90 NORTH EASTERN EUROPE
Shopping & Entertainment
Numerous shopping centres have opened throughout
Latvia since 1991, although Rīga undoubtedly has the
largest range of shopping options. This is partic ularly
true when it comes to items likely to be of interest to
visitors, although outside the capital it is usually possi-
ble to find typical handicrafts such as amber jewellery
and embroi dered knitwear. Latvia’s major cultural
events are also concentrated in Rīga, although the
dynamic festival calendar provides plenty of reasons
to explore other parts of the country. The city is also
renowned for its energetic nightlife; clubs range from
small and hip to huge and mainstream, and stay open
throughout the night.
MARKETS
Most Latvian towns have
regular or even daily markets,
although they are rarely aimed
at visitors and are most useful
for everyday food shopping.
Housed in five huge zeppelin
hangars, Rīga’s Central Market
has most of its indoor space
dedicated to food, while the
stalls and kiosks outside sell
CDs, clothes and electrical
goods. Also of interest is the
covered outdoor antiques and
organic food market on the
second and fourth Sunday of
each month at Berga Bazārs.
Beyond the capital, markets
such as the covered market
hall in Liepāja, a throwback to
the Soviet era, are very atmos-
pheric. In the summer months,
mar kets in Jūrmala sell souve-
nirs as well as fresh produce.
OPENING HOURS
Most shops in Latvia open
around 10am. Small shops
close around 6 or 7pm, while
bigger malls and shopping
centres usually stay open until
10pm. Many small shops
remain closed on Sundays.
NIGHTLIFEWith a wide range of bars
and clubs, Rīga has a swing -
ing night life. Skyline Bar in
the Reval Hotel Latvija is a
favourite, while Rīgas Balzāms
is a popular place to try the
eponymous drink in various
cocktails. I Love You attracts a
youthful local crowd, while
Sapņu Fabrika offers rock to
world music. The best-known
night club, Pulkvedim Neviens
Neraksta, draws a young and
stylish clientele. Larger
venues, such as Club Essential
and the submarine-themed
Nautilus, feature DJs on the
weekend. Casinos with
gaming tables include the
Tobago Casino Club and
Casino Aladins.
Outside the capital city,
Latvia’s 1st Rock Café and
Fontaine Palace, both in
Liepāja, are worth visiting.ART AND ANTIQUESAntique shops in Latvia are
well worth exploring. A
licence, which is available at
most shops, is usually
required before genuine
antiques can be exported.
Rīga has a fine selection,
including the upmarket
Doma Antikvariāts, the busy
Retro A and Volmar.
The best places to buy art
are com mercial art galleries.
There are many galleries in
Rīga and the tourist infor ma-
tion office can provide an
up-to-date list. Māksla XO
is one of the most highly
regarded, while Art Nouveau
Rīga, a leading sou venir shop,
offers attractive reproductions.HANDICRAFTS
Traditional Latvian handicrafts
include handmade linen,
amber jewellery, woodwork
and knitwear embroidered
with popular Latvian folk sym-
bols. Motifs from nature, such
as the sun, stars or trees, are
commonly used among the
repertoire of geometric designs
found on many hand crafted
goods. There are numerous
souvenir shops in Rīga’s Old
Town stock ing items such as
linen and wooden toys. More
authen tic and unusual gifts
can be found in Grieži, which
also holds craft demon stra-
tions. Tine boasts a wide
range of souve nirs, while
Sāmsalas Kalēji specializes
in metal work. Some shops
also sell Russian goods such
as matryoshka – wooden
dolls of various sizes which
are placed one inside the
other. Outside Rīga, a good
place to find handi crafts is the
branch of Tornis in the tower
of Turaida Castle in Gauja
National Park (see pp86–7).MUSIC, THEATRE
AND DANCERīga has a thriving live-music
scene. Major international art-
ists perform at the Arēna Rīga.
Local bands play at a host of
smaller venues – Kaļķu Vārti,FOOD AND DRINKLaima chocolate is among
the country’s most popular
buys, and the brand has a
dedicated store in Rīga. Its
upmarket rival, Emihls
Gustavs Chocolate, has
stores all over the city.
Another common gift is
Rīga Black Balsam, a herbal
liqueur taken neat or in
cocktails. Latvijas Balzams
is among the best places to
buy it. Beer also makes a
good gift. There are many
varieties of traditional honey
available in the Latvijas Bite
shops, owned by the Latvian
Association of Beekeepers.AMBERAmber jewellery is a popular
Latvian souvenir, readily avail-
able in tourist areas and in
some museum shops. Rīga
has dozens of specialist shops
such as A&E, Dzintara Muzejsand Dzintara Galerija. There
are also several general
souvenir shops selling more
affordable items. However,
buyers should be aware that
not all amber on sale is
genuine. Visitors spending a
large sum of money on amber
objects should ask for a
certif icate of authenticity.