Riga

The capital, Riga, is built on the river Daugava, and is a major city port. It is one of the most interesting cities of the Baltic States for its architectural flurry of styles which ranges from Roman art to Art Nouveau. When you're walking around the streets and sites, you will come across Medieval houses (the Three Brothers), 17th century structures (Reiterns Hotel) and old 18th century pharmacies. The Gothic Saint-Mary's Cathedral or Dome possesses one of the best organs in Europe. Shrewd visitors will probably climb on top of Saint Peter's Church in the heart of the Old City (Vecriga) to admire the splendid view of the Daugava and the whole city. Lines of ochre roofs and vestiges of old ramparts stretch out at the foot of the structure. The castle of the Teutonic Order of Livonia has three museums including the History Museum. In addition to this, the town hosts the oldest and richest museums in the Baltic region; there is the Fine Arts Museum, the Foreign Arts Museum, the Nature Museum and the Motor Museum. The booming modern neighbourhood is comprised of apartment blocks, the craziest of which were designed by Mickaël Einsenstein, father of the film director. Riga, formerly known as "the little Paris" has several coffee shops, bakeries and cooperative restaurants which are mostly visited by Latvians.