Travel 48 hours in Riga

2.30pm Just 130m from the hotel is Vecmeita Ar Kaki Restaurant (1 Maza Pils Street), a traditional Latvian restaurant.

3.30pm Admire the Old Town’s Art Nouveau architecture. The best examples are on Alberta and Elizabetes Streets. Tour two of Riga’s great churches: St Peter’s and Riga Cathedral.

6.30pm Enjoy a leisurely walk along Kalku Street, the Old Town’s main and most “touristy” street, with its shops, restaurants, clubs and street performers. This is the best place to buy souvenirs.

8pm Try the Skyline Bar (Elizabetes 55, www.skylinebar.lv), with its panoramic views of the city. Enjoy some Riga Black Balsam or good Latvian vodka such as Kristaldzidrais.

Saturday, 10am Grab a quick but filling breakfast at Pilis Bar within the Grand Palace Hotel, before taking a bus or train 20km to the small town of Jurmala. Savour the beauty of the Baltic Sea beach landscapes.

12.30pm Explore Jurmala’s main pedestrian thoroughfare, Jomas Street, before coffee at Café 53.

2pm Return to Riga by train or bus and visit the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia, 1940-1991 (www.occupationmuseum.lv, admission free), near both stations. Learn more of Latvia’s suffering under Nazi and Soviet occupation.

5pm Saunter back to the hotel, then dress up for a visit to the Latvian National Opera (www.opera.lv/en/) where performances usually start at 7pm.

10pm Enjoy a late meal at the Grand Palace Hotel’s smart Suite Restaurant.

Sunday, 10am Stroll along Pilis Street before heading to Riga International Airport.

THE FACTS Standard doubles with breakfast at the Grand Palace Hotel start at £120 per night. Fly direct from Glasgow Prestwick to Riga International Airport from £60 return, www.ryanair.com