Riga Christmas Market Day Trip: Is It Worth It for £88?

£88 return, a free Christmas market, and a Sunday afternoon in Riga. People write Riga, Latvia off as too far and too cold. Some of that's true. Most of it isn't.

The flight is from Stansted on Sunday 29 November, out at 08:50, landing at 13:25 local time, home at 22:00. £88 is the cheapest same-day return on Google Flights for that date, checked on 2 October 2026. Fares move daily, so check before you book.

Is Riga good for Christmas markets?

Yes. The main one is on Dome Square in the old town, in front of the cathedral, and it opens on 27 November, so you're there on its first weekend. It's free to get in. It's not Vienna, it's smaller and calmer, with a big tree, wooden stalls and a festive feel without the crush, and that's the appeal.

Myth: it's too far for a day trip

Reality: it's a short day, and you should treat it as one. You land at 13:25 and our trip page has you leaving the city at 19:55, so about 5 and a half hours in town. That's an afternoon and an evening. For a Christmas market, that's actually the right half of the day, because the market's at its best after dark.

Riga on Sun 29 Nov: times, hours and today's price

Myth: it'll be freezing

Reality: it will. Our trip page has the average high for this date at 1°C and the low at -2°C, and it gets dark at about 15:53. Hat, gloves, proper shoes. This one isn't a myth, it's a warning.

Myth: Christmas markets cost a fortune to get into

Reality: Riga's is free. You pay for what you eat and drink, and nobody official publishes stall prices, so we're not going to guess them.

How cheap is Riga?

Our cost data has the day on the ground at about £43: £4 for the bus in and out, £4 local transport, £9 lunch and £26 dinner. Add £4 for a coffee or a pint. That's cheaper than Vienna at £61 and a bit dearer than Kraków at £39. Dinner's the big one, and with a 22:00 flight you'll have time for it.

Flight £88 plus £43 on the ground. About £131 all in.

Myth: there's nothing else to do

Reality: the old town is the thing, and it's free to walk. Town Hall Square and the House of the Blackheads are a few minutes from the market. The Central Market, the Freedom Monument and the park along the canal are free too. If you want to go inside somewhere warm, Riga Cathedral is €5 and the House of the Blackheads is €10.

Opening hours

The market runs from 27 November right through December and into January. The city's tourism site lists Sunday hours as 10:00 to 21:00, but the same page also shows 11:00 to 20:00 in another spot. Either way, it's open well after you need to head for the airport.

Is it worth it?

For £88 and a free market, yes, as long as you know what you're getting. It's an afternoon and an evening, it'll be cold, and it'll be lovely. If you want a long day, pick somewhere closer. If you want a Christmas market without elbowing through a crowd, Riga's a good shout.

Riga Christmas market 2026 dates and hours

The market on Dome Square opens on Friday 27 November 2026 and runs into January. The city's tourism site lists the hours as 11:00 to 21:00 Monday to Thursday, 10:00 to 22:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, and 10:00 to 21:00 on Sundays. The same page also shows a shorter summary and a different closing date, so check before you go, especially if you're visiting around New Year.

Where is the Riga Christmas market?

Dome Square, Doma laukums, in the middle of the old town, in front of Riga Cathedral. Riga is the capital of Latvia. From the airport it's a bus into the centre, about £4 there and back on our cost data, and the old town is all walking from there.

Practical tips for the day

Latvia uses the euro, so no faffing with currency. Card works for most things, but carry a little cash for the stalls.

You land at 13:25, so eat something before you go or as soon as you're in. By the time you're in the old town it's mid-afternoon and it's dark by 15:53. That's when the market looks its best, so it works out.

Our trip page has you leaving the city at 19:55 for the 22:00 flight. Have dinner before that, not at the airport. It's the biggest cost of the day at £26 on our data, and it's better in town.

And dress for -2°C. Hat, gloves, warm socks. You'll be standing outside for hours.

Is Riga too far for a day trip?

It's further than Bratislava or Krakow and you lose two hours to the time difference, which is why you only get about 5 and a half hours. If you want a long day, Krakow gets you nearly 10. If you want a Christmas market at its best after dark, Riga's afternoon and evening is exactly the right bit of the day.

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Photo credits. Top: AleWi, CC BY-SA 4.0. Market stall: Rīgas pašvaldības aģentūra, CC BY 2.0. House of the Blackheads: Steven1991, CC BY-SA 4.0.