I Explored 9 Countries In 2025: This Trendy City That Feels Like Paris Was The Biggest Surprise

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Let's not kid ourselves — some cities carry artificial nicknames that don't live up to the hype.

How many ‘Venices' can there really be?

Just because there's a scenic canal splitting a timeless townscape, declaring it's a Venice dupe rarely conjures the same romance as the real deal.

The same can be said for Milan (Italy's ‘New York') and Madeira (Portugal's ‘Hawaii') among a laundry list of others…

Sure, they're incredible in their own right, but is there a need to slap a moniker on them all?

No matter what the right answer may be, I had the pleasure of exploring 9 countries in 2025 and there's one city dubbed the ‘Paris of the Baltics‘ that surprised me most.

Paris is a hard name to live up to — some would say impossible. But this delightful capital takes the best of France's renowned elegance and oozes its own charm and architectural flair, creating one of Europe's trendiest cities to visit — with good reason.

Why Riga, Latvia Left Such A Lasting Impression

For comparison's sake, these are all 9 countries I visited in 2025:

• Mexico (duh!)
• Panama
• St. Lucia
• Germany
• Czechia
• Denmark
• Finland
• Estonia
• Latvia

While Estonia completely blew my mind, my girlfriend and I felt we knew what we were signing up for in Lord Farquaad territory.

Neighboring Latvia, on the other hand, was an unexpected surprise and one we didn't want to end.

Yes, Christmas is over, but if you're the type that dreams of market-hopping during the holidays, Riga should be #1 on your wishlist.

Don't get me wrong, as you can see above, we had an unforgettable time indulging in Christmas market after Christmas market from Helsinki to Prague, but Riga's especially felt plucked from an Old World fairytale as vendors were draped to the gills in Hanseatic-inspired wool cloaks and everything from pig snouts to steaming stews were bubbling in iron cauldrons.

But since the holidays are over, we won't turn back the clock to Christmas too much. Just keep it on your radar for next year…

There's far more than meets the eye in Riga, even as enticing as it may be to spend all your time devouring sausage and throwing back endless cups of mulled wine, trying to enjoy Mariah Carey for the 14th time.

The truth is, Riga does emanate Paris vibes.

No, there's no Eiffel Tower and some locals were indeed as curt as Paris's reputation (you know who you are, lady!), but with rows of Art Nouveau overload, grand avenues, leafy parks, and sidewalk cafe culture that carries on even in a light drizzle, there's no doubt you'll feel tinges of Paris throughout the city — all without crowds or high prices.

It's truly a delight to explore its cobbled back-alleys and vibrant boulevards in rain, sleet, snow, or sunshine.

Europe's Largest Market Is A Must-Visit

Who would've thought Europe's largest market would be smack dab in the Baltics?

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Riga Central Market is a must-visit, whether you're a foodie or not, or if you need somewhere warm indoors to escape the winter chills.

Comprised of more than 3,000 trade stands across its indoor pavilions and outdoor spaces, there's something for everyone.

While it's impossible to go hungry here, there are large areas for souvenir shopping too.

But if you are a foodie like me and love to eat local rather than see if American fast food is just as bad overseas, Riga Central Market is just the place not only to sample Latvian delicacies, but practically all of Europe.

No matter if you're into canned fish from Portugal, a slice of Jamón Ibérico from Spain, or 3 bowls of olives from the Med (don't judge me!), it can all be found right here.

To our surprise, Eastern European cuisine was really good too. We especially liked fruit-filled dumplings and beef goulash, and nothing here will drain your bank account like the real Paris.

Beach Bliss Or Christmas Cheer: Visit Now Before It's Too Late!

Here at Travel Off Path, we feel it's our job to get ahead of the game. It's clear the cat is out of the bag for many places across Europe, not just the icons, which is why I discovered such “hidden gems” at the time, like Ohrid, North Macedonia and Bratislava, Slovakia before they hit their stride.

But that's where Riga currently sits — right in that sweet spot of being trendy, but not quite a household name.

However, Riga is definitely becoming more popular. A new report claims more travelers are finding Riga by every which way possible, whether it's cruises, ferries, buses, and of course flights.

That means 2026 is the perfect time to embrace Riga before it becomes too popular, especially since it's surprisingly a year-round destination.

It's true, Riga is a beach destination since little-known coastal gem Jurmala is a stone's throw away by public transit.

May to September see daily highs between 65 – 75 degrees, making for great beach days, but there's nothing wrong with bundling up and enjoying Riga's winter wonderland vibes either, especially Doma Square's Christmas market that we will definitely visit again.