Need cash when I land, best place in Latvia? Airport or places in the city?
When I first visited Latvia, I swapped £100 at Riga Airport and instantly regretted it after seeing city bureaus with much better rates. Since then, I just use SEB or Swedbank ATMs at arrivals and carry euros from home. Riga is so card-friendly I barely used cash, except for a night market and a few bus rides. The airport counters are only good if you’re completely out of euros - otherwise, avoid them and use ATMs or city bureaus instead.
Airport counters in Riga charge a premium. ATMs like Swedbank, Citadele, and SEB are widely available and safe. Latvia uses the euro, so if you already have euros, you don’t need to exchange at all. If you’re arriving with USD or GBP, exchange in the city at local bureaus for better rates. Riga and other towns are mostly card-friendly, but cash is useful in markets and smaller cafés. The smart plan is: withdraw from ATMs, keep €50-100 handy, and use cards everywhere else.
I landed in Riga and went straight to a Swedbank ATM at the airport. Worked fine with my foreign Visa. Later, in Old Town, I saw exchange bureaus offering slightly better rates than the airport counters. Honestly though, since Latvia uses the euro, I usually just bring some from home. Most restaurants, hotels, and even taxis in Riga take cards. I carried about €100 cash just in case, but 90% of my trip was cashless. Airport counters are unnecessary unless you’re desperate.
Riga Airport has exchange counters, but like most airports the rates are poor. ATMs from Swedbank, SEB, and Citadele are right in the arrivals hall and give euros at proper rates. I usually withdraw €50 for taxis and food, then rely on my card for the rest. Riga is very card-friendly, but markets, kiosks, and buses sometimes want small cash. Don’t waste money at the airport counter - stick to ATMs or city banks for better value.