TRAVEL

THE LATVIAN CAPITAL IS EMBRACING ITS STATUS AS A THOROUGHLY EUROPEAN CITY

RIGA

Eastern Europe may not be the first place you think of as a gay travel destination, and I felt the same when I was invited to visit Riga. Although Latvia has been in the European Union since 2006, its history as part of the Soviet Union and its shared border with Russia means gay people can still view this part of the world as being a bit dubious – or associate it purely with stag parties, which locals are now discouraging on account of disruptive behaviour which, on many occasions, culminated in English lads pissing on their Freedom Monument. Cheers guys! Thankfully, Riga’s tourism industry is slowly understanding that gay travellers are much less hassle and Latvia became the first Baltic state to successfully host Euro Pride this June.

To get an unrivalled introduction to the city, take The Riga Culture Free Tour which departs from the Rainis Monument every day at 12 noon, and be guided around by Agrita Elijase – Riga resident and Attitude reader, if you don’t mind. This is the best way to get your teeth into a bit of the history, as well as cultural traditions and practises. A nation of singers, who proudly hosted the 2014 Capital of Culture, it’s estimated that the average Latvian goes to the theatre once a month. They’re also famed for their architecture – including 800 Art Nouveau buildings – which you’ll see on the tour.