March is a decent shoulder option for Riga: fewer crowds, some trade-offs. Expect daytime highs around 3°C, nights near -4°C and roughly 10 rainy days across the month. Cold eases slowly toward highs near 3C, snow lingers into the month and the days lengthen fast as spring approaches. Prices stay low and the light returns, but expect grey slush underfoot and keep winter layers on.
Day high
3°C
Night low
-4°C
Rainy days
≈ 10
Verdict
Fair
March is quieter, which makes it the right month to afford the splurge picks.
Special occasions€€€Grand five-star · Old Town (Vecriga)
A polished five-star in a restored 19th-century building on the edge of the old town, facing the Freedom Monument and the canal park, with a spa and a grand ballroom. The old town lanes and the National Opera are a couple of minutes away on foot.
from ~220 EUR/night
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Couples€€Berga Bazars boutique · Art Nouveau Quarter (Quiet Centre)
A calm design hotel in the Berga Bazars courtyard quarter in the quiet centre, a short walk from the Art Nouveau district and Alberta iela. Rooms are large suites, and the leafy passage of shops and cafes below keeps it feeling residential.
from ~160 EUR/night
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First visit€€Riverside skyline views · Kipsala and Agenskalns
A big modern hotel on the Kipsala bank of the Daugava, with a pool and rooms looking straight across the water to the old town skyline. It is a 15-minute walk over the bridge or a short bus to the centre, and better value than the old town.
from ~95 EUR/night
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Budget€Old town hostel · Old Town (Vecriga)
A lively, colourful backpacker hostel in the heart of the old town, with dorms and a few private rooms, a bar and a busy calendar of tours and pub crawls. It is one of the cheapest and most social beds in a city that is already cheap.
from ~22 EUR/night
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With 10 rainy days and highs of 3°C, build your March days around indoor anchors and treat sunny windows as a bonus.
Riga Art Nouveau Museum
TipSet in the preserved apartment of architect Konstantins Peksens on Alberta iela, this small museum recreates a 1903 Riga home down to the tiled stove, painted ceilings and spiral staircase, for around nine euros. It is open daily and takes under an hour, so pair it with the outdoor facade walk on the same street rather than treating it as a separate trip.
Riga Central Market
TipFive vast 1920s pavilions built from repurposed German Zeppelin hangars make this one of Europe's largest markets, split by hall into meat, dairy, fish, produce and bread, and it is free to wander and cheap to graze. Come hungry and mid-morning when it is busiest and freshest, try the smoked fish and rye bread, and keep an eye on your bag in the crowds.
Latvian National Museum of Art
TipThe grand 1905 building on the edge of the Esplanade park holds the largest collection of Latvian and Baltic art, and its rooftop terrace gives a free open view over the Art Nouveau quarter for the price of a ticket, around six euros. It closes on Mondays, and the wide Esplanade park outside makes an easy green pause between the galleries and Alberta iela.
The Corner House (KGB Museum)
TipThis Art Nouveau block on the corner of Brivibas and Stabu was the Soviet KGB headquarters where prisoners were held and executed, and the ground-floor exhibition is free while the guided tour of the cells and execution room costs around five euros. Tours run in English at set times and often sell out, so check the schedule and arrive early to secure a slot.
Ready to plan the full trip? Start from the 2-day Riga itinerary.
March is a decent shoulder option for Riga: fewer crowds, some trade-offs. Expect daytime highs around 3°C, nights near -4°C and roughly 10 rainy days across the month. Cold eases slowly toward highs near 3C, snow lingers into the month and the days lengthen fast as spring approaches. Prices stay low and the light returns, but expect grey slush underfoot and keep winter layers on.
Typical March days in Riga reach about 3°C, dropping to around -4°C at night. Layers work best.
Count on roughly 10 days with rain in March. Plan one indoor block per day and keep museum tickets as your fallback.