Today I am going to tell you exactly why you should go to Riga for your hen do, in fact, I’ve summarised 5 main reasons why, based on my own personal experience!
When I got engaged there were three main thoughts that instantly came to my mind.
1- where shall we go on honeymoon?
2- should we get married abroad or at home?
3- where should I go for my hen do?
Can you tell I am a bit of a travel addict…?!
If you don’t know me, you will know that I don’t need much of an excuse to travel! But Riga isn’t just for the travel lovers out there… I recommend this as a fantastic hen do location, not only because I love travelling, but also because there is so much to do there and it’s so much fun!
5 Reasons Why You Should Go To Riga For Your Hen Do
Let me start by explaining that it was me who chose Riga for my hen do destination. I know that traditionally this is the maid of honour’s job… but my OCD took over! I did, however, hand over all organisation to my sister (aka Maid of Honour) once the flights were booked and paid for.
So, here are the five main reasons why I chose to go to Riga, and why you should choose Riga for your hen do too!
1- Riga is a cheap hen do destination
When I was looking at appropriate hen do destinations, the thing that concerned me most was cost. This wasn’t necessarily because I couldn’t afford to spend money (I had JUST paid off all of my debts(!), you can read more about that here), but because I didn’t want to put off my friends and family. And lets face it, a hen do isn’t a hen do without your nearest and dearest by your side!
Riga makes for a fantastic hen do destination financially on two accounts.
Firstly, it’s cheap to get there. Due to the high number of Latvian’s residing in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, there are plenty of flights available at a reasonable cost. The major airlines all fly there, including the budget airlines. I flew with Ryan Air in half term (peak travel time!) for around £60 return. I have friends who have spent way more than that travelling from London to Manchester or Liverpool on hen dos, so I count that as a bargain!
Secondly, I recommend Riga for your hen do because the cost of living in Latvia is low. You can get an idea of how much things cost by clicking on this link. This lower cost of living means that you won’t need as much spending money as you would in other major European cities that are popular for hen dos such as Barcelona, Dublin or Budapest. Activities cost less, accommodation costs less and those all important drinks cost less too! Winning!
2- There are more men than women in Riga
Riga is super popular for stag dos, but not so much for hen dos. In all honesty, I’m not quite sure why this is the case. But what this does mean, is that men out-number women by about 10:1!
When you go to the clubs there will be no shortage of men to dance with. There will also hopefully be a few of them offering to buy you drinks! This is also great news for the single hen who is on the lookout for a man!
3- Riga has great nightlife for your hen do
There is a great selection of nightlife in Riga. Some of Riga’s bars are set in former factories, warehouses, music schools and other unique buildings that were originally built for other purposes. Aristīda Briāna Street is where several bars and clubs are located, including a craft brewery, so I would recommend you venture over that way during your hen party.
During our trip we visited a range of nightlife venues. We sampled local beer in the pubs. We went to a restaurant in an underground restaurant where they had traditional cuisine from the middle ages. We went to a rooftop cocktail bar. We went to a karaoke bar. We went to a nightclub. Whatever your choice for nightlife is, Riga probably has it! ( we also dressed up as Cabin Crew due to my former Cabin Crew career!)
My hen do was Saturday-Monday. Whilst the Saturday night was really lively, the Sunday night was a lot quieter. I’m not sure if this is the case all year around (we were there in October half term), but it is worth baring in mind when planning your trip.
4- Riga has all of your traditional hen do activities
You can do all of the traditional activities of a hen party if you go to Riga for your hen do.
Amazon have some great decoration packages if you want to make the bride-to-be’s room look special, such as these. You can also pack in your luggage all of the usual hen do sashes, learner plate signs etc.
My hen do was great because we had an action-packed itinerary, which is just the way I like my trips to be! (for more on my travel adventures follow me on Facebook or Instagram)
We (obviously) spent time in the bars and clubs, but we also explored the old town, did cocktail making, went quad biking and went to a spa. I also wanted to do bob-sleighing but unfortunately this was closed when we were there.
You can buy all of the traditional hen activities in Riga too such as strippers, belly dancing, pub crawls, escape rooms, party buses etc. This website is pretty useful for listing all of the available activities.
Alongside this I’ve seen some pretty cool activities for stags, which I’m sure could be adapted for hens! This includes firearm shooting, beer bikes and even a role play activity where the stag thinks he has been kidnapped! This website has some great details of stag activities that could give you some inspiration when planning Riga for your hen do.
5- Riga also has some unique hen do activities
I loved that I did some unusual things on my hen do!
I learnt about the culture of Latvia and some of the history of the country, which for me, is an important part of travel. And of course, I collected my obligatory Lonely Planet guidebook to help in this regard!
I also loved the medieval restaurant that we went to. This helped make my hen do in Riga extra special as it was a unique activity that I will always remember.
The bobsleigh activity would also have been really unique so I was gutted that we didn’t get to do this… a good excuse to go back another time I guess!
Riga for your hen do: The outcome
All in all, I would absolutely recommend Riga for your hen party! It is cheap, there’s loads to do and there are lots of men! What more could you ask for!! Do you have any questions about having a hen do in Riga? Drop them in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer!