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One of Europe's cities that has often been described as "one of Europe's best kept secrets" is Riga. In addition to being home to incredible riverside architecture, it also boasts the continent's largest market and bazaar. In the northern European nation of Latvia, Riga is both the country's capital and largest city, home to just under 600,000 people.

The city lies on the Gulf of Riga, at the mouth of the Daugava River, where it meets the Baltic Sea. Riga's historical centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, noted for both its Art Nouveau and Jugendstil architecture and 19th-century wooden architecture. Alongside this, an incredible market, Riga Central Market, has also made it onto the list in 1998 and is seen as one of the most notable structures from the 20th century in the country. Built over a six-year period from 1924, the Riga Central Market covers an impressive area of 778,000 square feet and boasts more than 3,000 trade stands.

The main structures of the Riga Central Market are five pavilions constructed from reused German Zeppelin hangars, incorporating Neoclassicism and Art Deco styles.

Since the 16th century, produce had been sold on the banks of the Daugava, with trade stand rows later built in 1863. However, the Daugavmala Market soon became crowded and very unsanitary, so plans were made to move it to a new enclosed location. Second-hand metal frameworks from World War 1 German Zeppelin hangars from the Vaiode Air Base. These are five of the nine remaining hangars in the world.

Latvia was occupied by multiple countries in the 20th century. Nazi Germany occupied the area for three and a half years, during which time farmers were not allowed to freely sell their produce and were instead forced to supply the German Army, selling only limited amounts at the market. During the later Soviet occupation, the market was renamed Central Kolkhoz Market in 1949 and was praised as one of the best in the state.

Each day, about 50,000 to 70,000 customers shopped at the market - up to 100,000 during the weekends. 1961 market statistics showed sells of 200,000 metric tons of poultry, 768,000 litres of milk, about 7 million eggs and more than 22,000 metric tons of fruits and vegetables.

The reconstructed Gastronomy Pavilion, which had been closed since autumn 2016, was opened in January 2019. Its renovation cost about €1.7 million (£1.5 million).

Due to the proliferation of supermarkets, Riga Central Market's success is starting to wane. However, the city's council has expressed that preserving the market's mission and cultural value is one of its priorities. Today, Riga Central Market still typically sees between 80,000 and 100,000 visitors per day, according to A Brummie Home and Abroad.

While Riga Central Market is a key landmark in Latvia's capital, it is far from the only place worth visiting. Other sites that should form part of a Riga bucket list include the Freedom Monument, honouring soldiers killed during the Latvian War of Independence, St Peter's Church, Riga Cathedral and the House of the Blackheads, the biggest public building in the city, now housing an event centre and museum. In the upper level are grand ballrooms, where many prestigious events have been held in the past.

A recent visitor to Riga wrote on Tripadvisor: "Today I will plant grass for you in a little-known mysterious European city - Riga! This medieval place, with its magical architecture and charming streets, makes you feel like you've been transported to a fairy tale world".

Direct flights to Riga International Airport (RIX) are available from the UK from various airports, including Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester and Glasgow, with an average flight time of under three hours.

Several airlines, including Ryanair and easyJet. According to Skyscanner, September is the cheapest month to visit Riga, with a direct one-way Ryanair flight from Stansted currently on offer for an incredible £19.