We started our da with a Tour of the Old City with a local guide and walked through the narrow streets to the town centre. Founded in 1202 by Bishop Albert, head of the Order of Teutonic Knights, Riga still boasts a multicultural population. Our first stop was the Art Nuvo district around Old Town. The Art Nouveau movement began in Riga by 1899. Its peculiar features were the unusual shapes, flowing lines, floral motifs, the combination of fairy elements and ...

Today we travelled right across Lithunaia into Latvia for a stop in Pilsrundale to visit the restored baroque Place of Rundale, the former summer residence of the Duke of Courland. The palace was built by the great architect Rastrellli, who also designed the winter palace in St. Petersburg. In 1812 the palace was used as a hospital for Napaleon's army. Several soldiers who died in this hospital were buried in the park of the palace. A monument has since been b...