Visit Riga with no rigmarole

Easy on the pocket yet stylish with stunning architecture. Here's what makes Latvia's capital a must-see destination, according to MEG JORSH

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HERE are so many reasons to go to Riga, the capital of Latvia. The Baltic city is lively, friendly and surprisingly cheap by British standards, with a range of stylish bars and world-class restaurants to visit.

But for me, it's got to be the architecture. If that sounds a bit dry, you clearly haven't seen what the Latvians can do with bricks and mortar. Visiting the city’s Old Town, a Unesco World Heritage Site, is like taking a walk through a living work of art.

I stayed at the Pullman Riga Old Town hotel, a recently refurbished five-star setting that's opposite Latvia’s parliament building. Not that I noticed, it was only when my tour guide Andra pointed it out.

I was surprised to learn that the neat 19th-century building, with no crash barriers or obvious security guards, is full of the nation’s most powerful legislators.

Vibrating with culture shock, I followed Andra to the picturesque Dome Square. Despite decades of Soviet occupation in the 1900s, the city centre has a character all of its own, free from any Russian-style brutalism.

We headed for nearby St Peter's Church, which boasts a 123m steeple where tourists can see the city stretched out beneath them.

After a ride in a terrifying lift (£7.90 for adults), I admired the panorama of old and new buildings, the majestic Daugava River and the 368m TV Tower - the tallest structure in the European Union - in the distance.