Riga holidays
A walkable Baltic capital pairing a UNESCO-listed medieval old town with one of the world's densest collections of Art Nouveau architecture.
24°C AugustBest Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep2–3 nights
At a glance
- architecture and design
- Baltic city breaks
- budget-friendly travel
Trip cost
- Return flight
- ≈€89
- Stay
- ≈€142
- Food & local
- ≈€48
Includes the return fare from London Stansted. An estimate, not a quote — each booking happens separately with its supplier. How we work this out.
Stays
Stays in Riga
From €37/night · Typical €94 · 158 stays · 2-night stay assumed
Booking.com (opens in a new tab)- Best 3-star
Salnas rezidence self check-inRīga · 7.6 km from the centre€79 a night (opens in a new tab)See more 3-star options
- Best 4-star
Quiet garden deluxe apartmentRīga Latvia · 2.3 km from the centre€71 a night (opens in a new tab)See more 4-star options
- Cheapest
Maza Kalna 27Rīga LV · 2.7 km from the centre€37 a night (opens in a new tab)See more options, cheapest first
Map
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Getting to Riga
- AirportRiga International Airport (RIX)
- Transfer optionsBus, taxi
Bus No. 22 runs between the airport and the city centre in around 40 minutes; taxis take 15–25 minutes.
Indicative, per traveller. You book with Aviasales.
Areas of Riga
A few places people base themselves, and who each tends to suit.
- Vecrīga (Old Town)Best for first-time visitors who want the cathedral, House of Blackheads and cobbled lanes within immediate walking distance.
- Art Nouveau district (Alberta iela)Suited to architecture-focused travellers who want to be among the Jugendstil façades, a short walk north of the old town.
- Centrs / Central Market areaA practical choice near the station and market, trading old-town atmosphere for everyday convenience.
- ĀgenskalnsGood for a longer, quieter stay across the river, with wooden architecture and a slower, more local pace.
When to go
Monthly climate normals (ERA5 reanalysis, 2022–2024). Gold months are the best weather fit.
- Best overall
- June · July · August · September
- Hottest
- August · 24°C
- Wettest
- July · 106mm
- Jan0°67mm
- Feb3°68mm
- Mar6°41mm
- Apr11°45mm
- May18°57mm
- Jun22°75mm (good month)
- Jul22°106mm (good month)
- Aug24°101mm (good month)
- Sep19°44mm (good month)
- Oct12°84mm
- Nov5°54mm
- Dec1°59mm
What each season is like
- Spring
- Cool and often still bare early on, warming and greening through the season, with fewer visitors than summer.
- Summer
- The best weather of the year and the longest daylight hours, drawing the biggest crowds to the old town.
- Autumn
- Cooling quickly, with golden park colours early on before turning damp and grey later in the season.
- Winter
- Cold, dark and often snowy, though Christmas markets and candlelit cafés give the old town real atmosphere.
Good to know about Riga
Worth it for
The medieval old town and the Art Nouveau district sit close enough together to cover both on foot.
Keep in mind
Winters are long, cold and dark, with short daylight hours that limit sightseeing time.
Why go
- The medieval old town and the Art Nouveau district sit close enough together to cover both on foot.
- Riga Central Market fills a row of former Zeppelin hangars with fresh produce, fish and local crafts.
- A strong café and craft-beer scene fills the old town's converted merchant houses.
Worth knowing
- Winters are long, cold and dark, with short daylight hours that limit sightseeing time.
- The old town's popularity concentrates crowds and higher prices into a small area, while much of the wider city sees far fewer visitors.
- Many sights and cafés outside the centre keep shorter or less predictable hours than in bigger Western European capitals.