Season guide · Riga · Latvia
Riga in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Sergei Gussev, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Snow, Christmas markets and concerts in December; very cold and quiet after New Year, with the lowest prices. Expect highs up to 1°C (34°F) and lows around -6°C (21°F), with about 29 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- -6°C (21°F) to 1°C (34°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 29
- Sea
- 1°C (34°F) to 4°C (39°F)
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -1°C (30°F) | -6°C (21°F) | 10 | 7.4 h | 2/5 |
| February | 0°C (32°F) | -6°C (21°F) | 8 | 9.4 h | 1/5 |
| December | 1°C (34°F) | -3°C (27°F) | 11 | 6.8 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 0°C (32°F) against a yearly 11°C (52°F), and 29 of the year's roughly 111 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- December: Christmas market on Dome Square (usually late November to early January)
Good choices for winter
.jpg){kind=link}
Museum · Mežciems
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
Religious site · Old 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.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes, longer with a concert
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Market · Moscow Suburb
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
Latvian National Museum of Art
The 1905 museum building on the Esplanāde reopened in 2016 after a renovation that added underground galleries and a glass rooftop terrace.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
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
Day trips in winter
- Cēsis (About 1 hour 45 minutes by train) — One of Latvia's oldest towns, with the ruins of a 13th-century Livonian Order castle whose dark towers visitors explore by candle lantern, a cobbled old town and access to the sandstone cliffs of Gauja National Park.
- Ķemeri National Park (About 1 hour by train plus a walk) — The Great Ķemeri Bog boardwalk loops over a raised peat bog dotted with pools and stunted pines, with an observation tower over the landscape.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Riga?
It is a trade-off: Snow, Christmas markets and concerts in December; very cold and quiet after New Year, with the lowest prices. The best months overall are May–September.
+What is the weather like in Riga in winter?
Highs of up to 1°C (34°F) and lows around -6°C (21°F), with about 29 rainy days over the season.