When Latvia joined the European Union last May, Riga became a favored destination among European travelers looking for a fun weekend-getaway destination. Now the word is out and the international crowd is joining in. Riga, Latvia’s capital city, boasts a thriving restaurant scene, vibrant nightlife and world-class hotels. With the recent completion of a $30 million renovation and expansion at Riga International Airport (RIX), the city is poised to reclaim its pre-war nickname, “The Paris of the Baltics.”

Riga traces its origin to 1201, when Bishop von Buxhoevden of Bremen founded the first German fort in the Baltics here, as a bridgehead for the crusade against the Northern heathens. It quickly grew as a trading point between Russia and the West, and in 1282 Riga joined the Hanseatic League, Europe’s powerful trading bloc. German domination continued for roughly 700 years, and Riga’s coat of arms to this day combines the key of Bremen with the towers of Hamburg.

Like the other Baltic states, Lithuania and Estonia, Latvia was colonized and conquered through the ages by the Poles, the Swedes and the Russians, each leaving evidence of their influence along with a growing distaste among the nationalist Latvians for foreign rule.

Latvia declared its independence and operated as an independent state between the two world wars. During that era, it was recognized by Western diplomats, journalists and spies as the ideal center from which to eavesdrop on Stalin’s Soviet Union. A predominance of flourishing nightclubs, restaurants and intellectual life earned Riga the nickname “Little Paris,” but it wasn’t until 1991 that Latvia was able to finally declare again — and maintain — its independence.

Today Riga is a bustling center for the arts. Redevelopment and innovation are evident everywhere. In May of this year, Latvia’s first female president, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, hosted U.S. President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, at a series of meetings in Riga where Bush honored Latvia’s struggle for independence. With all the photo ops surrounding the event, the world finally caught a glimpse of Riga’s visual splendor: the beautiful guildhalls, the astonishingly preserved Old Town, but especially the city’s art nouveau, or Jungendstil, architecture, recognized by UNESCO as being the finest in Europe. Crafted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the stunning architecture has survived fairly unblemished in Riga — an inadvertent result of the limited availability of funds earmarked for redevelopment during the war-torn 20th century.

Take a walking tour of Riga to get a taste of its past and an inkling of its future. Happily, vehicles are restricted in the city’s Old Town, so walkers can proceed unimpeded in an urban center where the drivers are notoriously aggressive. Start at the Dome Cathedral, home to one of the biggest pipe organs in Europe. Constructed in 1884 by Germany’s E.F. Walker & Co., it boasts 6,718 pipes and is laden with wooden carvings dating to the 17th and 18th centuries.

Begin your tour early in the day. By afternoon, street bands (we heard a group that sounded just like the Gipsy Kings) offer an undeniable temptation to settle in at one of the many outdoor cafes that line the square and to enjoy the local beer, Aldaris. While some patrons enthusiastically partake of Latvia’s national liqueur, Rigas Balzams, I found it to be a thick, syrupy goo that tasted, I imagined, like motor oil. Locals love it, and swear it’s the cure for just about anything that ails you. Legend has it that when Catherine the Great fell ill while visiting Riga, a taste of Balzams allowed her to rise almost magically from her sickbed.

Music is everywhere, and you’ll hear local violinists, guitarists and opera singers as you continue your stroll. Ride the lift to the top of the ancient baroque St. Peter’s Church and you’ll get a dazzling 360-degree view of the region. My guess is, from this vista you’ll be intrigued by the four blimp-shaped buildings to the south.

They are enormous zeppelin hangars brought in from Vainode, a town in western Latvia, in 1924 to house the ancient markets that have existed in Riga since its founding. They provide 14 acres of space for up to 1,250 sellers, though the spillover into the surrounding streets makes it feel like a lot more. Brace yourself and go. You can find anything, yes, anything, here. Want a pig head, CDs, jeans, obscure cheeses, fish you never dreamed existed? It’s all here. Even if you buy nothing, seeing the spectrum will fuel your dreams for years to come. Don’t worry: Latvians are by and large honest, and not overly pushy. Even if you don’t speak the language (which could be Latvian or Russian or anything in between), pointing and gesturing goes a long way toward making the deal you seek.

LODGING

Riga has wonderful hotels and all have attentive and courteous personnel. It’s a style- and technologyconscious city, so you can stay and work in splendor. A full breakfast is always included in the price; depending on the hotel, this may include caviar, blinis, or a profusion of tempting pastries.

GRAND PALACE HOTEL

This is class with a capital C. Just ask Catherine Deneuve or Sting – they’ve both stayed at the Grand Palace. Rooms are plush, and the hotel is on a lovely cobblestone street amid some of Riga’s most beautiful buildings, squares and churches. There is a lounge bar and two gourmet restaurants on the premises in case you don’t want to leave. One of the amenities is that a doctor is always on call. $$$$
GRAND PALACE HOTEL
12 Pils Iela
tel 371 704 4000, fax 371 704 4001
www.schlossle-hotels.com/grandpalace

AINAVAS

In this elegant boutique hotel, whose name means “landscape,” each room depicts a different landscape in an original painting above the bed. Located in a 15th century townhouse, Ainavas brings cuttingedge style and technology to old-world charm. Down duvets, candles, Web TV, heated bathroom floors and natural toiletries are just some of the amenities. $$$
AINAVAS
23 Peldu Iela
tel 371 781 4316, fax 371 781 4317
www.ainavas.com

HOTEL CENTRA

The ultimate in contemporary design is housed in an 1880s building in the heart of the Old Town. Suites on the third and fourth floors have amazingly high ornate ceilings along with a spectacular view of the Old Town and St. Peter’s spire. Hotel Centra used to be a raging-hot nightclub but now offers a peaceful retreat from the other hot clubs just doors away. Don’t bother with a single — go for a suite. It’s cheap and fabulous. Just be sure to book ahead. Word is out. $$$
HOTEL CENTRA
1 Audeju Iela
tel 371 722 6441, fax 371 750 3281
www.centra.lv

REVAL HOTEL LATVIJA
Reval is a chain that owns many hotels in the Baltics. This hotel is a 27-story tower smack in the middle of Riga, next to a lovely park, and all its 382 rooms have been renovated. Your stay includes free wireless Internet, sauna and, depending on your floor, a spectacular view of Riga’s Old Town and the Daugava River. You are also only a short stroll from the most fabulous of the art nouveau houses. Singles are just $170, or $175 for a single with a view of the Old Town. $$
REVAL HOTEL LATVIJA
55 Elizabetes Iela
tel 371 777 2222, fax 371 777 2221
www.revalhotels.com/latvija

DINING

VINCENTS

Chef/owner Martin Ritins is on a crusade to reinvent Latvian cuisine and bring it (and himself) into the international spotlight. He has personally reinvigorated the agricultural economy by asking growers to produce organic vegetables and meats previously unheard of in Latvia (from artichokes and watercress to goat’s-milk cheese and baby lamb), and then turning them into a delightful, unique cuisine. Try the marinated eel and goose liver, “Vincents” style — spectacular. All is grown organically under Ritins’ supervision. The restaurant is sleek, stylish and a memorable experience. You might even meet a celebrity there. The walls are lined with photos of Ritins with B.B. King, Jose Carreras, Elton John and now President Bush. Expensive, but definitely worth it. $$$$
VINCENTS
19 Elizabetes Iela
tel 371 733 2634

DZIRNAVAS
“Dzirnavas” means “old mill,” and this place sits on the actual site of an old mill. Servers are in Latvian costume, and you’ll feel as though you’re in old Latvia. Most of the clientele is made up of fashionable, polished Latvians. There is a staggering array of soups, salads, meats and desserts, not to mention fresh fruits and drinks, including yogurt drinks and beer. Have the wild-mushroom soup if it’s available (these are not white tasteless mushrooms). In the United States, this would be gourmet and super-expensive. Not here. Start small, as you can always return for more (and you will). $
DZIRNAVAS
76 Dzirnavu Iela
tel 371 728 6204

CILI PICA
When that pizza urge strikes, head to Cili Pica. This is a Lithuanian-based pizza chain where you can order whatever you want on a thin, completely non-greasy crust. It actually feels as though you’re eating healthy. Latvians think of the crust as a piece of bread on which to place an entire meal. $
CILI PICA
372 Brivibas Iela
tel 371 707 6501

NIGHTLIFE

Latvia is nightlife central for the Baltics. Live music of all sorts (jazz, rock, folk, classical, opera) abounds. Bites Bluzs Klubs (34A Dzirnavu) has live blues (lots of international names), while Kreisais Pagrieziens (11A Karu) books top local artists for a more mature crowd seeking the “unplugged” sound. Voodoo (in the Reval Hotel Latvija) is a classy club, disco and lounge all in one. If you want to close a business deal while smoking a great cigar with your brandy, head to the Churchill Club (2-4 Aldaru); it’s all about cigars, leather, wood and power.

SIGHTSEEING

Take a walk along any of the streets east of Elizabetes Iela (“iela” means “street”) and marvel at the elaborate monsters, flowers, gargoyles, figures and faces carved into the upper stories of the buildings. On Alberta Iela, the buildings become even more fantastical. The entire block (except for No. 12) was designed by Mikhail Eisenstein, father of the renowned filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein (the 1925 silent film Battleship Potemkin).

Your mouth will be hanging open in awe — and luckily you will be just around the corner from Traktieris, a wonderful Russian restaurant, where you can fill it with the best borscht you’ve ever had, served with a nice thick slice of dark peasant bread. If you want more after that, get the warm blinis (thin pancakes, more like crepes) covered with thick honey. If you know a few Russian phrases, service will improve markedly.

INFO TO GO

Riga International Airport (RIX) is about five miles southwest of the city. Cabs are plentiful, but make sure the meter is running to avoid being overcharged. Latvian currency is in Lats and it’s best to exchange at the airport, though almost all hotels and restaurants take credit cards. Have some Lats on hand to buy street souvenirs (amber jewelry, wood carvings, linen, etc.). If you don’t have a mobile phone that works in Europe, you can get one at the airport: look for the Telekarte sign. If it’s the Internet you seek, there are plenty of Wi-Fi spots all over Riga.