Riga Art Nouveau District

Around a third of central Riga was built in art nouveau, and nowhere is it denser or wilder than the Quiet Centre north of the old town. Whole boulevards carry masked faces, sphinxes, screaming stone heads and flowing plant forms, much of it by Mikhail Eisenstein, father of the film director.

What you actually see

• Alberta iela - the single most extravagant street, both sides lined with Eisenstein facades.
• Elizabetes iela - more Eisenstein, including the famous pair of monumental faces.
• The Art Nouveau Museum - a restored period apartment showing how people actually lived.
• Strelnieku iela - a towering blue-and-white facade, one of the most photographed in the city.

When to go

Year-round, since this is architecture; low sun in spring and autumn throws the ornament into relief. Mornings are quieter on Alberta iela before the tour groups.

Honest expectations

It is a district to walk and look up at, not a single ticketed attraction, so the pleasure is in wandering with your head tilted back. Many buildings are private apartments or offices, so interiors are mostly off-limits apart from the museum. Bring a wide lens or a good camera; the detail is all above eye level.

Nearby

The old town is a short walk south; the leafy Esplanade park and the National Art Museum sit right beside the district.