Latvia
Riga in December
❄️ Snowy winterCold and some showers.
🎒 Pack: winter coat, gloves & hat
Why December scores 7.1What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort5.2
- !Cold (1°C highs / -2°C lows)
- ✓Comfortable humidity (dew point -2.1°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~50 mm rain)
- !Grey, overcast skies (~85% cloud cover on average)
- Air quality8.6
- ✓Good (within WHO guideline) (PM2.5 ~14 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline8.0
- ·Normal precautions
| Dec | Jun | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 7.1 Good | 9.5 Excellent |
| Season | ❄️ Snowy winter | ☀️ Summer |
| High / low | 1° / -2° | 21° / 12° |
| Rain | 50 mm | 65 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt -2° | dew pt 13° |
| PM2.5 | 14 µg/m³ | 6 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Riga weather-station normals. Rainfall: Riga weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Christmas 24–27 Dec · 4 days off in a row
- New Year 31 Dec – 3 Jan · 4 days off in a row
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore RigaEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyLatvia's capital on the Daugava River, known for its medieval Old Town, one of Europe's largest groups of Art Nouveau buildings and a huge Central Market.
Christmas marketDate variesUsually late November to early January
A traditional market with local crafts and food.
Why go: Riga claims to have the first decorated Christmas tree in 1510.
Where: Dome Square
Coming up later
Jāņi (Midsummer)Every year23–24 June every year
The biggest Latvian festival, with bonfires, wreaths, singing and staying up all night.
Why go: Many people leave the city; shops may close.
Where: Countryside and city parks
Proclamation DayEvery year18 November every year
The anniversary of Latvia's independence in 1918, with military parades and fireworks.
Why go: Public holiday; the Staro Rīga light festival is usually held around the same time.
Where: Citywide
Staro RīgaDate variesUsually mid-November
A festival of light installations across the city.
Why go: Evening event; dress warmly.
Where: Citywide
Old Town
UNESCO-listed medieval centre with the House of the Blackheads and St Peter's Church.
Art Nouveau District
Streets such as Alberta iela with richly decorated early 20th-century facades.
Riga Central Market
One of Europe's largest markets, housed in former zeppelin hangars.
Freedom Monument
A landmark monument to those killed in Latvia's War of Independence.
Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum
Historic wooden buildings from rural Latvia set in a forest.
Jūrmala
A seaside resort town of wooden villas and sandy beaches, reachable by train.
Rye bread
Dark, dense rye bread eaten with most meals.
💡 Bakeries and markets
Grey peas with bacon
A traditional dish of peas fried with bacon and onions.
💡 Traditional restaurants
Smoked fish
Smoked herring, sprats and other Baltic fish.
💡 Central Market
Sklandrausis
A sweet rye tart filled with potato and carrot.
💡 Bakeries
Jāņu siers
A caraway-seed cheese traditionally eaten at Midsummer.
💡 Markets, especially in June
Riga Black Balsam
A herbal liqueur made in Riga since the 18th century.
💡 Supermarkets and liquor shops
Amber
Baltic amber jewellery.
💡 Jewellery shops; ask for a certificate
Linen
Natural linen textiles.
💡 Craft shops
Knitted mittens
Woollen mittens in traditional Latvian patterns.
💡 Craft markets