The Riga Christmas Lights Trail is a month-long celebration of creativity and the power of light in the darkness and the beauty of the winter season. On Friday the 29th of November 2024 the lights are turned on. And they stay on until 2nd of January 2025.
Photo by Alexander Kovalev on Unsplash
The Riga Christmas Lights Trail is the largest light trail in Latvia and it takes 12 days rigging up the lights. Strings and custom-designed light decorations are placed in the branches of the trees along the trail and lit up by 45,000 LEDs of specially designed polished glass that consumes less energy than conventional LED strings.
The parks of Riga are natural highlights of the light trail. For instance you can walk through Opera Square, Bastejkalns, and Kronvalda Park where music accompanies the trails and creates magic. This year’s theme at the light trail is fairytales so this will be visible in the light installations.
Along with the light trail the Christmas markets open on the first Sunday of Advent. They fill the air with Christmassy aromas of cinnamon, gingerbread and roasted almonds. You can also buy traditional produced goods.
Book your flight to Latvia and choose Riga Airport as your destination. For maximum convenience you can also book a rental car with addCar Rental in advance. Then it will be ready for you at the airport when you land so you don’t waste any time of your vacation.
Please note, that when you are planning your trip it is a good idea to book the car as soon as you know when you are going to Riga. That will give you the largest possible selection to choose from e.g. compact cars or spacious SUVs, budget or luxury, automatic or manual transmission. And it allows you to rent a car that you feel the most comfortable driving.
In Latvia it usually gets winter when it is winter! That means snow and temperatures below freezing. So it is a good idea to bring both a warm jacket, insulated overpants, gloves and winter hat. Then you will be ready to enjoy the beauty of the magical lights. If you visit some of the festive Christmas markets you can warm up with a cup of hot cocoa or mulled wine.
If you are not done with magical experiences you should secure a ticket for The Latvian National Opera and Ballet. Especially for popular shows such as the Nutcracker and Swan Lake.
Winter days in Riga are fairly short with the sun rising at 9 am and setting already at 4 pm. But you can take advantage and go to a rooftop bar at around 3.30 pm and enjoy a sundowner drink with a view.
There are several nice museums to visit in Riga. The Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation is much more exciting and engaging than what the name may suggest.
If you forgot your gloves or if you are looking for a nice gift for yourself or someone you know, you should look for the traditional knitted mittens. They all differ in colors and patterns so we warn you – it can be hard to choose just one pair.
Winter in Riga is beautiful and full of magical experiences. Especially the Riga Christmas lights will warm your heart – and lead you to a Christmas market with warm mulled wine and hot cocoa. To be able to enjoy it to the fullest you should bring your warm winter clothes since temperatures are often below freezing and streets are covered in snow. Enjoy Christmas in Riga, Latvia, from November 29, 2024, to January 2, 2025.
