Exploring Riga’s Christmas Market
I first visited Riga, Latvia with a group of friends in early December. As you can imagine in a Baltic country, it was freezing cold, but the Christmassy atmosphere made the frosty air seem glittery and cosy, rather than forbidding. While it’s not as obvious a choice for the festive season compared to the likes of France or Germany, Riga’s Christmas Market offers a quieter, more intimate atmosphere.
As a city, Riga is pretty affordable to visit, so a weekend at Riga’s Christmas market is going to be a lot more budget friendly than some of the big name destinations, without sacrificing on the fairy lights and mulled wine.
Visiting Riga’s Christmas Market
Need to Know
- Dates for 2026: 27th November 2026 to 3rd January 2027
- Location: Dome Square (Doma laukums)
- How long to stay: A weekend is perfect.
- Where to stay: In the Old Town. I stayed in these apartments and loved my stay.
Riga’s Christmas market is in the centre of the old town of the city. If you’ve visited some of the bigger Christmas markets around Europe, such as Strasbourg, then let me manage your expectations now: Riga’s Christmas market is a lot smaller.
The market is centred around one of the main city squares, Dome Square, and the beauty of it isn’t having hundreds of stalls to choose from, it’s having somewhere cosier, quieter, and with a genuinely local feeling. This isn’t somewhere you’ll spend hours shopping, but it is somewhere that you can find a comfortable perch, get a hot drink, listen to some live music and appreciate your surroundings.
You’ll find stalls selling hot drinks, cocktails, traditional Latvian food, as well as gifts and handmade crafts.
Where to Stay for Riga’s Christmas Market
If you’re visiting Riga just for the market, stay in the old town. You’ll be in the heart of everything, and won’t need to think about transport to get to the market or other sights around the city.
Here are some good options.
Redstone Apartments
This is where I stayed on my visit to Riga, and I loved how walkable everything was. I also appreciated having a tea and coffee station, plus a fridge. The apartments are modern, stylish and feel incredibly calming. I particularly liked the heated bathroom floor and big bathtub!
NB Apartments
An affordable apartment rental right in the old town, near the Christmas market. Each unit has a small kitchenette, as well as views of the city.
Blue Bird Hostel
If you’re planning your winter escape on a budget, Blue Bird Hostel is one of the most central and well-rated hostels in the city. You’ll find a number of dorm options, from 6 to 12 beds. The hostel provides bed linen and towels, and there’s a common kitchen area.
Is It Worth Visiting?
So is Riga’s Christmas market worth visiting? Yes, if you’re planning it as part of a winter break or festive trip to Riga and want to see the city alongside the market.
The market isn’t as large as some of Europe’s famous Christmas markets, but its setting in the heart of Riga’s Old Town makes it a lovely place to spend an evening. Come for the festive atmosphere, Latvian food and local crafts, rather than expecting a huge market that will take an entire day to explore.
If you really have your heart set on a fully immersive, nothing-but-Christmas-markets kind of trip, then Strasbourg is probably a better fit for you, as the whole city becomes one big market over the festive period. Likewise, Bolzano in Northern Italy is a smaller scale than Strasbourg, but every street feels like something from a Christmas card.
However, as a city in its own right, Riga is beautiful. It’s a quieter city, so you get the beauty of the old town without the crowds of somewhere bigger. It feels like a place you can actually breathe, explore, and settle into the cosiness of winter. Adding Riga’s Christmas market to that experience makes it well worth the trip.
It’s also a lot more affordable than some of the bigger Christmas market destinations. You’ll find yourself spending less on food, drinks, and accommodation than you might elsewhere. If you’re on a tight budget, then a stay in somewhere like Blue Bird Hostel, plus some cheap Ryanair flights, makes it a much more wallet-friendly option than other places – and you don’t have to sacrifice the festivities.
