Return to Riga: A Granddaughter's Search for Family History

At 14, travel journalist Janna Graber's grandfather fled Riga during WWI—falling off a bombed bridge into the river, losing his entire family in the chaos. He never saw them again. A century later, Janna boards a plane to Latvia with one mission: walk the cobblestone streets her grandfather never forgot, stand in the church where his family was baptized, and piece together what happened to the relatives he lost to war. What she discovers in Riga's uncrowded Art Nouveau streets, its 800-year-old monuments, and a genealogist's research changes everything she thought she knew about her family's past. This is a story about displacement, survival, and why some cities never let go—even across generations. Read Janna's full article, "My Grandfather Never Forgot Riga—And Now I Know Why It’s Europe’s Best-Kept Secret," to follow her emotional journey and discover why this Baltic capital deserves a spot on every traveler's list.