Riga canal boat tour

Riga's City Canal started as a moat dug in 1650 to brace against a Russian invasion – today it's a quiet loop of parkland and water that a boat tour follows around the edge of the Old Town before heading out onto the Daugava River.

From defensive moat to city park

Swedish authorities, then ruling Riga, ordered the moat dug in 1650 as part of the city's fortifications against an anticipated Russian attack. It stayed a working part of the city's defences for two centuries, but modern artillery made the old ramparts obsolete by the mid-19th century, and once they were finally demolished in 1857, the moat was reshaped into a decorative canal with gardens and parkland along its banks – including Bastion Hill, landscaped on the site of a former defensive bastion. The canal that survives today runs about 3.2 kilometres and roughly 2 metres deep, crossed by 16 bridges as it separates the Old Town from Riga's newer centre.

Onto the Daugava

Past the canal, the boat continues onto the Daugava River, the wide waterway running along the edge of Riga's Old Town, for a different vantage point over the city's skyline – spires, rooftops and bridges seen from the water rather than the street, with a welcome drink and audio guide included along the way.

Booking

The canal and river boat tour runs between 50 minutes and 2 hours depending on the departure, with a welcome drink and audio guide included and two starting points along the canal to choose from. Want the Old Town's buildings and history on foot too? Pair it with the Old Town walking tour the same day.