The Baltic Running Adventure:
After Athens Half Marathon, I wasn’t going to stay away from a start line for long.
Somewhere along the way I’d remembered why I liked running in the first place, and my brain did what it always does: went looking for the next thing to fixate on.
There was just one rule. It had to be somewhere new.
I’ve become increasingly drawn to combining running with travel. The race is the reason I go; exploring the place is the bonus. A start line is the perfect excuse to visit somewhere I’d never otherwise choose.
Google: “European Half Marathons in May” – that search eventually landed me on Riga.
I’d already run the Tallinn Half Marathon in Estonia (2024), so another Baltic capital felt like a natural next chapter.
Then I looked at flights.
Getting to Riga that week was expensive.
£200+ expensive. Getting home afterwards was oddly cheap, which only made it more annoying. Spending that much on a flight for a European race weekend just didn’t sit right with me, and Riga was about to be crossed off the list.
Unless there was another way in.
That’s where Vilnius came in.
A flight from the UK to Vilnius was just £20.50. A cross-border bus from Vilnius to Riga was £8.49.
Suddenly the expensive Riga flight had become a cheap flight to Lithuania, and a (hopefully) scenic bus ride into Latvia.
Flights and baggage came to £83.03 in total via Ryanair (priority/cabin bags purchased for both legs).
Frankly, it was a no-brainer.
However, it did mean stretching the trip beyond just a few days. Base travel costs below:
- London Luton → Vilnius (Weds 13 May) = £20.50
- Vilnius → Riga FlixBus (Friday 15 May) = £8.49
- Riga → London Stansted (Weds 20 May) = £22.05
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My annual leave had just refreshed, work had been draining my life force, and six days off (Wednesday to Wednesday) was enough to turn a race weekend into a proper cross-border adventure.
Arrive early, leave late. Weary Wanderer style.
And then I realised I’d made the trip even better by accident.
With Estonia already complete, adding Lithuania on the way to Latvia meant I’d have visited all three Baltic states. In gaming terms, that’s a platinum trophy: every country unlocked.
Estonia 🇪🇪 Lithuania 🇱🇹 Latvia 🇱🇻
Not a bad little side quest.
One trip. Two new countries. One half marathon.
In this guide
Two Days in Vilnius
I landed in Vilnius a little before noon, HP bar running low, with a day and a half before the bus to Riga.
Getting into the city was straightforward. The airport journey was cheap and easy via Bolt, and once I reached the Old Town, everything was comfortably walkable. With a few hours to kill before check-in, combatting sleep deprivation and pretty miserable weather, I nestled into a nearby CAFFEINE (coffeehouse chain) and sought refuge.
I’d booked two nights for £92.57 at the HaPPy Inn Plentiful OLD Town Studio, a small, modern apartment in a residential pocket between the Old Town and the main shopping streets. A handy base for wandering, with somewhere to drop my bags and get settled before heading out.
Vilnius surprised me.
I’d expected the historic centre and grand European architecture, and it delivered both. What I hadn’t expected was how green it is. Walk far enough in any direction and you hit a river, a patch of woodland or a hill with a path up it.
The Old Town came first. The Gate of Dawn, Cathedral Square, Gediminas Tower and a never-ending supply of churches and cobbled streets. Rather than list it all, I filmed it.
Vilnius Old Town | 4K Walking Tour
Then there’s Užupis, the neighbourhood across the Vilnia that declared itself an independent republic on 1 April 1997. It’s the least touristy-feeling part of the city, and its constitution is displayed on a wall in a long row of languages.
My favourite clause: “Everyone has the right to make mistakes.”
Or: “A dog has the right to be a dog.” – I respect that more than most laws.
Leaving Užupis, I took a walk up through the trees. A ridiculous number of steps later (my legs counted, I didn’t) the Three Crosses appeared, with the whole of Vilnius laid out below me. Not ideal two days before a half marathon, but worth it. No real itinerary, just a vague idea of where I was going and enough curiosity to follow whatever looked interesting. It’s the sort of wandering I enjoy most when travelling.
Užupis & Riverside | 4K Walking Tour
And then, completely by accident, I found my favourite spot.
I’d been following the Neris looking for somewhere to watch the sunset and ended up near the White Bridge, next to a riverside sports area. Basketball, football, outdoor gyms, BMX and skate facilities, and plenty of locals actually using them. I stayed until the sun went down, watching people play, work out and get on with their evening.
Community vibes: top tier.
There was no tourist trail here. Just a neighbourhood using its own riverside, which felt a lot more honest than any viewpoint.
Two days wasn’t enough to properly explore Lithuania, but that was never the point. Vilnius was only ever the cheap way into Riga, and it turned into one of the best decisions of the trip.
Lithuania, “I’ll be back.” 😎
Vilnius to Riga by FlixBus
12:35 → 17:15 | about 4h40 | £8.49
On Friday I checked out @ 11AM, arranged a Bolt to Vilnius Bus Station and boarded the 12:35 FlixBus. The station was a serious operation, with plenty of signage and digital departure boards, so boarding the wrong bus took real effort. Once I’d confirmed I was definitely heading for Riga, I settled in with my stockpile of snacks, slept for a bit and watched Lithuanian countryside roll past.
Latvia: unlocked.
Arriving in Riga
The FlixBus rolled into Riga’s coach station at 17:15, and a 15-minute walk later I was at the apartment with five nights ahead of me and nothing to do except settle in.
I always book within walking distance of the start. No trains, no taxis and no road closures on race morning removes a surprising amount of friction. My apartment was in the middle of Old Riga, about ten minutes’ walk from the start line, which meant race morning was a stroll rather than a logistics exercise.
The place itself was a loft studio: exposed brick, a big wooden table and a raised bed up a staircase that made me wonder whether I’d booked an apartment or accidentally checked into a very stylish treehouse. After the miles I’d covered in Vilnius, a bit of comfort felt like a sound investment.
Five nights cost £301.19, by far the biggest single expense of the trip, but it was somewhere I genuinely wanted to come back to – Old Riga loft style design studio.
My first evening was deliberately quiet. I dropped my bags, picked up supplies from the Rimi round the corner (the race’s sponsor is also Latvia’s biggest supermarket chain, so it felt only polite) and headed to Casa Della Pasta, chosen purely because it was close and easy.
It turned into trip lore. A big plate of pasta cost around €10, and I kept ending up back there, each time bumping into other travellers who’d discovered the same place. Touristy? Absolutely. But sometimes the obvious option is obvious for a reason.
Afterwards I took a slow lap of Bastejkalns, the park and canal that wrap around the edge of the Old Town. No agenda. I’d arrived, I’d eaten, and it finally sank in that I was in Riga.
Race Weekend: The Expo
Saturday 16 May was expo day, and I have a ritual for it. Collect the bib, pick up the shirt, have a nose around, then head back to the apartment and lay absolutely everything out. Kit. Shoes. Nutrition. Headphones.
The less I have to think about on race morning, the better.
The expo was at the Rimi Olimpiskais centrs, a little way outside the city centre. I tried walking most of the way, but admitted defeat and jumped in a Bolt, underestimating the depth of the roads I’d soon be running down.
It wasn’t huge, but it felt like a proper international race event: vendors and activities around the edge, a big Nike presence, race branding everywhere and runners milling about getting ready. Bib collection took minutes. I scanned the QR code on my phone, checked my details and walked away with a bib with the timing chip built in. No faffing, which is exactly how registration should work.
There were flags from all over the world and a wall of runners’ names, where I spent half an hour (and a couple of chats with other runners) hunting for mine. Found it. That’s when the race got real.
The course map deserved a proper look. The half marathon was advertised as mostly flat, crossing the bridges and winding past Riga’s landmarks. After Athens, where the hills made their presence very clear, I was delighted to see those two words.
Mostly flat. I’ll take that.
Then came the obligatory pre-race photos.
Entry cost: €80.99 (£70.10), including the half marathon and the 2026 Artist T-Shirt.
A little pricey, but it’s genuinely one of my favourite race shirts, and I’ve worn it plenty since.
Pre-race dinner: Italissimo
Two Italian dinners in two nights isn’t a lack of imagination, it’s strategy.
I’d picked Italissimo from my Google research and made the trip specifically to try it, a short way out of the Old Town and en route home from the expo.
Unfortunately, there were no tables inside for a solo diner at short notice, but there was a bench and a small table outside. Good vibes detected.
It turned out to be the better seat anyway. Flowers lined the edge of the terrace, the evening was mild, and I had a table to myself with nowhere to be. Exactly the kind of calm you want 14 hours before a start line. Let the people watching commence!
I kept the order simple and familiar, because the night before a half marathon is no time to experiment. A big plate of spaghetti pasta covered in Parmesan was the main event, with grilled asparagus and mixed tomatoes with basil on the side.
It was filling, properly tasty and exactly what I wanted going into 21.1km. The meal came to around €35, a step up from Casa Della Pasta in both quality and price.
Really good. Highly recommended.
Tip: it’s popular with solo diners and small groups, so go early or book in advance. I’d turned up at short notice and only got a seat because the outside bench was free.
The Great Banana Hunt
I’d stayed at dinner longer than planned, and by the time I headed back towards the Old Town I’d remembered a crucial part of my routine.
Bananas. 🍌
My pre-race breakfast is a couple of bananas while I get ready (including one in the shower). Riga appeared to be having a city-wide banana shortage. I’d already seen other runners struggling to find them, so this had stopped being an inconvenience and become an actual problem.
With shops closing and supermarkets sold out, I set off on an increasingly desperate late-night search and eventually found a gas-station just outside of the center with the goods.
Four bananas. Crisis averted.
Tip: buy your race-morning food on Saturday afternoon. Everyone else has the same idea.
Back at the apartment, the ritual could finally kick in. Kit laid out. Bananas secured. Nothing left to think about at 7am.
Race Day
Staying in the middle of Old Riga meant no transport, no traffic and no cross-city navigation. I left the apartment around 7:30am and followed the growing stream of runners towards the start.
First up was bag drop on Dome Square. Sections were organised by the final digit of your bib number. Mine ended in 1, and the whole thing took minutes. Then came the usual start-area routine: portable toilets, runners warming up along the river, music, announcements and that familiar pre-race nervous energy.
The half marathon started at 9:30am, and by then the area was packed. Thousands of runners, a mix of excitement and the familiar question of why you’d voluntarily signed up for another 21.1km.
Then we were off. The opening section was busy, as you’d expect, but the field gradually spread out after the early bridge crossing and I found a bit more space.
That’s when Riga started to show off.
The Riga Half Marathon Course
Mostly flat, as advertised, and it felt that way. Long straights, broad avenues and relatively few tight turns made for a comfortable course.
But the flatness wasn’t what made it memorable. It was everything there was to look at.
We crossed bridges, passed landmarks and ran through historic Riga, modern Riga and plenty in between. I’d spent much of the previous few days exploring the city’s architecture, so seeing those same contrasts unfold along the route was a real highlight.
There were historic buildings, wide city streets and, particularly towards the more residential areas, some of the Soviet-era brutalist blocks I’d been so interested in exploring. It was one of those races where I could comfortably keep my head up and take everything in, rather than concentrating solely on the road ahead.
The atmosphere was excellent too. DJs, dancers and performers lined the route, with spectators gathering around the bridges and busier sections. It felt like Riga was genuinely showing up for its own event, with a real sense of local pride throughout.
Aid stations were plentiful, with water, sports drinks, gels and fresh fruit available along the way. Plenty of opportunities to refuel without having to think too hard about it.
The weather was another welcome change from Athens. Rain had been forecast, but it never really arrived. Instead, we got a cool, overcast spring morning that was pretty much ideal for running. No baking sun and no battling the heat.
My Race: 1:52:35
I finished in 1:52:35. That’s nowhere near my Athens time of 1:44:00, but for once, I didn’t really care.
I knew what I was working with. I’d ran a marathon back in March (2 months ago), but had done very little race-specific training since. Hiking Snowdon with the boys in April was about the extent of it. On top of that, I’d spent much of the trip exploring Vilnius and Riga, clocking up to 30-40,000 steps on some days.
There was no pretending I was going to turn up and smash a PB. Actually, that was quite liberating.
I wasn’t there to race the clock. I was there to enjoy the race.
By the numbers: 21.34km recorded on Strava, average pace of 5:17/km, average heart rate of 164 bpm and a fastest kilometre of 4:53.
The race felt better than I’d expected. I started cautiously, settled into a comfortable rhythm and found my strongest stretch around the middle of the course. By the later kilometres, my legs were beginning to remind me that training hadn’t exactly been extensive, but I still found another gear towards the end.
Crossing the finish line, I was genuinely happy. Not because of the time, but because I’d enjoyed the experience.
After the Finish
The finish followed the usual sequence: medal, race nutrition and a few quick photos. Then my body decided it had had enough.
Bag collection was surprisingly quick. The volunteers had a proper system in place, and my bag was back in my hands within seconds of presenting my bib number. Rare.
Somewhere around picking it up, it hit me that I’d just run 21km, and I threw up. Again.
I’m starting to think that’s simply part of my untrained half marathon experience, and Riga kept the tradition alive. Thankfully, once that little episode had passed and I’d got some fluids down, I felt much better.
There was still one important job: the official post-race photo, a race-day standard.
I joined what turned out to be a 30 to 40 minute queue, which is not what sports scientists recommend for recovery. But I’d come this far, I was getting the bloody photos.
Tip: if you want the finish-area photo, budget half an hour for the queue.
Eventually, food took priority. I grabbed a sizeable burger and a few drinks from the vendors around the finish area (for which there was plenty), spent a little time basking in my glory by the river, then headed back to the apartment to recover.
The real reward: steak at MEAT CHEF (self proclaimed “SEXIEST MEAT BAR IN RIGA!”)
I’d spent a few evenings researching somewhere special for a post-race steak & MEAT CHEF kept coming out on top.
It’s popular, and when I arrived they were fully booked for larger groups. *gulp* I half expected to be turned away as a solo diner, but they managed to find me a table by the window. As it turned out, it was probably the best seat in the house for watching the post-race city drift past.
It started with the bread: a soft, golden loaf served with a savoury spread. Absolutely divine, and I had to remind myself there was still a steak to come.
The main event was a roughly 200g Uruguayan ribeye, grilled hard enough to leave deep char marks and a peppery crust, finished with flakes of sea salt and a solo padron pepper. Alongside it came fried potatoes and asparagus.
It was luscious, properly filling and exactly what a body that had just run 21.1km was asking for.
The bill came to around €45, and I walked out in a fantastic mood.
Race recovery: questionable. Enjoyment: excellent.
Next stop was Esplanade Park, with live music, beer and a fan zone full of people celebrating. Arsenal had also beaten Burnley 1–0 that afternoon, so my medal ended up accompanied by a few beers and some football celebrations. That was only the start of that story.
Things to Do in Riga Beyond the Race
With the race out of the way, I had three days and nowhere I needed to be. Pretty much the best way to see a city.
My legs had opinions about stairs, but Riga’s Old Town is compact enough that it didn’t really matter. There was plenty left to explore.
Old Riga: The Postcard
Riga’s Old Town earns its postcard status.
Town Hall Square, the House of the Blackheads, the Three Brothers, Riga Castle and the Freedom Monument are all within comfortable walking distance of one another. It’s an easy area to explore at your own pace, particularly if you’re still recovering from a half marathon.
The architecture is beautiful, with plenty of history tucked into the streets and squares. The House of the Blackheads, for example, was originally built in the 14th century, destroyed during the Second World War and reconstructed in the late 1990s.
But what I enjoyed most was how quickly the postcard version of Riga runs out.
A short walk or tram ride away, I found the flea markets. Tables were piled with old cameras, medals, military kit, wartime memorabilia and Soviet relics. There was plenty to rummage through, and some rather unusual things for sale.
The Other Side of Riga: Purvciems
I hadn’t come to Riga just for the postcard, so I took the tram out east to Purvciems, one of the city’s large residential districts developed during the Soviet era.
This was the Riga I’d been hoping to find.
Huge concrete apartment blocks, faded murals and mosaics on the ends of buildings, older properties squeezed between newer developments, industrial yards and the occasional building that looked as though it had been left behind by another version of the city.
Some of the architecture was genuinely fascinating. The scale of the apartment blocks, the patterns and details on the buildings, and the contrast between residential streets and old industrial spaces made for a very different experience from wandering around the centre.
It isn’t a tourist attraction, and it doesn’t pretend to be. That’s the point.
The postcard shows you how a city wants to be seen. A district like Purvciems gives you a glimpse of how people actually live.
A Bit of Shopping
One of my traditions when visiting European cities for races is picking up a piece of running gear or a T-shirt as a souvenir.
In Riga, that meant a trip to the Olimpia shopping centre.
Getting there involved a walk across the city in some truly miserable rain, but it was worth the effort. There were plenty of sports and outlet shops, including Nike and Adidas, and I eventually found a rather ludicrous bright orange camouflage North Face running jacket for €39.99.
There may also have been a pair of leopard-print Nike running shorts.
I have no defence.
The race shirt still wins best souvenir, though. The 2026 Artist T-Shirt has become one of my favourites, and it’s had plenty of wear since the trip.
The Journey Home
With an 11:30pm flight, I checked out as late as I reasonably could, but had nowhere to leave my luggage. That meant spending much of the day carrying my bags around, which wasn’t ideal given how I was feeling after the previous night’s football celebrations.
A McDonald’s, another wander through one of Riga’s parks and a fairly low-key afternoon were about as ambitious as I could manage.
Eventually, it was time to head for the airport. Given my rather fragile state, a Bolt taxi was the easiest option. Cheap, straightforward and plenty of time to spare.
Not exactly a spectacular final day, but not every travel day can be a highlight. Simply being in Riga was a pleasure.
What Did the Trip Cost?
Before food, local transport and shopping, the core trip (8 days, 7 nights) came to £555.38.
| Expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| Flights (+ priority/cabin bags each way) | £83.03 |
| Vilnius → Riga bus | £8.49 |
| Rimi Riga Half Marathon entry + Artist T-Shirt | £70.10 |
| Vilnius accommodation — 2 nights | £92.57 |
| Riga accommodation — 5 nights | £301.19 |
| Core trip total | £555.38 |
The interesting part is where that money went.
Getting there was cheap. Flying straight into Riga that week was £200+ on its own. My alternative route — the flight to Vilnius followed by the bus to Riga — cost just £28.99. The catch was baggage: priority and cabin bags added another £40.48. If you can manage with just the free under-seat bag, there’s a decent saving to be made.
Accommodation was the big expense, and deliberately so. Riga worked out at around £60 a night, compared with roughly £46 in Vilnius. I wanted somewhere comfortable, right in the Old Town and within easy walking distance of the start. For five nights, I was happy to pay the extra. Sometimes the cheapest option isn’t necessarily the best value.
The race itself cost £70.10, including the 2026 Artist T-Shirt, which has turned out to be one of my favourite race souvenirs. It initially felt a little pricey, particularly as I was likely among the later entrants rather than benefiting from early-bird pricing. Having experienced the event, though, I think it was fair value. Organisation was excellent, the bag-drop volunteers were brilliant, and the facilities and support throughout race day were all spot on. Taken together, it was money well spent.
Food, drink, local transport and shopping aren’t included in the table above, so here’s my estimate of the rest:
| Everything else (estimated) | Cost |
|---|---|
| Food and drink | ~£200 |
| Local transport (Bolts) | ~£40 |
| Shopping (including the North Face jacket) | ~£100 |
| Other | ~£50 |
| Estimated total for the trip | ~£390 |
That brings the estimated total for the trip to £945.38, or roughly £118 a day across eight days and two countries.
Flights, accommodation, race entry, plenty of exploring, a new running jacket and a lot of pasta.
Not bad at all. Definitely wasn’t a budget trip by my usual standards, but worth every penny.
W&W Riga Half Marathon Scorecard
Every race I review gets the same scorecard, rated out of 5 from the perspective of a solo, mid-pack runner on the day.
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| 🏃 Course | 4.75/5 |
| 🏛️ Scenery | 4.75/5 |
| 🔥 Atmosphere | 4.6/5 |
| 📋 Organisation | 4.6/5 |
| 👕 Expo | 4.3/5 |
| 💷 Value for Money | 4.4/5 |
| 🏙️ City Experience | 4.8/5 |
| 🚶 Solo-Friendly | 5/5 |
| Overall | 4.7/5 |
Athens scored 4.5/5 on the same scale.
Would I Recommend the Riga Half Marathon?
Absolutely.
Especially if you’re looking for a race that can double as a proper city break.
The course is mostly flat, the atmosphere is excellent and Riga genuinely gets behind its event. The organisation was another highlight, from straightforward bib collection to an impressively efficient bag drop. The volunteers were brilliant, and everything on race day felt well organised from start to finish.
It’s also a great option for solo runners. Having accommodation within walking distance of the start made race morning incredibly straightforward, and the overall experience was easy to navigate without needing to rely on anyone else.
For UK runners, the wider trip can be surprisingly affordable. My flights, bus, race entry and accommodation came to £555.38, before food, local transport and shopping. Combining Riga with Vilnius or Tallinn turns a race weekend into a proper Baltic adventure.
I’d also recommend allowing more than just race weekend if you can. The contrast between historic Riga and the Soviet-era side of the city was one of my favourite things about being there. There’s considerably more to discover than you might initially expect.
Who it’s for: Runners looking for a well-organised international race, first-timers racing abroad, solo travellers and anyone who enjoys combining running with exploring somewhere new.
Who it isn’t for: Perhaps runners looking for a dedicated PB course above all else. Riga is a very enjoyable course, but for me, its biggest appeal is the overall experience rather than chasing a time. Honestly, there’s very little not to like.
Quick answers
- Is the Riga Half Marathon flat? Mostly. My elevation readings barely changed from kilometre to kilometre.
- How much does it cost? My 2026 entry was €80.99 (£70.10), including the Artist T-Shirt.
- Is it good for solo runners? Absolutely. It scored 5/5 on my scorecard.
- What time does it start? 9:30am.
I’d travelled to Latvia to run a half marathon. I left having done that, explored two new countries and their capitals, eaten an unreasonable amount of food and celebrated a Premier League title from a pub in Riga.
Somewhere in the middle of all that, I found the next piece of what I’d been looking for after Athens.
Athens was about falling back in love with running. Riga was about simply enjoying being a runner: 21.1km through a new city, thousands of other runners and plenty of people cheering us on.
That was enough.
The time was 1:52:35. Not my fastest, and it didn’t need to be.
Estonia 🇪🇪 Latvia 🇱🇻 Lithuania 🇱🇹
Baltic States: platinum trophy unlocked.
Enjoyed this? The Vilnius and Riga walking tours are on the Weary and Wandering YouTube channel. Subscribe if you want more of this kind of wandering.
