Riga Central Market

Riga Central Market (Centraltirgus) at Negu iela 7 in the Maskavas Forstate district of Riga, Latvia, is often described as Europe's largest market by area. It occupies five former Zeppelin hangars built in the 1920s from the military hangars at Vaivari, which were re-erected here as huge arched pavilions, along with an open-air section around them. The market is part of the UNESCO-listed Historic Centre of Riga and sits between Riga Central Station and the Daugava river, about 5 minutes on foot from the station and 10 from the Old Town. Each pavilion has its own specialty. One is devoted to meat and sausages, another to fish, including smoked fish, a third to dairy products, and a fourth to fruit, vegetables and pickles, while the fifth is a mix with bakery and delicatessen stalls. Visitors can try Latvian staples such as dark rye bread, smoked eel and sprats, sour cream and curd snacks, honey, forest berries and mushrooms in season. Outside, stalls sell flowers, clothing and household goods, and the neighbouring street food and cafe stalls offer cheap hot meals. A visit usually takes one to two hours, longer for people shopping for picnic supplies or photographing the cavernous halls. The best light for photography is inside the fish pavilion and under the arches in the morning. Stalls are fullest and the produce best on weekday mornings before 11:00; Saturdays are busier with locals, and the market quietens toward closing time, when some vendors lower prices. Pavilions are open Monday to Saturday from 7:30 to 18:00 and Sunday from 7:30 to 17:00. Prices are generally lower than in Old Town shops, and cash is still widely used, though many stalls take cards. Visitors should keep bags closed in crowded aisles.