World Travel Guide

City Guide  - Riga  - Nightlife
Nightlife

Riga is a city that seems to consider every night reason enough for a party. The city centre is flooded with bars and cafés, as are the parks in the warmer months. The Old Town is the epicentre with an array of bars and cafés to choose from, ranging from old Latvian dives that look like they have not changed in a hundred years through to funky new bar-cafés. One thing to look out for is that some bars are unofficially the sole preserve of Riga's Russian community and your presence will be at best tolerated. Most bars and clubs in Riga are late opening with many staying open until 3am seven days a week. Riga in Your Pocket, widely available in Riga, is an invaluable guide to what's on in the city with extensive bar, restaurant and club reviews.

Bars:
Paddy Whelans, Grecinieku 4, is a good Irish bar filled with ex-pats and locals wanting to meet them. A recently opened rival, Dickens, Grecinieku 9/1, is now giving Whelans a run for its money. For a Russian bar, Groks Stacija, Kalku 12, is relatively safe to venture into, with decor based bizarrely on a Russian train. Groks also has dance music until 6am most nights as well as a small dancefloor. Puncis, Jan Seta, is an attempt to create a Latvian-style bar without the tacky kitsch, so it has a choice of Latvian beers and few tourists.

Casinos:
Riga has a wide range of gambling opportunities, but many of the 'casinos' turn out to be low-quality dives or informal Mafia-run ventures, so it is best to stick to the established names. Passports are required and smart dress is advisable. The Admiralu Klub, 12 Audeju iela, is geared towards local and foreign businesspeople and is as above board as Riga gets. Similarly, Mirage, 22 Aspazijas bulvaris, is reliable as part of the busy Hotel Riga. The Royal Casino, Elizabetes 55, has blackjack, poker and roulette with a free bar. Tornis, Milsu 75, also has a free bar for players, as well as blackjack, roulette, poker and billiards.

Clubs:
There are a number of nightclubs in Riga, with La Rocca, Brivibas 96, (web site: www.larocca.lv) the most expensive, but also the most popular, smart dress is essential. Hotel Latvija's 7th Heaven is a glossy affair with professional dancers and laser light shows. Nautilus, Kungu 8, is the most bizarre club in the city, housed in an old submarine with bar staff dressed in sailor suits. Pepsi Forums, Kalku 24, is very central, expensive and a favourite for foreign businesspeople and rich local Russian speakers. Vernisaza, Terbatas 2, is the largest and most modern disco in Riga.

Live music:
The Reformation Club & Restaurant, Marstalu 10 (entrance on Alksnaja iela), is the most consistent jazz club in Riga. Kabata, Peblu 19, is another jazz club, which is currently en vogue although of less dependable quality. Ala, Audeju 11, lays on a wide range of live jazz, pop and rock depending on the night of the week.



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