Where to stay in Riga

Old Riga, Vecrīga, is the historic centre on the east bank of the Daugava, with Riga Cathedral on Dome Square, St James's Cathedral and St Peter's Church. Beyond it lies the city centre, where Art Nouveau buildings make up about a third of all buildings, most of them apartment houses built between 1904 and 1914. Alberta iela, laid out in 1901, is known for them.

Across the river lie Ķīpsala, an island joined to the centre by the Vanšu Bridge, and Āgenskalns, an old neighbourhood built mainly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries around its market hall. Mežaparks, about 8 km north of Dome Square on Lake Ķīšezers, was laid out in the early 20th century as one of the first garden cities, with villas and a large park.

Riga's paid street parking is run by Rīgas satiksme under city regulations whose text in force sets six zones. Old Riga is the R zone: EUR 5 for the first hour and EUR 8 for each further hour, every day from 06:00 to 24:00. The A zone, bounded by Krišjāņa Valdemāra iela, Lāčplēša iela, Aleksandra Čaka iela, Marijas iela and 13. janvāra iela, costs EUR 2.50 and then EUR 3 an hour; the B zone around it, as far as Hanzas and Skanstes iela, EUR 2 and then EUR 2.50; the C zone EUR 1.50 and then EUR 2. Zones A to C are paid on working days 08:00 to 20:00 and Saturdays 09:00 to 17:00. Every other municipal paid space is zone D, at EUR 1 and then EUR 1.50 an hour, with at most EUR 5 prepaid a day.

The first 5 minutes are free, public holidays and the August weekend of the city festival are free, and a sign reading "Maksas stāvvieta" without hours means paid from 06:00 to 24:00. Skipping the payment brings a post-payment charge of EUR 53 a day in Old Riga, EUR 20.50 in zone A and EUR 10 in zone D.

Riga's rules on entering Old Riga by car from 1997 are marked as no longer in force on the official law portal, and no current rule on an entry fee could be read, so whether cars still pay to enter Old Riga was unverified as of September 2026. Ask a hotel in Old Riga how guests arrive by car. GetCar's car rental page for Riga compares cars for the trip.

Riga levies a municipal fee on receiving tourists. In 2026 it is EUR 0.89 for each night a guest spends in a tourist accommodation, but no more than EUR 8.90 for one continuous stay, and guests under 18 pay nothing. The host owes the fee and reports the nights each month. On 8 July 2026 the city council raised it to EUR 1.78 without VAT, EUR 2 with VAT, a night from 1 January 2027.

A host who starts taking paying guests in Riga registers as payer of the fee on the state portal latvija.lv within 10 working days and receives a code for the accommodation. Under Latvia's Tourism Law, foreign guests fill in and sign a declaration form and prove their identity with a valid travel document; spouses, minor children and members of tour groups are excepted, and a group leader signs for the group.

Stays that begin before 1 January 2027 pay the 2026 fee of EUR 0.89 a night; from that date the nightly rate rises to EUR 2 including VAT. Old Riga's R zone is charged every day, Sundays included, while zones A to C are free on Sundays.

Non-EU travellers arriving from outside the Schengen area pass the EU Entry/Exit System, fully operational since 10 April 2026, at their first Schengen border. Compare prices on this page before booking.

A first visit on foot: Old Riga.

Art Nouveau streets a walk from the old town: the centre.

Old Riga across the river with zone D parking rates: Ķīpsala.

A longer stay in an old neighbourhood near the airport road: Āgenskalns.

Villas, pines and a car: Mežaparks.