Month guide · Riga · Latvia
Riga in May
What May is really like in Riga: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Andrijko Z., CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
May is one of the best months to visit Riga. Expect average highs of 17°C (63°F), lows of 7°C (45°F), about 7 rainy days and roughly 16.5 hours of daylight. Bright, often dry and blossoming, one of the most pleasant months for walking the Art Nouveau streets.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 17°C (63°F) / 7°C (45°F)
- Rainy days
- About 7
- Daylight
- About 16.5 hours
- Sea temperature
- 10°C (50°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in May
May is the 4th-warmest month in Riga: days average 17°C (63°F) against a yearly average high of 11°C (52°F), and nights fall to about 7°C (45°F). Rain falls on roughly 7 of its 31 days. Compared with April (11°C (52°F)), May is warmer; by June highs climb to around 21°C (70°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 05:05
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 21:34
- Daylight
- About 16.5 hours
- Sea
- 10°C (50°F)
Spring (March–May). Slushy March gives way to fresh, bright May days; quiet streets and moderate prices.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 3 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in June). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in May
- Riga Marathon (usually mid-May)
- Museum Night — late openings across the city (usually mid-May)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in May
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Park · City Centre
City canal and Bastejkalns park
Take a one-hour canal cruise in summer for a different angle on the Old Town and the Daugava.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Kids
Viewpoint · Moscow Suburb
Latvian Academy of Sciences viewpoint
Riga's Stalinist skyscraper, built between 1951 and 1961 and nicknamed 'Stalin's birthday cake', still has hammer-and-sickle motifs woven into its spire.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- History
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Architecture · Pārdaugava
National Library of Latvia
Walk across the Akmens Bridge from Old Riga and back for skyline photos in the late afternoon.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Views
- Rainy day
Zoo · Mežaparks
Mežaparks and Riga Zoo
Founded in 1912, Riga Zoo sits among the pines of the Mežaparks garden suburb beside Lake Ķīšezers, with a tropical house, giraffes and northern species.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
What to pack
For highs near 17°C, lows near 7°C and 7 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Riga?
One of the best months to visit Riga, with 2 notable events on the calendar. The other best months are June–September. Compare every month.
Riga in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Riga?
It is one of the best months to visit Riga. Bright, often dry and blossoming, one of the most pleasant months for walking the Art Nouveau streets.
+How warm is Riga in May?
Average highs are around 17°C (63°F) and lows around 7°C (45°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Riga in May?
Expect rain on about 7 days of the month.