Imagine stepping into a fairy-tale filled with twinkling lights, the scent of mulled wine, and the magical sounds of carolers – that’s Riga during the holiday season. Riga, the charming medieval capital of Latvia, transforms into a winter wonderland from early December to early January. With its enchanting Christmas markets, world-class ballet performances, and rich historical sights, Riga offers a perfect blend of culture and festive cheer. Plus, it’s just a short flight from Edinburgh.

We flew from Edinburgh to Riga with Ryanair, a journey which takes around 2 hours and 45 minutes, a short and uneventful flight, but definitely a popular one. Upon landing, we took a taxi to our hotel as it was later at night, rather than trying to work out buses. Top Tip: Make sure you take the green taxis outside the airport; other taxis are not legitimate.

Our hotel for this visit was the Grand Hotel Kempinski, a grand old building on the edge of the Old Town. We were quite tired from the journey, and since it was late we decided just to relax with cocktails at the elegant rooftop bar (while not looking so elegant ourselves!). The bar offered a stunning view over the twinkling lights of Bastejkalna Park and the Latvian National Opera and Ballet building. What a pleasant way to start our visit!

The next morning, we found a little bakery around the corner from the hotel that did amazing pastries (cinnamon buns to die for!) and coffee, there was only a few seats and we were lucky both mornings to get one. We only managed a short wander, as we needed to get back to get ready for our midday performance of the Nutcracker by the Latvian National Ballet, just the thing to get us into the Christmas mood.

A short hop from the hotel across the road was the Latvian National Opera and Ballet, a magnificent grand old building, a step back in time. We splashed out on a box for the performance, which gave us a great view of the stage and it felt like a treat along with a little glass of fizz at the interval. We had a wonderful time, the performance of the Nutcracker was beautiful. I would highly recommend putting this on your list.

Afterwards, we headed back to the hotel to get out of our finery and into our winter clothes and sensible shoes. As there was snow on the ground I would suggest proper walking shoes, and a good heavy coat, as it was so cold, even colder than Scotland, who would have thought!

As the nights are long in Riga, once we headed out it did start to get dark, which was perfect for our first Christmas Market at Esplanade Park. This is a small market, and hadn’t really got going when we were there, but there was fairground rides, stalls, giant rabbits you can feed and of course… mulled wine. Which we enjoyed a glass or two of!

Warmed by the wine, we walked a short distance further along the road past the magnificent Nativity of Christ Orthodox Cathedral with its golden domes. But sadly, we didn’t have time to stop, as we had an appointment at ‘The Corner House’, a museum housed in the old KGB building which is dedicated to the KGB Presence in Latvia from occupation in 1940 until independence in 1991. A cheery way to end the day! This was a fascinating place, we were given a tour round the old offices, cells, and even the caged in recreation yard. It being dark outside made the whole place even more eerie. The tour guide was informative but also added a lot of humour. We learned so much about a part of history we had little idea off. Definitely worth a visit.

After all that, on our way back towards the old town for dinner, we did stop off at great cocktail bar called ‘This place doesn’t need a name’ which served up great Christmas-themed cocktails, which again we did take advantage off. There was a long Negroni list as well which kept someone happy!

Right in the heart of the old town we had dinner at the wonderful Restaurant Petregallis, housed in an old building with a rustic feel in the shadows of St Peters church. The food was excellent, traditional but not heavy, perfect for a winters day. The staff were wonderful as well, which made for a great evening. It was snowing when we left the restaurant and the bells of St Peters Church gave a chime which made it feel even more like Christmas.

The next morning, we spent some time relaxing in the beautiful spa area of the Grand Hotel, there is a swimming pool, sauna, steam room and loungers for you to laze around on and relax. A perfect way to start the day before some more sightseeing and Christmas market fun!

We headed out first off all across the river to the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church of Pārdaugava. You won’t miss this church, with its distinctive pink colour and  architectural features of the 17th century Moscow architectural style. It is quite magnificent sitting among the residential buildings which surround it. Unfortunately we couldn’t get inside when we visited but apparently it is equally as beautiful on the inside.

After wandering around the area, we headed back through the snow and crossed the river to the House of the Blackheads which sits proudly in the town square. This is probably one of the most well known sites in Riga. This magnificent 14th-century building features a striking facade adorned with ornate sculptures and intricate detailing, which gives a sense of grandeur and mystery. The building originally was used as a meeting place for the Brotherhood of Black Heads, which was a fraternity of unmarried merchants and foreign visitors. Despite being heavily damaged during World War II, it has been meticulously restored and today and stands proudly as a symbol of resilience, inviting visitors to admire its magnificent exterior and explore its captivating interiors. The self-guided tour through the museum offers a deep dive into the city’s vibrant past, and you can even enjoy a glass of sparkling wine as you wander through the exhibits.

Just outside the House of the Blackheads in the town square is the site of the first public Christmas Tree. The first written record of a decorated Christmas Tree comes from Riga in 1510. It is said that men of the local merchants’ guild decorated a tree with artificial roses, danced around it in the marketplace and then set fire to it. There is a marker for the original spot, and today there is a large tree with St Nickolas having his photo taking with children (and maybe a few adults too).

We moved onto the main reason why we visited, the Main Christmas Market, nestled under the towering Riga Cathedral. This was in full swing, with plenty of stalls selling gifts, arts, crafts as well as food and drinks. The smells of Christmas filled the air! There were bands playing and we got to enjoy watching a traditional Latvian band along with some traditional Latvian dancing, which in a way reminded me of Ceilidh dancing. Thankfully we avoided getting dragged up to join in – one way to ruin the flow of the dancing! We had such fun listening and people watching as well as enjoying some of the food and drinks on offer.

It was hard to leave, but we had to go and get our flight home, it really was a flying visit. But there were two last stops! One to try out some Black Balsam (the national drink) at a shop/cafe called ‘Black Magic‘ to sample some of their Black Balsam Cocktails and Chocolates, a very worthwhile stop (Black Balsam is somewhat warming!).

The second stop was for the lights at the Bastejkalna Park, along the river, lots of people and families were out walking, meeting friends and enjoying the beautiful festive lights.

I would recommend Riga as not only a Christmas Market destination, but an anytime destination as it’s perfect for a quick weekend away. Easy to walk around, lots to do and see and great cafes, restaurants and bars. I am almost tempted to go again next year since we had such a great time and came back feeling very much in the mood for Christmas.

Have you been to Riga? Did you visit the Christmas Markets? Where is your favorite Christmas Market? Let me know in the comments.

We Traveled: Direct from Edinburgh to Riga with Ryanair.

We Stayed: The Grand Hotel Kempinski, Riga

We Ate and Drank:

This Place Doesn’t Need a Name – Christmas Cocktail Bar

Restaurant Petregallis – For a lovely more traditional meal

Two More Beers – A brewery bar

Mikla – A Bakery with great pastries and coffee

Black Magic – The home of Black Balsam, and a cafe/cocktail bar

Ogle Wood-fired Grill – A bar that sells good pizza

Kwakinn Belgian Beer – A Belgian Beer Bar