The 7 Best Boat Tours Riga, Latvia - She is Lost Around the World

I’ve been to Riga three times and spent more than two months in the city, so I’ve had plenty of time to see what is actually worth doing here. A boat tour in Riga is one of the easier activities to add to your itinerary, especially if you want to see the city from a completely different perspective.

There are several options, from simple canal sightseeing cruises to sunset trips and longer cruises on the Daugava. In this guide, I’ll share the 7 best boat tours Riga and what I’d choose depending on the type of experience you want.

Boat Tours Riga: Quick Picks

Category	Boat Tour
Best Overall	Riga: Historic Canal Boat Tour with Audio Guide
Best for Sightseeing	Riga: Canal & River Electric Boat Tour
Best Traditional Experience	Riga: Canal & Daugava Cruise on a Historic Wooden Boat
Best Sunset Cruise	Riga: Canal and Daugava River Sunset Boat Cruise
Best for River Views	Riga Panorama Trip
Best for a Relaxed Evening	Riga Sunset 1 h Boat Cruise with Bar and WiFi
Best for a Longer Cruise	Riga: Daugava Boat Evening Cruise to the Gulf of Riga

The 7 Best Boat Tours Riga

Historic Canal Boat Tour with Audio Guide

This is the boat tour in Riga I’d recommend first if you want a simple way to see the city from the water.

The cruise takes you through the Riga Canal and onto the Daugava, passing several of the city’s main sights along the way. There’s also an audio guide, so you can actually learn a little about what you’re seeing rather than just sitting on a boat and watching the city go by.

You also get a welcome drink, which is a nice little extra.

Best for: First-time visitors, sightseeing, and a simple introduction to Riga from the water

Book Here: Riga Historic Canal Boat Tour

Canal & River Electric Boat Tour with Audio Guide

If you mainly want to see Riga from the water, this is another straightforward option.

The electric boat takes you through both the canal and the Daugava, with an audio guide available during the trip. It’s a good choice if you don’t particularly care about having a fancy boat or sunset atmosphere and just want to do a sightseeing cruise.

I’d compare this one with the first tour based on the departure time and price.

Best for: Sightseeing, first-time visitors, and a straightforward canal cruise

Book Here: Riga Canal & River Electric Boat Tour

Canal & Daugava Cruise on a Historic Wooden Boat

This is the one I’d choose if the boat itself is part of the experience for you.

Instead of a modern sightseeing boat, this cruise uses a historic wooden boat and combines the Riga Canal with the Daugava River.

The route is similar to some of the other sightseeing cruises, but the boat gives it a completely different feel.

If you’re choosing between several very similar canal tours, I’d probably pick this one simply because it feels a little more interesting.

Best for: A more traditional experience, couples, and travelers who want something different

Book Here: Riga Historic Wooden Boat Cruise

Canal and Daugava River Sunset Boat Cruise

If you want to take a boat tour in Riga at sunset, this is the one I’d look at first.

The route combines the canal and Daugava River, but going in the evening means you get a completely different atmosphere from the daytime sightseeing cruises.

This is a good option if you’ve already spent the day exploring Riga and want something relaxed to do later without planning another complicated activity.

Best for: Sunset, couples, evening plans, and relaxed sightseeing

Book Here: Riga Canal & Daugava Sunset Cruise

Riga Panorama Trip

This cruise is more focused on getting out onto the Daugava and seeing Riga from the river.

Rather than making the canal the main attraction, this is a better option if you want wider views of the city from the water.

I’d choose this one if you’ve already done the classic Riga sights and want something a little different.

Best for: River views, photography, and seeing a different side of Riga

Book Here: Riga Panorama Trip

Riga Sunset 1 h Boat Cruise with Bar and WiFi

If you don’t really need a sightseeing tour and just want to spend an hour on the water, this is probably the more relaxed option.

There’s a bar and WiFi on board, making this less about ticking off attractions and more about having a drink and enjoying Riga from the water.

I’d choose this for an evening rather than as your main sightseeing activity.

Best for: A relaxed evening, drinks, couples, and sunset

Book Here: Riga Sunset Boat Cruise

Daugava Boat Evening Cruise to the Gulf of Riga

This is the option to consider if you want more than a short city sightseeing cruise.

Instead of staying around the central canal and river area, this evening cruise heads out along the Daugava towards the Gulf of Riga.

It’s a much longer experience, so I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone visiting Riga for a short trip. But if you’ve already seen the main sights and want to spend an evening on the water, it’s a completely different option from the standard canal tours.

Best for: Longer cruises, evenings, and travelers who want something different

Book Here: Daugava Evening Cruise to the Gulf of Riga

How to Choose a Boat Tours Riga

When choosing between boat tours Riga, I’d keep it simple.

If it’s your first time in the city, I’d go for one of the canal and Daugava sightseeing cruises.

If you want something more unique, choose the historic wooden boat.

If you’re looking for something to do in the evening, I’d go for one of the sunset cruises.

And if you’ve already explored Riga and want to see more of the river rather than repeat the usual sightseeing route, the Riga Panorama Trip or longer Daugava cruise would make more sense.

Boat Tours Riga: Final Thoughts

If you’re looking at boat tours Riga options, I don’t think you need to overthink it. The classic canal and Daugava cruises are the easiest choice if you want to see some of Riga from the water, while the historic wooden boat gives you a slightly more interesting experience.

Personally, I’d choose the Historic Canal Boat Tour for a first trip and the sunset cruise if I wanted something more relaxed.