, with façades by Mikhail Eisenstein and Konstantīns Pēkšēns. The Art Nouveau Museum at Alberta iela 12 holds a preserved interior, but most of the experience is exterior on the streets themselves. Allow about an hour to walk the cluster.
The seaside resort of Jurmala (Majori station) is about 30 minutes from Riga Central Station by Vivi electric train, single fare around EUR 1.50. The wooden architecture and the long beach work as a relaxed half-day if you have done Riga before. Trains run hourly through the summer.
Getting ashore is only half the day in Riga: it is the return leg, and the all-aboard time, that catches first-timers out. A short packing list of layers, water and comfortable shoes covers most of what changes through a port day.
Deciding between a shore excursion and independent travel in Riga comes down to two things: how much you trust the local logistics, and how forgiving the return is if something runs late. First-time cruisers usually overestimate the difficulty of independent travel in compact ports and underestimate it in spread-out ones.
Before booking a Riga excursion, work out what the ship’s price actually buys you: transport, guide, entry, time. If you can replicate most of those yourself, your onboard spending budget keeps its room for a good meal or a souvenir at the end of the day.
Timing a cruise that visits Riga well comes down to two practical levers: when you book (which affects both price and cabin choice) and how your passport sits against the destination’s entry rules. Both are worth checking before you commit to a sailing.
Frequently Asked Questions
At the Riga Passenger Terminal at 3A Eksporta Street, on the Daugava embankment immediately beside the Old Town. Operated by the Freeport of Riga. The walk to Town Hall Square takes 10 to 15 minutes along the river.
Yes, easily. The Riga Passenger Terminal is directly beside the Old Town, with Town Hall Square and the House of the Black Heads within a 10 to 15 minute walk along the Daugava embankment. The Art Nouveau quarter is a short walk north of the Old Town. Public transport is only needed for outlying museums or the Jurmala beach train.
A combined Old Town and Art Nouveau day works best for first-time visitors. The Old Town centres on Town Hall Square, with the House of the Black Heads, the Museum of the Occupation and St Peter’s Church viewing tower within a few minutes’ walk. The Art Nouveau quarter on Alberta iela is a short walk north. Riga Central Market is south of the Old Town, beside the railway station.
Yes. The seaside resort of Jurmala is about 30 minutes from Riga Central Station by Vivi electric train, with a single fare around EUR 1.50 and trains running hourly through the summer. Jurmala works as a relaxed half-day, but requires the cruise call to be long enough to give you four to five hours away from the ship including travel.
Euro (EUR). Latvia joined the eurozone in 2014 and is in both the EU and the Schengen Area. Card payment is accepted almost everywhere, including small purchases at the Central Market.
Yes, especially among under-50s in the central tourist districts and at the cruise terminal. Russian is also widely understood. Almost no cruise passenger encounters a language barrier in central Riga.
Ready to Explore Riga?
Riga is one of the lower-friction Baltic cruise calls. The terminal sits beside the Old Town, the city is walkable end to end, and a focused day combining Town Hall Square, St Peter’s tower, Alberta iela and the Central Market covers the headline experience without needing a transit pass. Latvia is one of the easier eastern-European capitals to read independently on a single port day.
How We Verify Port-Day Details
We aim for practical, low-risk guidance. Before publishing and during updates, we check core planning details against official sources and current operator information.
What We Check
- Berth and terminal details, including whether the port is walkable or requires a transfer
- Transport options and realistic return timing for different port types
- Details that change frequently, such as fares and schedules, with up-to-date notes where relevant
Typical Sources
- Official port authority and terminal updates
- Cruise line port notes and day-of-call instructions
- Local transport operators and official tourism resources