Winter in Riga: A Fairytale Escape to Latvia’s Snowy Capital

Riga in winter transforms into a magical wonderland, where medieval streets are dusted with snow and festive lights illuminate the city. The Latvian capital embraces the cold season with a cozy charm, offering a mix of cultural experiences, scenic beauty, and a warm holiday atmosphere. 

The city's winter activities cater to all interests, whether you're looking for adventure or a scenic escape. With shorter days and chilly temperatures, Riga still manages to feel inviting with its charming cafes, museums, and lively seasonal events.

To make the most of your visit, it's important to come prepared for the Baltic winter. Knowing what to expect from the weather, and planning ahead for seasonal events can make your trip even more enjoyable. This guide will help you navigate the best experiences, practical tips, and everything you need to know about visiting Latvia’s capital in the colder months.

Riga in Winter: a Brief Intro

Before we get into all of the fun winter activities in Riga, we'd like to tell you a bit about what Riga in winter is like, so you can see if it's a good time for you to visit.

🧊 What is Riga Like in Winter?

Riga experiences cold winters, with short days and plenty of snow. It's not as cold as its neighboring destinations like Lapland or Tallinn for example, but you'll certainly need to bundle up!

Riga experiences four seasons which are very different from one another, so you'll find visiting Riga in winter is a completely different experience than going in the summertime.

☃️ Is Riga Good in Winter?

Riga in winter is truly magical, as the told town covered in snow feels like a real fairytale. If you enjoy charming streets covered in lights and exploring beautiful winter scenery, then you'll love spending time in Riga in winter.

While there are a lot of experiences in Riga that are no longer available in the colder months, the city and its surroundings make time for other unique activities that you can only take part in during the colder months.

🎄 Is Riga Good for Christmas?

While Riga is magical no matter when you visit, Christmas is particularly incredible! Riga has an amazing Christmas Market in its main square, and the streets are covered in lights and beautiful decor.

❄️ What Months Does it Snow in Riga?

The most typical months for experiencing snowfall in Riga is in the months of December, January and February. However, Latvia's capital also experiences snow sometimes in both November and March.

🥶 What are the Coldest Months in Riga?

The coldest month in Riga is January, and when we say it gets cold, it gets COLD. December and February are also particularly cold, averaging highs in the twenties and thirties, and lows in the teens and twenties.

📆 Is January a Good Time to Visit Riga?

While the holiday season is certainly the most ideal time to enjoy Riga in winter, January is definitely still a month worth visiting if you want to experience the beauty of the city draped in snow.

Things to Do During Riga in Winter 

Now that you can see why Riga in winter is a great choice, let's dive into all of the fun things you can enjoy while visiting Riga, Latvia in the winter time!

❣️ Wander the Historic Center

Riga has a beautiful historic center with pastel buildings and cobblestone streets. While it is enjoyable to walk around year-round, we can't help but mention how much more magical it looks with snow added to the mix.

Whether you're admiring the beautiful architecture, browsing cute shops, or simply soaking in the old-city charm, the streets of Riga's historic center are perfect for getting lost. Just don't forget to bring your camera with you!

Pssst! Taking a free walking tour is an excellent way to learn more about the historic center, and experience hidden gems with a local.

🖼 Explore the Museums

Riga is home to plenty of great museums, and the winter is the perfect time to experience them, so you can break up your time exploring the streets of the historic center.

Check out the variety of museums like the KGB building and the Latvian War Museum, or head a tiny bit outside the center to enjoy the unique Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia, showcasing the country's rural life in the past.

⛸ Go Iceskating

If you're visiting Riga in winter, don’t miss out on one of the best winter activities, which is ice skating in Esplanade. 

The ice rink is located inside the gardens, and has a beautiful backdrop of impressive buildings, offering a magical skating experience. Whether it's your first time skating or a you're a pro, it’s a fun way to embrace the season right in the heart of Latvia's capital.

Don't have time to read the whole article and want to save it for later? Just pin it!

🦮 Go Husky Sledding

While most people flock to Lapland for unique winter activities, you can actually find some super fun ones in Riga in winter too!

Just outside the capital you'll be brought to the stunning Latvian wilderness and get to be taken on a fun sleigh ride pulled by playful huskies, for the ultimate winter adventure.

🎅🏻 Visit the Christmas Market

If you're planning on visiting Riga in winter, then don't miss out on the incredible Christmas Market that transforms the main square into a Christmas haven.

With twinkling lights, festive stalls selling handcrafted gifts, and some really delicious food, it’s one of our favorite Christmas markets in Europe, and another one of the reasons to visit Riga in winter.

Out of all of the Christmas markets in the Baltics, we found it to have the coziest feel with the most impressive decor!

🎄 Visit the World's First Public Christmas Tree

Christmas throughout all of Europe is special. While Germany holds the most amount of Christmas Markets and Finland takes the claim to fame for its incredible Santa Claus Village, Latvia also has something that makes it special!

Riga is home to the world's first public Christmas Tree. Dating back to 1510, this is when the first written record of a decorated Christmas tree is held right in the historic center.

Head there to see the golden monument dedicated to the location of where the tree was, and if you visit around Christmas you'll also be able to see a festively lit tree right next to it.

🛷 Have a Bobsleigh Ride

Experience this adrenaline-filled winter event in Sidulga, a popular day trip from Riga! The 1,420 meters of bobsled track has 16 curves and a 200m-long braking distance for a super fun bobsledding experience outside of Riga.

Bobsleighing in Latvia allows you to enjoy stunning winter landscapes on an exciting adventure, making it one of the best things to do in Riga in wintertime.

☕️ Sip on Some Karstvins or Hot Chocolate at a Cozy Cafe

Like we said, Riga in winter is COLD, so what better way to break up your sightseeing than popping into a cozy cafe? The historic center particularly has some super cute ones, but we also loved the trendy rooftops in the central district of Riga like Herbarijs Kafejnica or the Skyline Bar in the Radisson Blu Hotel.

Also, don't miss out on trying some of the seasonal beverages! Karstvins is the local version of mulled wine, which is really popular in the winter, and you can also find seasonal flavors for coffee like gingerbread and peppermint mocha.

🛻 Try Winter Drifting

Looking for another adrenaline-filled winter activity? Head 40 minutes outside the capital to Baldone, where you can get behind the wheel for an exciting experience. Slide, spin, and master the art of drifting through ice-covered field on this fun adventure, while exploring the stunning winter landscapes of Latvia.

🧖🏻‍♀️ Enjoy Time at a Spa

There's no better way to warm up from the cold than experiencing a spa day in Riga. We visited Riga for Fede's birthday, and I surprised him with a stay at the Wellton Hotel & Spa.

We threw on our robes, had a bottle of champagne, and booked a slot for the Wellton's incredible spa right inside the hotel. With a variety of heated tubs, a sauna, and multiple areas to relax, this was one of the best ways to enjoy Riga in winter.

We'd highly recommend staying at the Wellton, but if you already have a place to stay and are just looking for things to do in Riga, you can also book one of their spa packages regardless.

PS: Wellton actually has three different properties! It was hard to choose because they all look amazing. We're linking the one we stayed at, but we also recommend looking at the other two to see which one you like best!

🧖🏻‍ Relax on a Floating Sauna

Looking for another incredible spa experience? Well, Riga has a floating saunas along the river! Enjoy the picturesque views of the Dougava and Riga's skyline from the water while having the ultimate sauna experience.

Warm up in the sauna from a cold winter day in Riga, and then cool off by jumping in the icy waters after! This is definitely one of the best things to do in Riga in winter (as well as any time really!). Some activities even include beers and a barbecue after!

How to Prepare for Riga in Winter

Now that you know all of the fun things to experience during winter in Riga, let's get you properly prepared for your trip!

🧥 What to Wear in Riga in Winter

Winter in Riga can be brutal, so the key to dressing properly for a visit to Latvia's capital in the colder months is to wear plenty of layers, using thick materials.

For Visiting Riga in Winter You Should Wear:

• a hat or ear muffs to cover your head and ears
• gloves (we use the ones which allow you to still use your phone)
• a scarf
• thermal socks
• insulated boots (they do not really need to be snow boots)
• a thick jacket (mine has faux fur)
• fleece lined tights so you can dress up
• flat shoes (you won't want to have heels with the cobblestone streets)

🧳 How to Pack for Winter in Riga

other than dressing warm, we have a few recommendations for things to bring with you while experiencing Riga in winter.

For Visiting Riga in Winter You Should Bring:

• hand warmers
• a camera to capture the magic
• a lens with a wide aperture to capture more light (we use the Sony GM 14" FE 1.8)
• a drone for unique perspectives of the Christmas market and snow covered roofs (we use the DJI Mini 4 Pro because it's easy to travel with and has excellent quality).
• a backpack to put your layers in when inside (check out our list of recommended backpacks!)
• bathing suits for saunas or hot tubs in your hotel

Riga in Winter: Conclusion

Now you know pretty much what to expect for a trip to Riga in winter. But don't go just yet! We want to share our final thoughts, as well as a personal recommendation for your trip.

🤔 Is it Worth Visiting Riga in Winter?

Visiting Riga is incredible in summer, but we also really loved Riga in winter, especially for its lively Christmas Market and the stunning panoramas of the city with the snowy rooftops.

While it is super cold and days are short, we still think Riga in winter is worth it, especially in December.

⭐️ Our Recommendation for Visiting Riga in Winter

Riga in winter is an excellent weekend getaway! You can really experience plenty of things to do and see during this time of year. 

We recommend spending 1-2 full days sightseeing and exploring the center of the city, but also giving yourself another 1-2 days to do some of the cool winter activities like going on a bobsleigh ride or winter drifting.

Riga is also conveniently located in the heart of the Baltics, and we'd highly recommend adding both Vilnius and Tallinn to your trip if you have time!

We'd recommend 1-2 days to see the top sights in Riga.

So are you ready to experience all the magic of Riga in winter? We hope our guide has helped you plan a fun-filled winter escape in one of our favorite Baltic cities.

Want to learn more about Riga? We have other Riga travel guides coming up, so make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for all of our weekly updates! Not only that, but we also have exclusive content and special discounts for those on our email list.

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