Rainy day · Riga · Latvia
6 things to do in Riga when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Riga Cathedral, Riga Central Market and Latvian National Museum of Art. Together the 6 picks below take roughly 7–9 hours across 5 areas; 2 are free. October is usually the wettest month, with about 11 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 6
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 7–9 hours
- Areas
- Old Riga, Moscow Suburb and City Centre
Riga on a rainy day
Religious site · Old Riga
1.Riga Cathedral
Time your visit for an organ concert; the instrument is the reason to go inside.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes, longer with a concert
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Market · Moscow Suburb
2.Riga Central Market
Visit in the morning, try the smoked fish in the fish pavilion and keep valuables zipped away in the crowds.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Food
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
Gallery · City Centre
3.Latvian National Museum of Art
Go up to the rooftop terrace for a view over the Esplanāde and the Nativity of Christ Cathedral.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Architecture · Pārdaugava
4.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
Gallery · Old Riga
5.Art Museum Riga Bourse
Visit when the Old Town streets are busy; the building's interiors are as much the attraction as the collection.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
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Museum · Mežciems
6.Riga Motor Museum
Allow time for the Soviet-era section, which is the most unusual part of the collection.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Old Riga | Riga Cathedral and Art Museum Riga Bourse | 45 minutes, longer with a concert + 1–1.5 hours |
| Moscow Suburb | Riga Central Market | 1–1.5 hours |
| City Centre | Latvian National Museum of Art | 2 hours |
| Pārdaugava | National Library of Latvia | 1 hour |
| Mežciems | Riga Motor Museum | 1.5–2 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 6, 2 free, 1 low cost, 3 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Latvian National Museum of Art; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Old Riga and Moscow Suburb): Riga Cathedral → Art Museum Riga Bourse → Riga Central Market, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (City Centre and Pārdaugava): Latvian National Museum of Art → National Library of Latvia, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Mežciems): Riga Motor Museum, at least 2 hours.
The wettest months
- October: highs of 10°C (50°F), about 11 rainy days, quiet crowds. Golden early October, then cooler, wetter weather and shorter days.
- November: highs of 4°C (39°F), about 11 rainy days, quiet crowds. Grey and damp, but national holidays bring candles along the embankment, a light festival and fireworks.
- December: highs of 1°C (34°F), about 11 rainy days, moderate crowds. Festive and dark, with Christmas markets in the Old Town and frequent snow.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Old Riga — Medieval lanes, church spires and guild houses on the right bank of the Daugava
- Quiet Centre (Klusais centrs) — Embassy district of Art Nouveau apartment blocks around Alberta iela
- City Centre — Boulevards, parks and shopping streets between the Freedom Monument and Vērmanes Garden
- Moscow Suburb and Spīķeri — Wooden houses, warehouses and Soviet landmarks behind the Central Market
- Ķīpsala and Pārdaugava — Left-bank island of wooden houses and the Castle of Light library facing the Old Town skyline
More of Riga
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Riga?
Riga Cathedral. Founded in 1211, the Dom is the largest medieval church in the Baltic states, mixing Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque elements around a peaceful cloister.
+Which of these are free in Riga?
Riga Central Market and National Library of Latvia.