Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia, on the Daugava river near the Gulf of Riga. Known for its UNESCO-listed Old Town, Europe's greatest concentration of Art Nouveau architecture, the vast Central Market and a growing craft-beer and restaurant scene, it blends Hanseatic, Swedish, Russian and Soviet layers into one of the Baltics' most walkable capitals.
Riga has a humid continental climate moderated by the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga, with four distinct seasons. Summers are mild to warm (July and August highs near 22-23 C, with occasional heat waves above 30 C), winters are cold, dark and often snowy (January averages about -2 C), and spring and autumn are cool and changeable. Annual precipitation is moderate, about 650-700 mm, spread through the year with a peak in July to October. Daylight swings from about 6.5 hours in late December to about 18 hours in June, with near-white nights around Midsummer. Figures below are approximate long-term averages and vary by source and year.
Best time to visit
Overall Best: June to August, with May and September as milder, quieter alternatives
Reasons:
- Comfortable temperatures of about 18-23 C for walking
- Up to 18 hours of daylight in June
- Jurmala beaches, open-air concerts and terraces are open
- Midsummer (Ligo) on 23-24 June is a one-of-a-kind folk festival
- May and September offer lower prices and fewer crowds
Month-by-month weather
Typical conditions throughout the year.
January
-2C/28F
Cold, dark and often snowy; the lowest hotel prices of the year and about 7 hours of daylight
February
-2C/28F
Still very cold with snow and ice; days begin to lengthen and the cultural season continues indoors
March
2C/36F
Melting snow and variable weather with sunny spells; a quiet month with low prices
April
7C/45F
Cool and brightening, with the first outdoor terraces and blossom late in the month; the Riga Photography Biennial runs in some years
May
13C/55F
Mild and green with long evenings; Museum Night, the Riga Marathon and Riga Art Week bring events
June
16C/61F
Warm with about 18 hours of daylight; the Ligo Midsummer holiday on 23-24 June and the Riga Opera Festival
July
19C/66F
The warmest month with long, bright days; Jurmala beaches, open-air concerts and the wettest weather of the year
August
18C/64F
Warm and pleasant with stable weather and summer festivals; evenings begin to draw in
September
13C/55F
Mild and golden with fewer crowds and cultural events returning; a good month for walking and day trips to Sigulda
October
8C/46F
Cool, damp and windy with autumn colours in the parks; Riga International Film Festival in mid-October
November
3C/37F
Grey, dark and cold with early frosts; the Staro Riga light festival lights up the Old Town in mid-November
December
0C/32F
Cold with snow possible, festive lights and the Christmas market on Doma Square; only about 6.5 hours of daylight
The seasons
What to expect in each part of the year.
Spring
Months: Mar-May
Cool and slow to warm, with temperatures rising from about 2 C in March to 13 C in May. April and May bring blossoming parks, longer days and terraces reopening, though frosts and showers remain possible. Museum Night and the Riga Marathon fall in this season.
Summer
Months: Jun-Aug
Mild, green and very long-lit, with highs around 21-23 C and evenings that stay light until after 22:00 in June. The Midsummer (Ligo) holiday on 23-24 June, Jurmala beaches and open-air concerts are at their best. Heat waves and thunderstorms are possible.
Fall
Months: Sep-Nov
September is mild and golden with fewer crowds, near 13 C on average. October turns cool, windy and damp, and November is grey and dark with first frosts and occasional wet snow.
Winter
Months: Dec-Feb
Cold, with average highs of 0 to 2 C and nights well below freezing; snow lies on the ground on many days and the Daugava can partly freeze. The Old Town is atmospheric around the Christmas market, but daylight lasts only 6-8 hours.
Crowds & peak times
When to expect tourists and when to avoid them.
- High Season
- Jun-Aug (long days, festivals and cruise-ship days) and the Christmas market weeks; stag and hen weekends are frequent in the Old Town
- Shoulder Season
- May and Sep (ideal for sightseeing, walking and mild weather)
- Low Season
- Nov-Mar (cold, dark, quiet, lowest hotel prices and indoor cultural life)
Major events & festivals
Time your visit around what matters.
ARTDOCFEST/Riga
International documentary film festival in Riga cinemas, held from 28 February to 8 March in 2026; check artdocfest.lv for current dates
Museum Night
One evening in May when museums across Riga and Latvia open late and often at reduced or free entry; check the Latvian museum association website for the date
Riga Marathon
Annual road race (marathon, half marathon and fun runs) through the centre, usually in May; roads are closed and hotels fill up
Riga Art Week
City-wide contemporary art festival; the 2026 edition ran from 25 to 31 May
Riga Opera Festival
International opera festival at the Latvian National Opera, held from 4 to 20 June in 2026; confirm dates and tickets at opera.lv
Ligo and Jani (Midsummer)
Latvia's biggest folk holiday with flower and oak-leaf wreaths, bonfires, singing and cheese; 23 and 24 June are public holidays, many shops and restaurants close and residents leave the city for the countryside
Positivus Festival
Music festival reported for 2026 as a one-day event at the Mezaparks Great Bandstand in Riga on 6 August; the festival previously took place in Salacgriva, so confirm the venue and date at positivusfestival.com
HOPS Riga Festival
Free beer festival held at the Esplanade, 3-6 September in 2026; check riga.lv for the current edition
Riga International Film Festival (RIGA IFF)
Large film festival held in cinemas across the city, 15-25 October in 2026
Staro Riga
Light festival with installations across the Old Town in mid-November, coinciding with Latvia's Independence Day celebrations on 18 November; check dates on liveriga.com
Riga Christmas Market
Traditional Christmas market with wooden stalls on Doma Square and the Old Town, mulled wine and the festive tree through December
Latvian Song and Dance Festival
The nationwide Song and Dance Festival, a UNESCO-listed tradition held every five years in Riga, is set for 30 June to 9 July 2028; the next edition is not in 2026 or 2027