Cruise Port Guide · 332 cruises visit Riga →
The bucket-list things to do — and who runs each one.
Here’s the bucket list for your day ashore: the most extraordinary thing to do at each stop, who runs it, and how to book it direct — so you can weigh it against your ship’s excursion and pick what suits you.
Riga is a docked port. The ship ties up at the Riga Passenger Terminal on the Daugava River. From gangway to the edge of the Old Town is usually a 10-15 minute flat walk along the riverside promenade; the Art Nouveau district takes about 25 minutes on foot. No tender is involved.
On days when the central berths are full, the ship may dock at the KS Terminal roughly 8 miles away. That adds a 20+ minute shuttle ride each way, often not free. Check your daily schedule or ask the shore excursion desk the night before to know which pier you get. The first-timers’ trap here is assuming you will always step straight into the Old Town; a distant berth quietly eats an hour of your day in transit and queues.
Gangway typically opens shortly after arrival (often 7-9 a.m. depending on the sailing). All-aboard is usually 30-60 minutes before the ship sails, commonly 4:30-5:30 p.m. on these itineraries. Security queues can stretch to 15-20 minutes when MSC Cruises or Norwegian have overlapping calls. Build in buffer rather than cutting it fine.
Sweep through Latvia's 'Switzerland' — medieval castle ruins, the legendary Turaida Rose tomb, and the primeval Gauja River valley — in a private vehicle with a local expert. One of the Baltic's most cinematic landscapes, all to yourself.
Unlock the world's densest Art Nouveau district and a UNESCO-listed medieval core with a private architectural historian. Riga's staggering 800-plus Jugendstil façades — sphinxes, screaming masks, goddesses — demand an expert eye to truly see.
Cross into Lithuania to witness the Hill of Crosses — 200,000+ crucifixes on a single mound, one of the world's most otherworldly sacred sites — then return via baroque Jelgava Palace. A day that genuinely defies description.
Walk a floating boardwalk above a primeval raised bog — a mirror-still, cloud-reflected wilderness — then promenade through Jūrmala's legendary 19th-century wooden villa resort strip. Latvia's wild and cultured sides in a single, unforgettable day.
Descend into the world's largest market under five repurposed Zeppelin hangars with a private food guide — sampling smoked fish, artisan rye bread, forest honey, and amber-coloured Latvian beer. A UNESCO-heritage foodie experience with serious depth.
Glide through Riga's historic canal and along the broad Daugava River aboard a private boat, reading the city's medieval skyline, Art Nouveau rooftops, and 19th-century parks from the water — the only vantage point that ties it all together.
A couple booking direct can keep the day cheap or go wide. The Latvian food tasting tour at Riga Central market (20 tastes) costs €70 ($82) for two. The Riga City Canal & Daugava River Premium Boat Tour with Audioguide is $40. The Riga Art Nouveau walking tour adds another $70. Total for three separate experiences: roughly $192.
The same couple buying the ship’s versions of comparable half-day offerings will pay noticeably more. The gap shrinks on the longer trips. The 2 countries! Hill of Crosses, Rundale Palace and Bauska castle lists at €260 ($306) direct. A full-day private option such as the Private Full-Day Trip to Jurmala and Great Kemeri Bog Boardwalk runs $986 for two. These distances make the ship’s version a tighter call: one coach, one guide, and a guaranteed return even if traffic or weather turns ugly.
The Full-Day Private Trip to Cesis, Sigulda and Turaida from Riga at €698 ($824) for two is the clearest place the ship can win on logistics. Private transfers and a strict schedule reduce the risk of missing all-aboard after 90-120 minutes of highway time each way. For the shorter city-based choices, direct booking wins on price and flexibility. A ship’s excursion remains the legitimate pick when peace of mind matters more than euros saved.
Assume all-aboard at 4:30 p.m. Work backwards: be at the gangway by 4:00 p.m. at the latest to clear security. That puts you leaving the city no later than 3:15-3:30 p.m.
Take the Riga Art Nouveau walking tour at 10:00 a.m. (it finishes around noon) then walk 10 minutes to the Latvian food tasting tour at Riga Central market (20 tastes) for a leisurely lunch. Skip the boat tour; the canal and river views repeat what you already see walking the promenade to and from the ship. You will be back at the terminal with time for a coffee or quick market revisit if the tasting left you wanting more.
With a full schedule, start early. Catch the Riga Art Nouveau walking tour at 9:00 a.m., followed by the Latvian food tasting tour at Riga Central market (20 tastes) at 11:30 a.m. After lunch, board the Riga City Canal & Daugava River Premium Boat Tour with Audioguide at 2:00 p.m. You will be back ashore by 3:30 p.m. and at the gangway comfortably before 4:00 p.m.
The single choice I would make is the 2 countries! Hill of Crosses, Rundale Palace and Bauska castle. At €130 per person it delivers the biggest contrast to a city day, the reviews are solid (259 on Viator), and the long transfer is handled for you. The food tasting and Art Nouveau options are excellent but feel like things you can replicate on your own in a walkable port. When the ship already delivers you to the pier steps from the Old Town, spending the day chasing countryside palaces and one of Europe’s most striking religious sites gives the strongest sense that you actually left the dock. The ship’s version of this itinerary is worth comparing on price and exact inclusions; sometimes the guaranteed coach and guide is the wiser spend. (682 words)
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