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Latest Riga hotel reviews
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This is a shopping centre with a flair. This is the place the youngsters go and this is where you will find all the trendy brands of clothing, footwear, accessories and other stuff. It might not be the cheapest place around, but there is a lot to choose from.
This place has gone through a major face-lift in recent years. I first visited in 1992 and if I had not been back in between then and now, I wouldn't have recognised the place! It has changed so much.
Back in 1992, this was called Universalveikals (universal shop...). All stuff would be on shelves behind the counter. You would ask to have a look at something and the shop attendant would hand it over (well, you could touch it only if you looked trustworthy). Then if you decided you wanted it, the attendant would write a receipt, with which you would tag to the closest cashier, queue up for a little while and then tag back with a receipt of payment. Then you would get your thing all wrapped up and ready to go. This was how it was in days yonder :) Now it's just a matter of self-service and paying up.
What to buy: Coming from Finland, the piece the resistance proved to be eye glasses. They are horrendously expensive in Finland, but here my mum and husband have found glasses for about a third the price in Finland, and the choice of frames is great. The lenses may not be great quality, but at least you can buy affordable designer frames for your lenses, if you choose to get them at home.
Other than that, we did some clothes shopping here too, and then some gourmet shopping at the ground floor in Rimi, and at Emihls Gustavs chocolatier.
What to pay: Probably less than for the equivalent at home.
Updated Sep 9, 2007
Address: 16 Audeju iela
Website: http://www.galerijacentrs.lv/index.php?page=info&lang=lv
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The Central Market is one of the must-see sights of Riga. And it's a great place to try the full range of Latvian honeys. The storeholders will let you try a mouthful of any you fancy without any pressure to buy.
Newspaper sellers sell a variety of paper calendars featuring Russian Orthodox art that make really nice gifts.
Of course, there is also a full range of everyday food and household goods and the market is a good place to people-watch.
What to buy: Honey and chocolate
What to pay: 2-3 Lats
Written May 14, 2007
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The Central Market is located in and around a few former Zepplin hangars. These were originally built by the Germans and completed around 1930. Inside the pavillions is sold various foods in different areas - one for meat, one for fish, cheese etc. The market however has extended beyond the walls of the hangars and outside various other items are traded, from cigarettes to DVDs.
Written May 7, 2007
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The reason to come here is mainly to shop for towels of all shapes, colours and sizes. This is a factory outlet for a company that produces towels for export, particularly to the German market. There are more different types and styles of towels here than you can imagine, and the nice thing is that the choice is so different compared to Finland for example. Prices aren't too bad either.
What to buy: Towels, bath towels, tea towels....
What to pay: We paid about 10 euros for 4 small and 2 big bath towels.
Written May 5, 2007
Address: Ieriku iela 5/1
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What to buy: Amber is relatively rare in many parts of the world, but not so along the Latvian shores. The first time I went to Latvia fifteen years ago, I couldn't believe the amount of amber and the prices. But that was all in the rough back then. The jewellery wasn't too developed, and there wasn't many styles to choose from. Now it's a different story! Now you can get all the basic stuff you could back then, as well as fashionable items.
Nice stores stock the more sophisticated stuff, whereas the street peddlers sell the more basic. The prices vary accordingly, but still generally amber is better priced than in many other countries. As long as you get a nice item for a decent price compared to Western European countries you are still getting a good deal.
Written May 5, 2007
While not a blimp market the market is now housed in 5 Zepplin Hangars that were brought in from the town of Vainode in the western part of the country. Each one houses a specialty such as meats or produce etc. It is a great to spend the day wandering aound.
What to buy: Just wander though the place..this is a people market where the locals come for fresh food and other items
Written Apr 3, 2007
Address: Next to the train station
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If you're are looking for something beautiful to bring back home, try the soap shops of Stenders. It's a local factory where soap, bath salts and milks are handmade. You you choose from around 70 different scents.
What to buy: Soap in all scents, bath salts etc.
What to pay: less than 1LVL for 100g of soap
Written Feb 28, 2007
Website: http://www.stenders.lv
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The Central Market it one of the biggest in all of Europe and its really a place to visit even if you don't really want to buy something.
Of course you can get all kinds of local and imported foods aswell as souvenirs to take back home. You can also find cafés, hairdressers and a post office here.
There are lots of stalls outside the five big halls aswell.
What to buy: Delicious honey e.g.
Written Feb 28, 2007
in case , really helpful pharmacy when i needed once,
from their site:
Nordeķu aptiekā pēc individuāla pasūtījuma un ārsta izrakstītas receptes uz vietas pagatavosim zāles.
Operatīvi apkalposim organizācijas.
Labprāt piedāvājam prakses vietas farmācijas studentiem.
Adrese :Rīga Slokas iela 74-1
tel: 7453312
http://www.tutoaptiekas.com
What to buy: receptes
Written Jan 29, 2007
Address: Rīga Slokas iela 74-1
Phone: 7453312
Website: http://www.tutoaptiekas.com
Riga is famous for it's Amber and a lot of visitors will no doubt take a piece of Amber Jewellery home for a friend or a loved one, Prices Do compare Very Favourably but make 100% sure that what you are buying is the Real thing !! If in doubt Only buy from a Reputable dealer !!
Written Nov 10, 2006
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