Hi everyone! This is episode five of my Baltics plus Finland series in which I travel to Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland. In this video, I explore Riga, the capital of Latvia. In particular, I focus on the Old Town, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Firstly, I talk about the history of Latvia and mention that present-day Latvia had several rulers over time. These include the Germans, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Swedish and the Russians. I also talk about Riga's history and mention that Bishop Albert founded the city of Riga in 1201. The Germans ruled large parts of present-day Latvia from the 13th century to circa the mid-16th century, and their influence can certainly be seen in the architecture of the Old Town.

We then visit St. Peter's Church, which was constructed and reconstructed over many centuries, but records show that it dates back to around 1209. I also notice the Latvian coffee shop right next to the church but which seats and tables outside are completely snowed under! I then walk further, noticing a supermarket as well as a Costa Coffee - something I did not quite expect!

I briefly give more information about the population of Latvia and Riga, and mention the dispute (or friendly banter?) between Vilnius and Riga regarding which city is bigger. If you have any clarity on this, let me know in the comments!

Following this, I visit the impressive House of the Blackheads dating from 1334, and notice a Christmas tree next to it - quite significant as I mention a historic fact in relation to the Riga Christmas Tree! I also talk about how the population of Riga (in collaboration with the City of Riga who provided additional funding) rebuilt the House of the Blackheads in 1999. I also visit the souvenir shop and check out the Latvian souvenirs for sale.

After this, I talk more about the economy of Latvia (including the historic contribution of wood and the continuous contribution of amber) as well as the flag, which has a fascinating story. I then stroll further in the alleys of the Old Town and ultimately stumble upon the Liela Gilde or Great Guild of Riga, which is a concert hall today. I talk about the Singing Revolution that occurred between 1987 and 1991 and how Latvia, as a nation that loves to sing, embraced song more in their struggle against the Soviet Union. I also give further information regarding the Baltic Way which occurred in the Baltics on 23 August 1989 - one of the longest human chains in history.

The Christmas Market is my next stop where I eat some local food, including a piece of bread with cabbage filling and some grey peas with bacon, onions and fat. After my culinary adventure, I visit the Cathedral of Riga, arguably the postcard of Riga and Latvia and just opposite the Christmas Market.

I then leave the Christmas Market area and visit the Three Brothers - the latter is the oldest complex of dwelling houses in the city. What is remarkable is that the three buildings are of vastly different eras. Opposite the Three Brothers there is another church I briefly visit, and I am not sure if it is St. Jacob's Cathedral or St. James' Cathedral - if you are a local, please help me out! (some sources give different information; I suspect it might be because English, unlike many other languages, often use different names for the New Testament name 'James' and the Old Testament name 'Jacob').

Following this, I visit Riga Castle, which existed since 1330 and formed a key part of the defense of the city in earlier times. Today, however, it is the residence of the President of Latvia. I decide to walk towards the Powder Tower, another key part of the defensive architecture of the city, which is also where this vlog ends.

I hope you enjoyed this video of me exploring the Old Town of Riga! If you haven't done it yet, please hit the LIKE and SUBSCRIBE buttons, and leave a comment for me in the comments section. It is completely free to do so and it really helps me out - I am just a small-time creator without a production team or marketing budget. It is just me making videos, so your free contribution really makes a huge difference.

Thanks for watching and happy exploring!

Willie