Riga’s Literary Treasures: Must Visit Bookstores on a Trip to Latvia’s Capital
Photo Credit: Gilly on Unsplash
This was my first visit to Riga, the capital city of Latvia, and chances are, if you’re reading this looking for Riga bookstore recs, you’re a bookish nerd and avid traveler too. If you’re reading because you’re part of the BAMTP community already and you’re curious, let me tell you: GO! Books aside, Riga is such a charming city, with a ton of beautiful city parks, and gorgeous architecture. I was there to speak at a conference, but I still managed to sneak away and visit a couple beautiful bookstores, which I’ll share below, as well as one I wasn’t able to get to! If you’re wanting to include an immersive bookish experience to your trip to Riga, here are some literary havens for you to explore (scroll to the bottom to see what six books I came home with, including one in Latvian!):
Janis Roze
K.Barona iela 5, Rīga Latvia LV-1050
If you're looking for a bookstore with English and Latvian titles, multiple floors, and friendly staff, Janis Roze is a must visit. Established in 1957, it's one of the oldest bookstores in Riga. You'll find a wide range of genres, including fantasy, science fiction, and classic literature. I was so excited when I saw their massive fantasy collection, so I definitely snagged some incredible finds here! There’s also multiple locations, but this was (possibly?) the main branch, and also had a journal shop next door (they are not connected, so you do have to exit and enter from the street).
Valters un Rapa
Aspazijas bulvāris 24, Centra rajons, Rīga, LV-1050, Latvia
If you’re more of a stationery and cute gifts kind of bookstore enthusiast, this is the one to head to. There’s also a little coffee shop attached if you need to beat the jet lag aptly named, Caffeine. Unfortunately, they didn’t have a fantasy book selection, which I was disappointed in, but they did have a lot of history and non-fiction, and lots in Latvian, so if that’s your jam, head here. Side Note: I loved this little owl!
Now for the bookshop I wasn’t able to check out, but you should:
Robert's Books
Dzirnavu iela 51, in courtyard, Rīga, LV-1010, Latvia
This is probably the one I’m most sad about missing! It’s a used bookstore that focuses on English-language books, which is pretty much my favorite kind of bookstore (I’m still on the hunt for the 1978 hardcovers of The Lord of the Rings box set)! Located in the heart of Riga's Old Town, there’s apparently creaky wooden floors and yummy looking coffees on their Instagram, so if I every get back to Latvia this will be one of my first stops!
And now for the big reveal! What books did I end up coming home with?! Here are the spoils:
Pan’s Labyrinth by Guillermo del Toro and Cornelia Funke - This is one of my favorite foreign language films of all time, and I cannot wait to read this!
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros - I HAD to snag this paperback version since it’s not available in the U.S.! (Don’t forget to check out Valor & Lore’s officially licensed Fourth Wing collection!)
The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan - This grim dark fantasy is on my list of fave reads for 2023, and since I read it from the library, I wanted to snag a copy of it—plus it was a nice paperback that, once again, you can’t get in the U.S. yet!
The Adventures of Amina Al-Sarafi by Shannon Chakraborty - The UK cover is a must have for this one, and I’ve been waiting to get it.
The Burning God by R.F. Quang - I’ve been slowing getting the UK covers of this trilogy, so only one more to go!
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien IN LATVIAN! As some of you know, I collect copies of a few different books, and often in other languages when I travel, so this was a no brainer and it’s such a pretty edition!
Have any other bookstores in Riga, Latvia you’d recommend people visit? Drop your recs in the comments!
