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Istanbul or Riga, which is better for your holiday in 2024?

Istanbul and Riga both offer unique and enticing experiences, but which one should you choose for your city break or holiday?

We understand your dilemma. There is an abundance of travel guides for both cities, but few actually comparing them, and advising you which is the better for your trip.
This article will provide our unbiased and independent views of Riga and Istanbul, hopefully making your choice that little easier.

The article is structured into several sections, each of which can be directly accessed through the following links:
• Introduction to the cities
• Scores and ratings
• Which one should I, friends, or family visit?
• When to visit and weather
• Who is the city suited for?
• The perfect 48hours (with map)
• Tourism details (where to stay? airport details?)

Introduction to Istanbul and Riga

Istanbul is one of the most captivating cities in the world, situated on the banks of the Bosphorus. It straddles Europe and Asia, offering a unique blend of East and West. The city's rich history is evident in its grandiose architecture, from the 6th-century Hagia Sophia to the 16th-century Topkapi Palace.

You can wander through ancient markets, explore the shadowy streets of the Ottoman Quarter, or relax in one of Istanbul's many parks. With its vibrant culture and stunning setting, Istanbul is a city that will stay with you long after you've left.

The Swedish Gate one of the original gates in Riga’s fortifications

Riga is a cool and collected Baltic capital Bridging both sides of the Daugava River estuary, its laid-back districts effortlessly flit from elegant Art Nouveau to stoic northern cottages built from wood.
But it's the Old Town area that really draws the eye. That's a web of cobbled alleys and hidden squares. Onion domes and Gothic belfries loom overhead in those parts, and hearty Latvian taverns slosh with beers and burst with dumplings in cellars beneath the flagstones.

Be warned that Riga has developed a reputation for stag and hen do weekending. If you travel during the summer, you're likely to encounter at least one group of boozed-up Brits.
But that shouldn't put you off. There are enough craft beer joints, bohemian cafes, and restaurants to go around. What's more, the old guild houses and haunting churches can balance the experience out with a dollop of culture and history.

The Blue Mosque in Istanbul

Riga castle stands along the Daugava River

Istanbul vs Riga: City Ratings

Summary
Where would I journey for a personal escape?
Istanbul
Where would I send my parents for a memorable visit?
Istanbul (via a guided tour)
Where's the ideal destination for my adventurous 19-year-old cousin?
Istanbul
Where should my food-obsessed friend indulge their culinary passions?
Istanbul
Note: The above comparisons are weather-independent and are based on travel during the most opportune times of the year. Details about the ideal travel seasons are elaborated upon later in this article.

In the sections that follow, you'll find a comprehensive comparison between these two fascinating cities. This includes recommendations on the duration of stay, the best times to visit, and tailored 48-hour itineraries for each city.
The final segment delves into practicalities for your travels, such as the best airport to fly into, the optimal districts for your accommodation, and insider tips, for when you come to explore the city.
We hope that you find all of this information useful, in planning your next exciting trip!

Destination details

How long to spend each city?

Riga might be the largest of the three Baltic capitals, but it's still a relatively small city. You can get from end to end in less than 40 minutes in the car, while the districts that are of interest to travellers are all within walking distance of each other.
That helps if you're only planning a short weekend away. Fly-in, fly-out city breaks are totally doable. In fact, a couple of days is what the majority of travellers come for.

If you want to explore for longer, you might want to come during the summertime. Not only can the winters here get downright cold (more on that later), but Riga is close to the some of the most celebrated beach resorts on the whole Baltic coast.

Istanbul is a city that you could spend weeks exploring and still not see everything it has to offer. Three days is the best length, however, if you only have one day to spend in Istanbul, you can still see some of its most iconic sights, such as the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar.

With two days in Istanbul, you could visit some of the city's most popular attractions, such as the Topkapi Palace and the Hagia Sophia. You can also take a cruise on the Bosporus Strait and explore the city's many markets and mosques.

The skyline of central Riga, with Riga cathedral at the centre

The Beyoglu district in Istanbul with the medieval Galata tower rising above this historic section of the city

When to visit?

The Baltic summers are a tamer version of the warm season in the south of the continent. It's pleasant here when the temperature squeezes into the low 20s. Then, Riga goes al fresco in earnest.
The cafes on the main squares in the Riga Old Town buzz with life and chatter. There are students and backpackers sharing stories in the beer bar gardens at evening. Those, coupled with the enticing beaches of Jūrmala, are all reasons to plan to arrive sometime between June and September.

Winter in this corner of the continent can be cold. Really cold. It's not uncommon to see whole weeks go by without the thermometers passing single figures, or even positive numbers! Snow is normal, too, so it's wise to pack underlayers and good boots to hit the sightseeing trail anytime from November onwards.

The average weather for Istanbul and Riga

The average rainfall for Riga and Istanbul – is it going to be wet?

When things get hot in Istanbul, things get really hot. In fact, it's not uncommon for summertime temperatures to creep over 30 degrees. What's more, June to August is when the crowds come, packing out sights like the Grand Bazaar.
The upshot here is that spring and fall reign as the top times in the calendar to plan a visit. March, April, September and October tend to be cooler, less busy and less expensive.

Winter can bring snows. Photographers will adore the city when it's blanketed, as the Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque look simply stunning under a sheen of the white stuff. However, the months from November to February can be bitterly cold, so off-season visitors will need to wrap up warm and forget having al fresco Turkish coffees on the street side.

Is it for me?

Riga does well to distil rich Baltic history, a touch of hedonism, and authentic culture into a bitesize destination. With a population of under 650,000, you're not going to have to navigate a colossal megacity to get stuck into the action here.
You can spend most of your time walking from sight to sight, and enjoy relaxed dining and nightlife scenes to boot. It's one for the more chilled traveller.

The flip side of all that is that Riga isn't some bucket-list-busting capital. It's not got huge, world-famous sights. Instead, it's about enjoying the atmosphere, the regional food, and the intriguing merchant heritage of the place. You also might want to steer clear of the city if you hate the sight of stag and hen dos. They are rampant between June and August especially.

Istanbul presents itself as an adventurous and unconventional getaway for European travellers, standing in stark contrast to the typical package holiday with pre-arranged accommodation by the sea.
Here, visitors are immersed in captivating Ottoman history and bustling bazaars, encouraging them to step out of their comfort zones and expand their horizons.

However, those seeking a compact, easily navigable city may find Istanbul overwhelming. Home to 15.5 million residents and spanning two continents, Istanbul is vast and sprawling, far from a small-scale destination.

The lively and chaotic Grand Bazaar in Istanbul

House of the Blackheads in Riga

The perfect 48hours

Hop between the charming plazas and Art Nouveau neighbourhoods of Riga with help from this curated itinerary. It lasts two days and includes most of the mainstream sights and some hidden extras for good measure:

Day 1: Breeze straight into the Riga Old Town. This medieval maze of a district is a fairy-tale place to be. It's also got a glut of sights. Start on the square topped by Saint Peter's Church. The oldest Christian building in the city, it's been rebuilt and reconstructed many a time.

You can scale the 120 or so metres to the top of the spire to get 360-degree views of the river, the capital, and even the Baltic coast. Back on ground level and a few streets over, you can see beautiful Town Hall Square. The most eye-catching building in the city looms on one side.
It's the so-called House of the Blackheads, where rich bachelor merchants held court for several hundred years. Delve inside for exhibits that unravel the enthralling past of the city since the age of the Hanseatic League.

Move northwards through Dome Square to have sunny lunches under the handsome cathedral building. Then push on to Riga Castle. First raised in 1330, it's gilded with additions that were built by the Swedish invaders of Latvia.

As evening closes in, you could opt to join the famous Riga Pub Crawl. They hit a number of underground Latvian taverns and then a pumping club.

The cobbled streets of Riga’s old quarter

Day 2: Hangover or not, you should rise early and make for the western area of Miera Iela. The cracked-plaster façades of the old buildings there herald what's surely the most hipster and creative corner of the city. Students and young professionals are everywhere, and there are some top brunch spots to kick start your morning. Then bear eastwards, back towards the Old Town.

On the way, you'll have to navigate Centrs district. Your first pitstop should be Alberta 12, where a grand edifice decorated with statues of nymphs and floral motifs commands the attention. It's one of the finest examples of the Art Nouveau style for which Riga is famous. Inside, you'll even find the Riga Art Nouveau Museum, which chronicles the architectural and design style from the turn of the century onwards.

Lunch can be had in the new town area to the south – Dzirnavu Iela especially has some charming café-bars and great shopping. The pretty walking paths of Vermane Garden can be perfect for an afternoon stroll if the sun is shining. They will take you all the way to the vibrant Pilsetas kanals garden, the home of the town's padlock-covered love bridge that's in good proximity to some hearty Old Town taverns for dinner.

The freedom Monument – the three stars represent the three regions in Latvia

The Art Nouveau on the Alberta 12

You can unearth some seriously jaw-dropping sights, taste some unforgettable food, and get a grounding in Turkish history with only 48 hours to spend in Istanbul.

Day 1: The perfect starting point is Sultanahmet, epitomizing the iconic imagery of Istanbul with its minarets and grand mosque domes. Dominating the skyline is the colossal Hagia Sophia, a historic gem with over 1,500 years of history, transitioning from an Orthodox cathedral to a mosque, and now a museum. Inside, visitors are captivated by exquisite mosaics and frescoes, with the dome, boasting a remarkable 30-metre diameter, being the centerpiece.

Directly to the south sits the majestic Blue Mosque, constructed in the early 1600s and still in use today. A short walk northwards takes you to the Topkapi Palace Museum, once the residence of Ottoman sultans, now a UNESCO World Heritage site commanding a magnificent view over the Bosphorus.

Ensure you make a stop at Tarihi Sultanahmet Kofta House, renowned since the 1920s for its traditional Turkish meatballs.

From there, it's not far to the Grand Bazaar. One of the world's largest markets, it's a haven for haggling and souvenir shopping, where lantern sellers converge on sari stalls and shisha houses.

Galata tower is at the heart of the Beyoglu district

Day 2: Big, modern Taksim Square starts day two with a sighting of what 21st-century Istanbul is all about. Be sure to take a glimpse of the honorific statue at its heart.

That's the Republic Monument, made to celebrate the foundation of the Turkish state in 1928. Nearby Istiklal Street has abundant choices on the food front, no matter if you're craving a gritty Turkish coffee or a regional breakfast spread of mezze cheeses, flatbreads, and olives.
It's also a busting artery of the city, with high-street shopping and a classic trolley car running its length. One thing you can't miss – literally! – here is Galata Tower. Built by the Genoese to protect their European strongholds from the east, it's a mind-blowing fortification that boasts sweeping panoramas from its top floors.

Your afternoon session should be dedicated to exploring the Bosphorus. There's really no better way to do that than on a boat. Some cruises even offer stops in Asian Istanbul and meals with the sunset to boot.

The entrance to the Blue Mosque

The Beylerbeyi Palace was the summer residence of the Sultan

Tourism Practicalities

Riga
Riga International Airport is the largest in all of the Baltic states. It's served by flights originating all over Europe, in Russia, and even the Middle East. Bus 22 and plenty of private taxi firms offer connections to the city, though you'll need to be wary of scam drivers who often crank up the price to €80 or more! The trip to the downtown from the terminals usually takes no more than 30 minutes.

You shouldn't need to deal with any public transport on a city break to Riga. The town is nice and compact, so a good pair of shoes and a willingness to walk is usually enough to get around. That said, there are streetcars, buses and minibuses on the same network. Grab yourself an e-talons ticket to use the lot. Each ride costs €1.15 and needs to be renewed if you transfer.

You'll almost certainly want to seek out a hotel in Riga Old Town. That will put you right in the thick of the action. We'd recommend steering clear of Audēju Iela, though.

It's vibrant and lively, but the pumping bars can make it hard to sleep at night. Quieter areas include the northern portion of the district and the streets around Riga Castle.

Riga castle is official residence of the Latvia President

Keep your guard up when walking around Riga, particularly after dark or a few beers. The capital is generally safe, but areas like Maskavas Forštate should be avoided. Pickpockets and petty theft, along with taxi scams, tend to be the biggest dangers of all.

The modern Istanbul New Airport is the main hub serving this big city. It handles the largest amount of air traffic in Turkey, so expect to find lots of connections in from Western Europe and beyond. Regular shuttle buses link the terminals with the downtown in around 50 minutes to one hour, but, be warned, travel times can vary greatly depending on traffic. The smaller Sabiha Gokcen International Airport hosts most of the services coming in from across the Middle East. It's over on the south side of the metropolis.

Public transit in Istanbul is just what you might expect from a vast, consistently expanding megacity. The best way to go about getting from A to B is to bag yourself an Istanbulkart. It's an all-in-one pass to the town's multi-faceted transport networks, allowing holders to use buses, trams, trains, metros, and even a few of the ferries. You'll need to buy your card from a kiosk and then top it up with credit to make journeys.

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque

Istanbul's tourist areas suffer from the same scams as many other European cities. Fake guides, pickpockets and unregistered taxis are particularly common, so be sure to have your wits about you when sightseeing. Be wary when converting cash in the Old Town area too, because extortionate commission rates and even fake banknotes have been reported.

Choosing a hotel in Istanbul really depends on what you want. Sightseeing in Sultanahmet is what most people come for and there are loads of hotels to pick there, even if paying a premium is normal. Beyoglu is better if you're after chain hotels and boutique stays, and it's right on the more modern and happening part of town. Asian Istanbul will likely be cheaper, but also a ferry ride from the most famous attractions.