Europe's Hidden Gem! Riga is Absolutely Stunning

✅For this trip, I ditched the itinerary and embraced a "go-with-the-flow" approach. The city is small and perfect for wandering. Cobblestone streets, Art Nouveau facades, ✅the chime of century-old church bells, and green benches along the canals pieced together a gentle, ✅multidimensional world—unpretentious yet deeply honest, unassuming yet profoundly soothing. 🍣That said, one thing I did plan ahead: a reservation at Tails, a Michelin Guide-recommended restaurant. 🔆Understated yet sophisticated, it exuded a quiet "storybook" charm. I scored a seat at the Chef’s Table, 🔆front-row tickets to a culinary performance where every dish was a revelation. 🔆The chef, Mārtiņš, soft-spoken but sharp-eyed, 🍣shared how his travels inspired the menu. 🌷Courses alternated between minimalist seafood and intricately plated creations—familiar ingredients in 🌷wildly imaginative combinations that made me gasp. 🌷The sweetest surprise? A dessert that "exploded" in my mouth—sparkling sugar (a.k.a. pop rocks!), 🍣a playful nod to childhood. By the final course, Mārtiņš remarked, "You’re our farthest guest this month!" 🍸That warmth—of being seen—is what makes travel unforgettable. 🍸(Though I’ll admit, I over-ordered and nearly had to roll myself out.) 🍸So yes, I’ll shout it: Riga is a must-visit. It gifts you something rare—"grown-up lightness." #BalticStates #Riga #Latvia #FoodieFinds