A festive Riga break has a date to plan around: the Old Town Christmas Market returns to Dome Square from Friday, 27 November 2026 to Sunday, 3 January 2027. The organiser confirms the 2026/27 season, and LiveRiga lists free entrance.
Think of the market as a place to return to during a city break: browse the crafts on one visit, pause for something warming on another, and give the surrounding Old Town some time of its own. You can build a weekend around it without filling every hour with bookings.
📅 The 2026/27 market at a glance
| Dates | 27 November 2026–3 January 2027 |
|---|---|
| Place | Dome Square — Doma laukums, Old Riga |
| Entry | Free, according to the official city tourism listing |
| Opening-weekend idea | 27–29 November 2026 |
| Daily and holiday hours | Confirm the hours for your chosen date with the organiser |
Official market website · LiveRiga’s market listing
🧶 Put Latvian craftsmanship on your shopping list
The organiser’s announcement for the coming season puts Latvian makers’ work at the centre of the market, alongside food and hot drinks. It is a good setting for choosing something with a connection to the place you have come to visit.
The city tourism listing describes gifts such as woollen socks and gloves, beeswax candles and gingerbread. Treat those as ideas to look for as you browse, with the actual choice depending on the stalls taking part.
Leave a little room in your luggage if you hope to shop. Smaller handmade gifts can be especially practical for a short trip, and taking time to compare the stalls makes the visit feel more personal than working through a fixed shopping list.
☕ Make room for a warming pause
Food and hot drinks are part of the organiser’s plan for the 2026/27 season. Explore what the vendors are serving and check their displayed prices before ordering.
The organiser also describes a cup-deposit system: a deposit is paid when you receive the cup, and the cup should be taken to the designated return point when you finish. Check the amount and return instructions at the market.
A simple approach is to browse first, choose one food or drink stop, then take another look at anything you particularly liked. Free entry gives you the flexibility to make a shorter first visit and come back during your stay.
🕒 Check the day as well as the season
The market’s season is confirmed, but current official listings are not fully consistent about daily and holiday opening hours. Confirm the hours for your particular date with the organiser before making a timed plan, especially around Christmas and New Year.
The same care helps with music and family activities: check the day and year of an individual listing before choosing a visit around it. At our 1 November check, the organiser’s site still displayed some programmes from the previous season, so those performers and times are not carried into this 2026/27 guide.
You can still plan the shape of the trip now: choose your dates, keep the market visit flexible, and check the detailed programme again closer to departure.
✨ An opening-weekend plan for 27–29 November
Friday: arrive in Riga, settle into your accommodation and decide whether an initial market visit fits the confirmed hours and your energy after travelling.
Saturday: combine time in the Old Town with one indoor cultural stop. Our Riga Art Nouveau Museum guide is one starting point; check the museum’s current visiting arrangements before adding it to your day. Give the market its own unhurried visit afterwards.
Sunday: leave space for breakfast and a final walk before your onward journey. If you want another market visit, check that day’s opening time against your departure plans.
For more ideas during the opening month, see our November Riga events guide. The Christmas market also continues through December and into the first days of January.
🏡 Find your base for a festive Riga break
Explore MIRO Rooms Center, Skolas and French for your stay. Compare the location, size and facilities of the individual apartment with the places you want to visit, including your route to Dome Square.
Find your MIRO Rooms apartment for a festive Riga stay
Season dates, location, admission and linked information checked on 1 November 2026. Daily hours, programmes, stall selections and prices may change; confirm the details that matter to your visit through the official market website.