Under $100: Riga, Latvia

The Latvian capital city of Riga is also the largest city of Baltic States, and one of the oldest, founded in 1201.

The city’s historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, renowned for its Art Nouveau architecture, 19^th-century wooden architecture and medieval old town.

Notable architectural sights, which can be seen for free, include Riga Castle, the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga, Līvu Square, the Latvian National Museum of Art and the Art Museum Riga Bourse. Also worth a visit is the radio and TV Tower of Riga — the tallest structure in Latvia and the Baltic States and one of the tallest in the European Union at 1,209 feet.

Riga is home to one of the largest and finest collections of Art Nouveau buildings in the world. From 1857–1914, more than 800 Art Nouveau apartment buildings were constructed around the former city walls — all beautiful and worth exploring.

While so much can be seen simply walking around Riga, there are several great museums worth checking out. For only $6, you can visit the Latvian National Museum, the largest collection of professional art in Latvia; and for free or a $3 guided tour, you can experience Latvian history during the reign of the Soviet Union from 1940–1991 at the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia.

Take a break from sightseeing for some coffee at Rocket Bean Roastery, located in Miera Street Republic, where they roast their own beans and serve delicious, cheap bites. There are a number of other great bars, cafes, restaurants, clubs and a microbrewery in the Miera Street Republic, also known as the Creative Quarter. Taka and DAD Café are bars and cafés serving great local beer and authentic Latvian cuisine for only a few dollars a dish.

There’s a large network of trams, buses, minibuses and trolleybuses across the city. While the old town area of the city is walkable, minibus tickets cost only around $1.15 per trip.