Music
THE LATVIAN NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, tel. 722-4850; and the LATVIJA NATIONAL CHOIR, tel. 722-3839, are a good bet any time. Performances are usually at either the concert hall at Kalku iela 11a or at Amatu iela 6 in the Great Guild Hall; tel. 721-3798. The Great Guild Hall box office sells tickets for classical performances taking place all over town; tel. 722-4432. The DOME CATHEDRAL, at Doma laukums 1, is also a venue for concerts, often featuring its world-famous organ; tel. 735-6699. The WAGNER HALL, at R. Vagnera 4, also has regular concerts; tel. 721-0817. Also AVE SOL concert hall, Citadeles 7, tel. 702-7570. A good web site on Latvian music is at www.music.lv
The lovely NATIONAL OPERA HOUSE is on Aspazijas blv. 3, tel. 707-3777. The Latvian National Opera is quickly establishing itself as a world-class company. For further information, contact the Opera House, or drop by their website at www.opera.lv
Theatres
Drama THEATERs
NATIONAL THEATER: Kronvalda 2, tel. 732-2759. In Latvian. www.teatris.lv
NEW RIGA THEATER: Lacplesa 25, tel. 728-0765. www.jrt.lv
PUPPET THEATER: K. Barona 16/18, tel. 728-5355. In Latvian, but the kids, at least, can still appreciate performances. www.puppet.lv
RUSSIAN DRAMA THEATER: Kalku 16, tel. 722-4660. www.trd.lv
Art Galleries
Agija Suna: Laipu 6, tel. 722-9529. Open:12-16; Sat., Sun. closed. Also at Kaleju 9, tel. 722-9529. Open:11-19; Sun. 12-17.
Apsida: Skārnu 10/20, tel. 722-8287, in the Konventa Seta hotel. Open:11-17.
Ars Longa: Gleznotāju 5, tel. 728-5789. Modern and classic Latvian art, including paintings, graphics, and glassware. Open:11-18; closed Sun. and Mon.
Arsenāls Museum of Arts: Torna 1, tel. 721-3695. Open:11-17; Mon. closed.
Bastejs: Basteja 12, tel. 722-5050. Modern Latvian art. Open:12-19; Sat. 12-17; Sun closed.
Bonhan S: Skarsu 7, tel. 722-3213. Open:11-19; Sat. 11-18; Sun. 12-16. Paintings, photography, sculptures and applied art by Latvian artists.
Carousell: Kalku 2, tel. 721-0487. Open:11-19; Sat. 12-16; Sun. closed.
Centrs: Kalku 16, 722-5475. Modern Latvian art. Open:11-20.
Daugava: Alksnāja 10/12, tel. 721-2896. Open:11-18.
Lita: Laipu 5, tel. 722-1725. www.galerija.lv
Maksla: Brivibas 52, tel. 728-0855. Open:11-19; Sat. 11-17; Sun closed.
Noktirne: Amatu 6, tel. 721-0073. Latvian contemporary art. Open:11-19.
Rigas Galerija: Aspazijas 20, tel. 722-5887. Open:12-19; closed Sun.
Tine: Valnu 2, tel. 721-6728. Open:09-19; Sun. 10-17.
Vecriga: Pils 18, tel. 721-0677. Open:10-18; Sat. 10-16; Sun closed.
Museums
Decorative and Applied Art Museum: Skarnu 10/20, in the old St. George's church, tel. 722-7833. Open:11-17; Mon. closed. Woodcuttings and assorted Latvian-styled arts and crafts.
State Museum of Fine Arts: K. Valdemara 10a, tel. 732-5051. Open:11-17; Tue. closed. One of the best museums in Riga with a large collection tracing the history of Russian and Latvian painting from the 1700s to 1945. Features the better works of celebrated Latvian Russian painters like Janis Rozentals, Nikolajs Rerihs and Aivazovsky. www.vmm.lv
Latvian Museum of Foreign Arts: Pils laukums 3, tel. 722-6467. Open:11-17; Mon. closed. Displays works from ancient Egypt, Rome, Greece, the Middle East and India. Also Dutch, German and Belgian artists.
Motor Museum: S. Eizensteina 6, tel. 709-7170. Open:10-18; Mon. 10-15. From the old city, it's an 8 km drive out on Brivibas, then turn right and go 2 km.; it's the boxy, grayish-silver building on the right. You can also take bus No. 21 from Brivibas. Bliss for car lovers, this museum may be a bit of a bore for everybody else. Includes antique cars made in the USSR and Latvia. There are also American and European gems, including pre-war Mercedes, a 1942 Harley-Davidson and early-model Fords. The highlight is the display of cars used by Soviet dictators, including Stalin's iron-plated Tchaika and the dramatically crumpled limousine Leonid Brezhnev rammed into a truck in 1980 while joyriding the streets of Moscow.
Museum of Photography: Marstalu iela 8, tel. 722-7231. Open:10-17; Wed., Thu. 12-19; Sun., Mon. closed. Latvian photographers from 1839 to 1941 in focus.
Museum of Riga's History and Navigation: Palasta 4, tel. 735-6700. Open:10-17; Mon., Tue. closed. This is a place worth going to simply because of its wonderfully aesthetic location tucked in the cloisters of Riga's monastery, attached to the Dome Cathedral.
Open-Air Museum: Brivibas 440, on the outskirts of Riga; tel. 799-4515. Open:10-17. Founded in 1924, this open-air museum is one of the oldest in Europe. The idea was to recreate 18th and 19th century life in Latvia. On display is traditional, full-scale village architecture. Smiths, potters and beekeepers practice their ancient trades before your eyes. On the shore of Lake Jugla, the museum spans some 100 hectares.
Porcelain Museum: Konventa Seta 9/11, tel. 750-3769. Open:11-18; Mon. closed.
Cinremas
Cinema Gallery: Jauniela 24, tel. 722-9030. Both British and French clubs have screenings here.
Daile: K. Barona 31, tel. 728-3854.
Forum Cinemas: 13. Janvara 8.
Kolizejs: Caka 67, tel. 727-3333. www.kolizej.lv
Riga: Elizabetes 61, tel. 728-1105.
Suns: Elizabetes 83/85, tel. 728-5411
Clubs
Bites Blues Club: Dzirnavu 34a, tel. 733-3125. Down-home Chicago feel.
Cetri Balti Krekli: Vecpilsetas 12, tel. 721-3885. A unique, all-Latvian music club with a lively underground feel. The owners imposed a strict quota for foreigners, so look local to get through. www.krekli.lv
Cita Opera: Raina 21; tel. 722-0770. A favorite of University of Latvia students. Live rock and jazz weekends; karaoke Wednesday. www.citaopera.lv
Depo: Valnu 32, tel. 722-0114. Very good underground club, with a mishmash of alternative tastes. www.klubsdepo.lv
Essential: Skolas 2, tel. 724-2289. Open: Fri., Sat. 22-06. www.essential.lv
Fashion Club: Terbatas 2; tel. 709-2400; www.fclub.lv
Hamlets: Jana Seta 2, 2nd floor, in the old city; tel. 722-9938.
Indigo: Barona 31, tel. 728-4263. Open:21-06.
Kabata: Peldu 19, tel. 722-3334. Medieval atmosphere. 70s and 80s hits.
La Rocca: Brivibas 96, tel. 750-6030. A gigantic dance club teeming with the young, restless and up-and-coming pros. Said to be the Baltics' biggest dance-techno club. www.larocca.lv
Nautilus: Kungu 8, tel. 781-4455. Hot! Submarine theme. www.nautilus.lv
Pulkvedim Neviens Neraksta (Nobody Writes to the Colonel): Peldu 26/28, tel. 721-3886. Progressive music with an edge. A London-underground feel. www.pulkvedis.lv
Roxy: Kalku 24, tel. 722-4041. A high-energy dance club: lasers, dry ice, babes. Pop, techno. www.roxyclub.lv
Sarkans: Stabu 10, tel. 727-2286. Open:10-04; Sat. 12-04; Sun. 12-24.
Studentu Club: Raina 23, tel. 722-0806. Student-run disco, next to the University of Latvia.
Voodoo: Elizabetes 55, tel. 777-2355. Dark, hip, erotic, spooky and fun. In the Reval Hotel Latvija. The disco area is closed Mon.-Wed.; nightclub and casino open every day. www.voodoo.lv
Zup, Zup! Lounge: Kalku 15, tel. 722-1768. Open:11-01; Thu.-Sat. 11-03. www.zupzup.lv
Adult Entertainment
Dolls: Aspazijas 22, tel. 750-9625. Open:12-09. An ultra high energy club/striptease, though a restaurant before 22:00.
Jockey Club: Elizabetes 49, tel. 722-8844. Showgirls, private dances.
Klubs 3: Grecinieku 22/24, tel. 722-6750. Striptease, restaurant, private dancingnot necessarily in that order.
Labi: Elizabetes 22, tel. 724-3684. Open 24 hr. Videos, massagesthe works.
Purvs: Matisa 60-62; tel. 7311-717; www.purvs.lv
Studio 69: Brivibas 96, tel. 750-6030. Corridors lead to a 70s disco gone wrong. Flashy, tacky, strippers: Love it or leave it.
Tutti Frutti: Bruninieku 63, tel. 727-3883. As in Amsterdam, girls set in a store-front window draw clients into this dark, topless den.
Gay Clubs
XXL: on Kalnina 4; tel. 728-2276; a Tom of Finland theme. www.xxl.lv
Rave/Alternative
Riga's long shown a real aptitude for progressive dance music-more so, some argue, than Tallinn or Vilnius. The well-established Nobody Writes to the Colonel (Pulkvedim Neviens Neraksta) /ib> has championed harder core, less-commercial dance sounds for years; Peldu 26/28. Another daring, ultra hip dance club is M-808, just outside the old city at Lacplesa 5; tel. 724-0633; http://m.808.lv; this is a Mecca for the country's cutting edge DJs, including DJ Kin, Bogdans Tarans and DJ Raitis.
A newer, forward-thinking club is Nautilus, at Kungu 8; tel. 781-4477they like to boast about their bone-jarring 12kW speaker system. You get a credit card as you go in, pay as you leave; www.nautilus.lv. A less polished but no less fun option is the new Depo, at Valnu 32, tel. 722-0114; plays trance, dance, electro with well-known Latvian DJs.
A more commercial, but extremely popular dance club is La Rocca, Brivibas 96-reportedly the largest such dance club in the Baltics; tel. 750-6030.
