Phillip knows this city. He is interesting, has a lot of fun facts and kept the tour very personal. We would highly recommend him.
Private tour in Riga Philip B
5.0
(8) reviews
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Philip B.
5.0
Guide rating
30
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Tours delivered
17 hrs
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Welcome to Riga! I grew up in Australia in a Latvian family, and when I came to Riga 25 years ago I fell in love with the place and never left! It's a place of stunning beauty (whatever the season - there are parks galore), fascinating history (did you know the guy who invented blue jeans came from Riga?), intriguing food (try the garlic rye bread or the hemp butter), sensational beer (I'll point you towards the best brewpubs) - and it is a joy for me to share it with visitors from around the world. In my 25 years here, I've worked as a journalist, a translator and for the last six years a tour guide. So telling stories is my thing, and there are lots of amazing ones in Latvia! Let me introduce you to the romantic, medieval cobblestone streets of the Old Town, the magnificent Art Nouveau buildings on the boulevards, delightful old wooden houses, freaky Soviet structures and much, much more! Please check out my tours, and if you like I can customize one to suit you perfectly. And please let me know if I can help in any other way. Looking forward to seeing you, Philip. Licensed Riga tour guide. None.
Have a question or want to customize this tour? Message Philip B.
A UNESCO World Heritage site, Riga's historic centre is a monument to human creativity over many centuries. On this tour, you'll experience wonderful buildings and stories about the people who lived in them. The tour starts in Riga's Old Town, a medieval pearl full of fascinating sights and stories. Discover why Riga's church steeples have roosters not crosses, which house Sherlock Holmes lived in, and where you can hear a girl who lived 400 years ago whispering - "I love you. . . " Then we wander through some luscious parks, where I'll tell you about the beavers in the canal, show you the Freedom Monument and explain how this symbol of independence survived Soviet demolition plans. Then we will explore Riga's Central Market. Its five giant pavilions offer a wonderful selection of local bread, cheeses, fish, pickles and much more, in a lively atmosphere. Then it's time to discover the Art Nouveau district, with magnificent buildings and awesome sculptures.
Phillip knows this city. He is interesting, has a lot of fun facts and kept the tour very personal. We would highly recommend him.
Great and kind guide with terrific info - highly recommend!
Philip was amazing. He had great communication prior to the tour and met us at the agreeable location outside the cruise pier. He is polite and friendly and always made sure we were near him walking around. He knows the area very well and is quick to point out so much about local history, architecture and anything else you want to know. He was always willing to take a quick break for a coffee or whatever else we needed and picked out a great place for lunch and even ice cream before heading back to the ship. I would highly recommend using Philip when in the beautiful city of Riga.
This was a great tour even with the on and off drizzling rain. Philip is a great guide and assures that you get an awesome day exploring Riga. This is another comprehensive tour where you will learn a lot and see the amazing beauty of the city. Your lunch stop will be amazing! We highly recommend this tour!
Really enjoyed the tour. Philip was very knowledgeable and made the tour equally enjoyable.
We would highly recommend Philip as a guide for anyone visiting Riga. He was friendly, knowledgeable, patient, and flexible. Philip listened to what our group wanted and was able to adjust the plan and offer a couple of different choices to make sure we all had a good time. When some in our group needed to sit or walk more slowly he was more than willing to accommodate us. And we felt we learned a lot from his interesting stories and the historical information he was able to share about the city.
The tour will start at the House of Blackheads, where we will discover how Christian Crusaders and Latvian pagans created the world's first Christmas tree! From there we will wander the lovely cobblestone lanes of Old Riga, seeing St. Peter's Church and its tower which has risen from the ashes, Doma Cathedral and its magnificent organ - just part of Riga's rich musical life - Riga's oldest houses the Three Brothers, and the reminders of the city's medieval fortifications. From there, we head through lovely parks to experience the emotionally-charged Freedom Monument, before heading to Riga's amazing Central Market. Finally, we discover the world's richest collection of Art Nouveau buildings, an effervescent style that brought joy to the world at the dawn of the 20th century.
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Walking
1C Eksporta iela, Rīga, 1010, Latvia
I can meet you at your ship, or in front of the House of Blackheads - I will be wearing an orange cap so you can easily recognise me!
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If your tour is valued over $200 USD and booked at least 45 days before the tour date, you can book with a 20% deposit!
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