When to go · Riga
Riga in December
Mixed month. Cold but the Christmas market is a highlight; dark by 16:00.Mixed month. Cold but the Christmas market is a highlight; dark by 4:00 PM.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Mixed
- Temperature
- 1°C (34°F)34°F (1°C) / −3°C (27°F)27°F (−3°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 16
- Crowds
- Medium
- Latvia overall
- Prices
- Medium
- Latvia overall
Verdict
Cold but the Christmas market is a highlight; dark by 16:00.Cold but the Christmas market is a highlight; dark by 4:00 PM.
All twelve months in one grid — weather, crowds and prices, with gaps left as unknown.
Is another month better than December?
December is rated mixed. These months rate higher:
Weather in December
- RigaHighs around 1 °C (34 °F), lows around -3 °C (27 °F), rain on about 16 daysHighs around 34 °F (1 °C), lows around 27 °F (-3 °C), rain on about 16 days
- Riga and the Gulf coast, Latvia · Riga, Jūrmala, Saulkrasticool
Winter around −3 °C (27 °F), damp and grey; summer 20–24 °C (68–75 °F) and bright until 23:00 in June.Winter around −3 °C (27 °F), damp and grey; summer 20–24 °C (68–75 °F) and bright until 11:00 PM in June.Winter around 27 °F (−3 °C), damp and grey; summer 68–75 °F (20–24 °C) and bright until 23:00 in June.Winter around 27 °F (−3 °C), damp and grey; summer 68–75 °F (20–24 °C) and bright until 11:00 PM in June.
Winter season
Christmas market and snow on cobbles.
Watch: Dusk by 16:00, ice and closures on 24–26 December.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Christmas market
Late November to early January · Dome Square and Livu laukums
Stalls, mulled wine and crowds; higher hotel prices.
Christmas Eve to Boxing Day
24–26 December · Whole city
Most restaurants and museums close for part of the days.
New Year’s Eve
31 December · Old Town
Fireworks and street events; book dinner early.
Christmas and New Year
Dec 25–26 and Jan 1
Many restaurants and museums close; transport reduced.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Latvia overall
- Medium
- Prices · Latvia overall
- Medium
Latvia overall: Christmas markets in the Dome and Esplanade squares.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Riga, side by side.
Verdict
Dec: Mixed
May: Great (better)
Daytime high
Dec: 1 °C (34 °F)34 °F (1 °C)
May: 17 °C (63 °F)63 °F (17 °C)
Night low
Dec: -3 °C (27 °F)27 °F (-3 °C)
May: 7 °C (45 °F)45 °F (7 °C)
Rain days
Dec: 16
May: 11 (better)
Crowds
Dec: Medium
May: Medium
Prices
Dec: Medium
May: Medium
Festivals listed
Dec: 4
May: 2
December: Cold but the Christmas market is a highlight; dark by 16:00.
May: Mild; terraces open.
Riga: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket