Boat trips along the Daugava River and Riga Canal are one of the most popular leisure activities in the capital. Both large panoramic ships and cozy wooden canal boats, as well as active recreation equipment are available.
Popular passenger ship operators
River Cruises Latvia has been a popular provider of water tourism and passenger transportation in Riga since 2013. The company’s fleet includes both spacious and smaller passenger ships, as well as canal boats for leisurely city routes. Trips are provided on the pleasure boats Vecrīga, Mississipi, Elizabete, Agnes, as well as canal boats Amber Rīga, Aurora, Arabella and Annabella. Rowboat and catamaran rentals are also available on the Riga Canal.
Riga River Tour offers boat rentals and regular trips along the Daugava River and on routes to Jurmala. The fleet has ships that can accommodate up to 150 passengers, providing space both on the open upper deck and in the cafe area. Leisure trips are carried out on the comfortable berths of Liepāja, Jelgava and Horizonts. Reservations for organising banquets can be made by filling out the application form on the website or by phone.
Riga By Canal organises trips on historically designed boats that accommodate small groups of passengers, usually starting in the city centre at Bastejkalns. Sail through the heart of Riga on one of the operator’s romantic boats: Lisbeth, Laima, Rebeka, Darling and Maria. Each trip lasts about 50 minutes. Blankets are available for passengers in cool weather. A combined leisure trip is also available via boat + bus.
The most common routes are short city panorama trips and longer seasonal trips along the Daugava to Jūrmala, Mežaparks or Jūras vārtu.
Popular kayak rental options
Kayak rental in Riga is available at several sites along the Daugava, the city canal, Lucavsala and Buļļupe. In Andrejosta, Lūzumpunkts Laivas and Advaita Adventures offer kayaks for exploring the city canal and the Daugava. In Pārdaugava, visit Laivinieks to rent canoes, kayaks and SUPs. In Lucavsala, kayak rental is available from SUP Guru and Windserfings. In Buļļupe, boat and kayak rental is offered by Buļļu Laivas.
Before you set sail, check the rental conditions and application procedure because opening hours, prices and included equipment may vary.
