A festive getaway to the Christmas Markets in Riga
When considering an affordable Christmas mini break in Europe, Riga is the perfect festive destination that provides great value for price.
The city claims to be home to the first ever decorated Christmas tree, dating back to 1510. A plaque is embedded in the cobblestones of Riga’s Town Hall Square, marking the location where the first fir tree was placed.
In the city centre, there are Christmas markets on Doma Laukums (Dome Square), Līvu Laukums (Livu Square) and Esplenāde Park. Rows of wooden shacks sell gifts including knitted mittens and socks, beeswax candles, Christmas ornaments and hand-crafted woodwork. In between shopping, keep warm by trying the traditional Black Balsam with hot black currant juice.
Christmas Markets in Riga are open form 30 Nov 2019 – 8 Jan 2020