Shopping
Riga has come a long way since the days of food queues and the Soviet-era craving for all things Western at any price. The city may still be a long way behind Europe's major shopping Meccas, but there is a wide range of shopping opportunities on offer, from large malls through to local markets. The main shopping heart of town is in and around the Old Town, with many of the larger stores out in the suburbs on major roads. There are a number of Latvian products of interest to overseas visitors. Antiques are the main one, but they require a license from the Inspection Board for History and Culture and the Protection of Monuments, Pils 22 (tel: 721 4100), before any valuables can be exported. On the plus side, there are no customs duties for other EU countries at the Latvian end. The best place to look for antiques are at specialist shops like Antiqua, Kr Valdemara 20; Tango, Dzirnavu 66, Volmar 13 and Brivibas 39. Amongst the best souvenir shops are Ezerciems, Kalku 7-9, Mara, Kaleju 9-11 and Souvenir, Aspazijas 30. The main market in town is the Central Market (see Key Attractions section). Sales tax is currently 18%.
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