Latvian Flavours Journey: A Private Tour Into Latvia's Culinary Heritage
5.0
4 Ratings
Rīga
Embark on a private tour of Latvia's culinary heritage and indulge in the diverse flavors and tastes that have shaped the country's cuisine. From the central market to a post-Soviet style cafeteria, experience the unique blend of traditional Latvian dishes influenced by various cultures. Book now and come hungry!
Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Central Market (Centraltirgus) - This marketplace stands out as one of the rare primary markets in European cities that continues to operate as a genuine food market, rather than being transformed into a tourist-oriented spot peddling keepsakes. It offers a glimpse into the everyday shopping habits of the locals. As you wander through, you’ll get to sample a selection of indigenous Latvian delicacies that vary with the seasons and, if they’re to your liking, you can purchase some to take home. You’ll learn about the history of what was once (and still remains) the biggest market in Europe, including its construction and how it has withstood the widespread advance of supermarket chains.

You will also have the opportunity to delve into the dietary customs of the region. Experience a full Latvian meal, complete with multiple courses, and savor traditional dishes in an ambiance reminiscent of the post-Soviet era.

What's Included
  • Lunch included
  • Non-alcoholic beverages included
Additional Information

Embark on a private culinary journey exploring the authentic tastes and aromas unique to Latvia. Over the centuries, Latvian inhabitants have integrated culinary traditions from the German, Swedish and Russian cultures that once held sway here, even including elements from the Soviet era. Driven possibly by necessity, but also by appreciation for flavor, Latvians have developed their own distinct food customs. This tour will introduce you to all these. We begin with a leisurely stroll through the central market, relishing around 10 types of seasonal foods and drinks. Then we proceed to a canteen reminiscent of the post-Soviet period where you can savor a hearty meal of traditional Latvian dishes. As we primarily rely on seasonal produce, the specific foods offered may vary between tours, so the attached images should be viewed as a guide.

Location
Centrāltirgus iela 11
Centrāltirgus iela
Your guide will be waiting for you in front of the main entrance of Riga International Coach Terminal
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(4 Ratings)
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Texascountess
Sep 18, 2023
A Perfect Tour - Our guide, Harrisy, was amazing. He checked in with us prior to the tour to be sure we knew what to tell the cab driver. Very thoughtful. Interesting stories. Wonderful food. Very generous samples. We thoroughly enjoyed this tour and would recommend it very highly, particularly with this guide (whose name I am sure I misspelled.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Zo_f196
Aug 30, 2023
Amazing! - Harijs was such a lovely tour guide! Not only did he show us some traditional Latvian food at the market but the knowledge behind everything was amazing, nice to know why some food is popular and how it came about. I would definitely recommend this tour, and definitely recommend to try everything! My favourite is still the pie!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
C6674dkjamieb
Aug 30, 2023
Highlight of our trip to Riga - The highlight of our trip by far. Harijs was so lovely and informative for the whole tour. Not only explaining the food we were eating and seeing but also telling us about Riga and Latvia as a whole. The market is very interesting to see and the food was all lovely and different. We done this on our last day at Riga but I would recommend doing this day 1 as the information we got from this tour was better than the walking tour we had done around the city of Riga for understanding the culture and the people.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Szalrita
Apr 10, 2022
Best experience in Riga - Harijs is one of the best, if not the best, guides I’ve ever come across. He is a very intelligent, polite and friendly person. He has extensive knowledge on culture and history (and not limited to local history). His speech is very informative but as well entertaining. We were a private group and he adjusted the program to our needs. Though it must have been difficult to take a group to a place like the central market where everybody wants to wonder around and see the things they want to which definitely slows down a program, I haven’t noticed the slightest sign of impatience on him. It was a very comprehensive tour on Latvian food, history and everyday life of locals. Though most of these tours are carefully advertised as the amount of food is equal to a light lunch, on this tour we ended up with a full stomach. I can’t even count how many things we sampled and ate. All in all, I highly recommend any of his tours, you won’t be disappointed. It wouldn’t be nice to say something about guides in Riga since I don’t know any other than him but on the basis of my plenty of experiences in different countries I do believe that he is the best choice in Riga. I hope we’ll have the chance to go on a tour with him again. Ps: ‘honest tours’ might sound strange but what I understood is that he is really honest on a way that he wouldn’t recommend anything like places or merchandise that he himself didn’t go to or didn’t buy. His priority is your experience and he avoids tourist traps.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Select Date and Tickets
up to 8 guests
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May 2024
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