A winter guide to Riga, Latvia’s petite, snow-dusted capital

Terracotta roofs peeking through a thick layer of snow, a frozen river carving its path through the city, smoke rising slowly from medieval chimneys — winter in the Latvian capital can be a magical time. The centre of this small northern European country on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea might seem like a sleepy storybook village as soon as winter chills sweep in, but hibernation is the last thing on its residents’ minds. Life is played out in full force during the winter months, whether it’s in lively cafes sharing a meal with friends, making the most of the busy cultural calendar or honouring the deeply rooted pagan traditions of winter solstice.

Throughout history, the largest city in the Baltics has changed hands many times — from the Swedes to the Germans to the Russians — each leaving a mark on the city’s architecture, food, culture and even language. Yet the residents of Riga have always stayed fiercely independent and fiercely Latvian, holding on tightly to ancient traditions and beliefs, and observing them in hiding even during tumultuous times.

Winter is the best time to see these traditions in action. Christmas markets to rival those in central and western Europe spring up between late November and early January. The biggest finds its home in the Old Town’s Doma Laukums (Dome Square), where quaint wooden huts engraved with Latvian pagan signs for good luck, prosperity and wealth sell everything from handmade candles and knitwear to typical winter tipples, such as hot cocktails with Riga Black Balsam and mulled wine. There’s a busy calendar of folk song and dance performances, and locals mark the winter solstice with pagan celebrations that include the rolling and burning of the Yule log and dressing up in animal masks to bring good luck and scare away evil spirits.

Solstice traditions aside, what sets budget-friendly Riga apart is how crowd-free and under the radar it is as a winter city-break destination. Yet its restaurants, opera, ballet performances and museums of history and art are more than a match for many of the more popular destinations.

Come prepared to face the bone-chilling temperatures and mounds of powdery snow up to your knees and you’ll be rewarded with a city that effortlessly mixes tradition and innovation, and masterfully looks to the future while honouring the past. Riga is a place that knows how to celebrate life — albeit quietly, in that most charming, uniquely Baltic kind of way.

Where to stay

1. Hotel Bergs
Tucked away in Bergs Bazaar, an elegant and quiet quarter in central Riga, this modern hotel offers 25 serviced apartments in varying sizes. The generously proportioned studios and two-room apartments come with a kitchenette, large bathroom and separate living area. Its location is its greatest asset: a 15-minute walk from the Old Town, with a scenic park on its doorstep and independent restaurants and boutique wine and clothes shops nearby. hotelbergs.lv

2. Hotel Neiburgs
In the heart of Riga’s Old Town, this boutique hotel mixes historic art nouveau interiors with period details and contemporary design elements such as sleek Scandi-style furniture. The rooms are bright and spacious with restored parquet flooring and the odd original feature, like ceiling coving and exposed beams. The bright library area, adjacent to the lobby, is great for a late-afternoon coffee.

3. Dome Hotel & Spa
Beautifully restored architectural elements — such as 18th-century ceiling murals, antique tiled fireplaces and the massive wooden central staircase — sit alongside designer furniture and contemporary art at this five-star hotel in the Old Town. The rooms are charming, with heavy, opulent fabrics and king-sized beds perfect for post-exploring slumber.

What to see and do

1. Old Town
A collection of higgledy-piggledy buildings, meandering cobbled streets and the remains of the city walls, Old Riga (also called the Old Town) is the historic core of the capital, dating back over 800 years. Wander streets home to boutiques, restaurants and bars, spotting relics of the city’s medieval origins — including the ornate House of the Blackheads (a former guild house), the trio of historic homes known as the ‘Three Brothers’ and 13th-century Riga Cathedral.

2. St. Peter’s Church
In the heart of the Old Town is a 13th-century gothic and romanesque church with an imposing, wall-like facade, which towers over the surrounding pastel-coloured houses. The real draw of this austere, red-brick Lutheran church is its 403ft-tall spire, resembling a three-tier cake. A lift whisks visitors up to its open-air platform, delivering heart-stirring views of the oldest part of the city.

3. Latvian National Opera
Notable for producing world-renowned classical music artists such as conductors Mariss Jansons and Andris Nelsons, and opera singer Elina Garanča, the Latvian National Opera stages more than 200 opera and ballet performances during its season, from September to May. Given the high-quality production and artists, it’s staggering value, with some tickets available for as little as €10 (£8.40).

4. Latvian National Museum of Art
Covering classic, modern and contemporary art, the 52,000-strong collection spans the history of Latvian art, starting in the 18th century. Free audio guides offer commentary that places the art works in the context of Latvian history. The building itself, reopened in 2016 after a four-year-long restoration project, is remarkable, with its classic baroque facade and art nouveau interiors.

5. Art Nouveau District
Together with the Old Town, the art nouveau district forms the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Historic Centre of Riga. The neighbourhood was at the forefront of the style movement in the early 20th century and has the largest collection of art nouveau buildings in Europe today. Find examples of its highly decorative facades as well as an insight into early 1900s living at the Riga Art Nouveau Centre on Alberta Iela.

6. Bastejkalns
On the fringes of the Old Town, marking the border between the medieval core and the city of the early 1900s, Bastejkalns (Bastion Hill) is a park stretching along a zigzag canal, past the towering Freedom Monument, erected in 1935 to mark Latvia’s first period of independence. Its trees and lawns are equally alluring under a thick layer of powdery snow as in high summer — come here after dark for a romantic stroll among solstice-inspired light installations.

Where to eat

1. Milda
Named after the figure atop the Freedom Monument, this unassuming address in Riga’s Old Town elevates traditional, typically hearty and humble peasant dishes to elegant restaurant plates. Menu highlights include Latvian grey peas with smoked bacon and sour cream, and a trifle-like rye bread pudding.

2. Snatch
Funky 1970s music and pink neon signs set the scene at this Italian-inspired restaurant in the main art nouveau district. The generous portions of dishes such as pici pasta with seasonal mushrooms and rabbit pappardelle with beans are welcome on a cold day. Inventive cocktails bring a pleasant warmth, too; try the Manhattan made with peanut butter whiskey, banana and vermouth.

3. John
Tucked away in a quiet corner of the art nouveau district and included in Riga’s inaugural Michelin guide, John brings together Latvian ingredients with New Nordic cookery and classic French techniques. Dishes such as beef tenderloin with chanterelles and pike-perch fillet with dill sauce are served in an elegant space with an open kitchen.

Where to shop

1. Riga Central Market
One of the largest in Europe, Riga’s Central Market is housed in German-era Zeppelin hangars on the outskirts of the Old Town, and sells produce across five pavilions. The mounds of sauerkraut, barrels of pickled and salted cucumbers and near-endless varieties of local honey, jams, jellies and preserves are quite a sight, and the sellers often have samples to try, too.

2. Āgenskalns Market
Restored in 2022, the market in Āgenskalns neighbourhood, on the west side of the Daugava River, hosts independent speciality shops selling mixed spices, artisan ice cream and an ever-changing roster of locally roasted coffee. After stocking up on edible souvenirs, head to the upstairs street food hall for wood-fired pizzas, khinkali (Georgian dumplings) and borscht (Ukrainian beetroot soup).

3. Rija
This contemporary boutique has championed local designers for decades. With a distinct Scandi vibe, the shop in central Riga sells everything from local clay crockery and clothing made from Latvian linen, to handmade candles and organic skincare products using endemic Latvian plants.

Where to drink

1. Herbary
With large tropical plants and drinks served in tiki glasses, this greenhouse-like rooftop bar in central Riga transports patrons to a sweltering summer holiday, whatever the weather outside. It’s one of the best spots for creative non-alcoholic cocktails, as well as the regular kind. Come for 360-degree city views at sunset and check for live DJs on weekend evenings.

2. Barents Cocktail & Seafood
Entering this four-table bar through an unassuming door in the Old Town is like stepping into an art deco-era speakeasy. The Nordic-inspired cocktails feature curious ingredients such as roasted semolina, birch and redcurrant marmalade, and the food menu shines a light on Baltic seafood with dishes such as smoked eel salad and catfish fritters.

3. Gimlet
This basement bar in central Riga showcases ingredients and preservation techniques unique to this corner of the Baltics. Cocktails might include chamomile tincture, roasted hemp seeds and heather honey mead, served with a smoking sprig of fir or crystallised beetroot slice, all to a jazzy soundtrack.

Explore like a local

1. Shop at Kalnciema Kvartāls
Located across the Daugava River from the Old Town and the city centre, this quaint quarter of restored 19th-century wooden buildings houses boutique shops, Saturday markets and events such as concerts and exhibitions. In winter, come here for handmade arts and crafts souvenirs, such as jewellery, knitted socks and wood carvings.

2. Have lunch at Lido
Ask any Latvian where to try true home-style Latvian cooking and the answer is always Lido. Staff at this local chain are dressed in national dress, the decor resembles a centuries-old tavern and folk songs play in the background. The food includes roasted meats and grilled wursts, sautéed sauerkraut, and potatoes cooked in as many ways as you can imagine.

3. Visit Splendid Palace
This central cinema, founded in 1923, is housed in a stunning rococo-style building. It typically offers film festival programmes, special cultural days and live broadcasts of opera and ballet performances from across Europe. The ornate wall and ceiling paintings inside are worth a look, too.