Riga Old Town & Open-Air Museum Shore Excursion

This tour includes Riga's Old Town with visits to St. Peter's Church and the Dome Cathedral. Then you visit an open air museum which features more than 100 traditional countryside buildings, allowing you to see and learn about rural life in Latvia.

After meeting your licensed guide you start your day with a driving tour to see the buildings in Riga's Art Nouveau District. This area was developed around the turn of the 20th century and is part of the Historic Centre of Riga, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, home to the largest and finest collection of Art Nouveau architecture in the world. For many people it has a flair reminiscent of Paris.

Next you are dropped off in the Old Town where you enjoy a walking tour of its main sights in this pedestrian friendly quarter. The Old Town dates back to 1201, when it was founded by Bishop Albert. You explore the maze of small cobblestone streets which are full of beautiful medieval buildings. You'll notice different styles such as Nordic, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Art Nouveau and Classical.

You'll see the Freedom Monument, which is dear to all Latvians. The monument was unveiled in 1935 to honor the soldiers who fell in Latvia's War of Independence from 1918 to 1920. Then came WWII and in 1944 the country came under Soviet rule. It was at this monument in the 80s and 90s where demonstrations against the Soviets took place. Today it is a popular gathering point on holidays.

Other sights you will see include Livs Square, Konventhof, the House of the Brotherhood of Blackheads, the centuries old Small and Big Guild Houses, the Stock Exchange and the newly renovated Opera House. You enjoy a photo stop at Riga Castle, which is the Latvian president's residence, and take a stroll along the Daugava River embankment.

Your tour includes interior visits to two of the city's most popular sights, St. Peter's Church and the Dome Cathedral. St. Peter's Church dates back to the 13th century and is considered one of the best examples of the Gothic style in Latvia and the Baltic region. The highlight for many is the impressive Dome Cathedral which also dates to the 13th century and features an organ with nearly 6,800 pipes, one of the largest in the world.

After your Riga tour you drive to the Riga Open Air Museum which is located at Lake Jugla about 30 minutes from the old town. The museum is spread out over nearly 90 hectares and features 118 traditional buildings, including farmsteads, churches, windmills and fishing villages, moved here from throughout the country and dating from the 17th century to the early 1930s. This allows you to see and learn about Latvia's rural past.

At the end of the tour you are brought back to Riga's pier or your hotel.

• This tour is not wheelchair accessible and involves difficult walking on cobblestone streets in the Old Town and outdoor terrain at the Open Air Museum.