The 5 Best Riga River Cruises

1.Canal Boat Sightseeing Tour With Audio guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,827 reviews · 1 hour · from $10Our pick

Spend one hour aboard a small eco-friendly canal boat, cruising from Kronvalda Park through Riga’s canal and onto the Daugava River. You’ll pass the Freedom Monument, Central Market, Riga Castle, Kipsala, bridges, and port. Bring a smartphone and headphones for the multilingual audio guide, then ask the captain your Riga questions.

“I had a nice one hour scenic boat ride on the canal and the river and got to see Riga inside and outside. capturing lots of photos. The captain of the boat was experienced and we had a smooth sail. I would highly recommend to do this tour and its value for money. Always take a jacket even if its summer as it gets a bit breezy and cool.”

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2.Canal Boat Tour with Drink & Old Town Audio Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 684 reviews · 50 min · from $13

Cruise Riga’s canal and Daugava River for 50 minutes on a small wooden boat, passing 19 bridges, the Freedom Monument, Opera, Central Market, and Riga Castle. An English boat audio guide, welcome soft drink or water, and a separate 13-stop Old Riga walking tour audio guide are included. Prosecco, beer, or hot wine costs €1 extra.

“I was a bit weary as a solo traveler since they only had 2 reviews when I booked, but since there was a promo for 50% off I decided to risk it. The ride itself is about 40 minutes and takes you from the river through the Old Town canal. The weather was perfect for our ride. The staff was lovely. I would definitely recommend checking it out on your visit to Riga!”

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3.Canal Boat Tour with Welcome Drink & Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 565 reviews · 50 min · from $9Best value

See Riga from a 100-year-old boat as you cruise the canal and Daugava River past the Opera, Freedom Monument, Central Market, bridges, and Riga Castle. Your $9 ticket includes a water or soft drink and English audio guide. Guides such as Pavel and Olek add friendly commentary, though the speaker can be hard to hear at the back.

“The boat trip took a nice route along the canal and back along the river, so we could see alot of the waterfront sights. Getting a drink included for the price was also a nice touch. There was an audio recording in English which gave commentary about the main sights we passed.”

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4.Canal & Daugava Cruise on a Historic Wooden Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 496 reviews · 1 hour · from $20

Spend one hour aboard an original wooden boat on Riga’s City Canal and Daugava River. From Bastejkalns, you pass the Freedom Monument, Opera, Central Market, Spīķeri, Old Town, Riga Castle, Kipsala, and Kronvalda Park. An audio guide is available in five languages. Bring headphones, and pack a jacket for the cooler river section.

“got to see a lot of the city in a relaxing mode of transportation”

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5.Boat Trip to Jūrmala or Back to Riga – River Cruises Latvia

★★★★★★★★★★3.3 · 10 reviews · 2h 30m · from $23

Travel from Riga to Jūrmala’s Majori district aboard ELIZABETE, a modern 40-passenger boat with heating and a climate-controlled indoor lounge. The route passes Riga’s port, Ķīpsala, Bolderāja, Buļļupe, the White Dune, and Jūrmala’s riverfront. Depart Riga at 10:00 or return from Jūrmala at 18:00.

“Matka sujui hyvin, oli mukavaa nähdä kaupunkia sen ulkopuolelta.”

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