Riga Christmas Market 2026: A Baltic Winter Weekend

Most of what’s on the stalls at the Riga Christmas Market comes from Latvian makers: wool mittens, carved wooden spoons, beeswax candles and peppery gingerbread. It’s small enough to browse in an hour, leaving time for a warm Black Balsam, the city’s dark herbal liqueur, and a look at the plaque in the cobblestones outside the House of the Blackheads. That’s where a merchants’ guild put up what Riga claims was the world’s first decorated tree, back in 1510.

Riga Christmas Market 2026

Dates

Status: Confirmed
Riga dates: 27th November 2026 to 3rd January 2027
Last checked: October 2026

Update: Dates were announced in October. Sign up for our newsletter to be notified of changes.

Source: Verified by Ultimate Christmas Markets via VZT.

Plan Your Visit

Location and Times

Location: Dome Square (Doma laukums) and Līvu Square
Opening times:
Monday to Thursday: 11am to 9pm
Friday: 11am to 10pm
Saturday: 10am to 10pm
Sunday: 10am to 8pm
Christmas Eve: 10am to 8pm
Christmas Day: 10am to 8pm
Boxing Day: 10am to 10pm
New Year’s Eve: 10am to midnight
New Year’s Day: 12pm to 8pm

Travel and Accommodation

Recommended tour: Riga Culture and Food Tour offers a great mix of food and history and sights.
Public transport: Trams, trolleybuses and buses stop around the edge of the Old Town, a short walk from the market.
Parking: Please take public transport to help limit congestion.
Travel tip: Riga has one of the largest collections of Art Nouveau buildings in the world, centred on Albert Street (Alberta iela). Well worth a visit!
Riga weather in December: Temperatures average 1°C / -4°C (high / low) in December.
Where to stay: Neiburgs Hotel is only 100 metres from the main square.

Amenities and Attractions

Admission: Free.
Santa: Yes, Santa’s House opens at Dome Square in the run-up to Christmas, and children can write letters to Lapland.
Ice skating: Yes, at the city’s public rink by the Rainis monument in Esplanāde Park, free with your own skates, with skate hire on site.
Reason to visit: Great value for money and interesting Latvian traditions.

Dietary Options

Vegetarian: Some options.
Vegan: Limited.
Gluten-free: Limited. Ask individual vendors, but beware of cross-contamination.
Food specialties: Grey peas and bacon.

Accessibility

Accessible: Yes.
Pet-friendly: Yes, dogs are allowed on a lead.

Convenient Hotels

Riga’s Old Town is small and walkable, so most hotels there suit a short stay. On my visit, I stayed on the other side of the river and regretted not choosing somewhere more central.

The Neiburgs Hotel is a brilliant choice if you want to be in the heart of the Old Town, in a striking Art Nouveau building, the style Riga is known for.

Click through to my guide on hotels in Riga, with more recommended places to stay.

Recommended Tours

I highly suggest taking the Riga Culture and Food Tour. It covers many of the city’s highlights while introducing you to Latvian food and culture along the way.

You’ll see some of Riga’s best-known landmarks, such as the Freedom Monument, the House of the Blackheads, and St Peter’s Church, whose tower offers views across the city.

Latvia is a wonderful country with many interesting places to visit. My list of Christmas markets in Latvia might help you to plan where to go this year.

Visitor Feedback

What Visitors Loved

• The individually decorated stalls and Old Town backdrop give it real character, and several visitors rank it among the most charming markets they’ve visited.
• It’s noticeably calmer than the big German and Central European markets, with room to browse and stop for a drink without being jostled.
• Shoppers like that the crafts are genuinely Latvian, from wool socks and amber to wooden toys, rather than imported souvenirs.
• The weekly programme gets good reviews, with DJs on Friday evenings and choirs and folk groups on weekends.

Common Complaints

• It’s small, so most visitors cover it in an hour or two and need the rest of the Old Town to fill a day.
• Food and drink prices at the stalls are closer to Western Europe than some expect, especially cocktails and decorated gingerbread.
• Some stalls only take cash, which catches out visitors who rely on cards.
• It’s dark by mid-afternoon and the cold can be biting, so short daytime visits feel rushed without warm layers.

The Bottom Line

The market won’t fill a day on its own, but as part of a long weekend in the Old Town it’s one of the most relaxed and characterful in northern Europe. Bring some euros in cash, dress warmly, and go on a Friday evening for the DJs or a Saturday afternoon if you have children with you.

Location Map

At the Market Stalls

Riga’s market is known for artisanal gifts and decorations, mostly from Latvian craftspeople and home producers.

• Knitted woollens: Hand-knitted socks, scarves and mittens, many in traditional Latvian patterns.
• Woodwork: Hand-carved spoons, kitchen utensils, toys and homewares.
• Wickerwork: Woven baskets and trays from Latvian basket makers.
• Amber jewellery: Baltic amber set in silver, the classic Latvian keepsake.
• Beeswax candles and honey: From Latvian home producers, sold alongside jams, syrups and smoked goods.

I find the market less commercial than those in Europe’s larger cities, and more authentic for it. Things may have changed since my visit, though, so please share your thoughts in the comments.

Regional Specialties

• Grey peas with bacon (pelēkie zirņi ar speķi): Latvia’s traditional Christmas dish, hearty and smoky, and the one to try if you only eat one thing here.
• Pepper gingerbread (piparkūkas): Latvian gingerbread gets its kick from black pepper, and you’ll find it plain, iced or hung as tree decorations.
• Bacon buns (pīrāgi): Soft, crescent-shaped buns filled with chopped bacon and onion, easy to eat as you walk.
• Rye bread: Dark rye bread is a pillar of Latvian food culture. Buy a loaf at the market or a bakery, and look out for rye bread cake, a layered dessert of sweetened crumbs, cream and berries.
• Rowan berries: A winter fruit few visitors have tried, sold dried or powdered at the market and used in some dishes and drinks.
• Riga Black Balsam: Try it in a hot drink at the bar stalls, or buy a bottle in its dark ceramic jug to take home.

Christmas in Riga

In Latvia, Christmas (Ziemassvētki) is closely tied to the winter solstice, and many of its customs come from those older celebrations. People traditionally exchange presents on Christmas Eve, so if you’re in Riga then, you might want to celebrate the same way.

The Winter Solstice or Yule Log Eve is celebrated on the shortest day and the longest night of the year. This occurs on the 21st December. Traditionally, a log is dragged around to gather up the past year’s troubles, then burned.

One of the great things about Riga in December is that the market runs beyond Christmas Day. That’s unusual in many parts of Europe, where Christmas Eve is typically the last day. It means you can enjoy the market over New Year’s Eve and into the first days of January.

Along with the winter events, Riga is one of Europe’s better-value cities for a winter break, and the compact centre makes it easy to see a lot in a long weekend.

Sustainability

• Keep or return your cup: Hot drinks come in reusable deposit cups, which Riga’s city rules require for street trading and events. Hand yours back for the deposit, or keep it as a souvenir.
• Ride Rīgas satiksme: Bus 22 links the airport with the centre, now with a night N22 as well, and 24-hour, 3-day and 5-day tickets cover every tram, trolleybus and bus. Buy code tickets on the Rīgas satiksme or Mobilly app, or e-tickets at Narvesen kiosks and ticket machines.
• Walk along the canal: The Old Town is compact and mostly pedestrianised, and it’s a short walk from the market through Bastejkalns Park, where the city’s winter light trail has lit up the canal in recent seasons, to the skating rink in Esplanāde.
• Cross the river for producers: Kalnciema Quarter and the restored Āgenskalns Market hall hold weekend Christmas markets of Latvian makers and food producers, a short ride across the Daugava.