Things to Do in Latvia in May
May weather, activities, events & insider tips
May Weather in Latvia
Is May Right for You?
Advantages
- Longest daylight hours of the year - sunset around 10pm by late May means you can pack museums, Old Town wandering, and beach time into a single day without feeling rushed. The extended twilight (what locals call baltās naktis or white nights) gives the evenings this dreamy quality where you lose track of time.
- Nature absolutely explodes in May - birch trees leaf out, wildflowers carpet the meadows, and the forests smell incredible after the long winter. Gauja National Park trails are finally dry enough for comfortable hiking, and the bog boardwalks at Ķemeri aren't muddy messes anymore. Water temperatures in the Baltic hit 12-15°C (54-59°F) by late May, which is still cold but tolerable for quick dips if you're brave.
- Shoulder season pricing without the emptiness - you'll pay 20-30% less than peak summer (June-August) for accommodations, but unlike March or April, everything is actually open and functioning. Restaurants have outdoor seating set up, coastal towns are awake, and you're not competing with cruise ship crowds in Riga's Old Town yet.
- Festival season kicks into gear without the chaos - Riga hosts smaller cultural events throughout May, cafes spill onto sidewalks, and there's this palpable energy as Latvians emerge from winter hibernation. The whole country feels genuinely happy to be outside again, which makes for much warmer interactions than you'd get in the darker months.
Considerations
- Weather is genuinely unpredictable - you might get stretches of gorgeous 20°C (68°F) sunshine, or you might get three days of 12°C (54°F) drizzle. Latvians joke that May has all four seasons in one week, and they're not exaggerating. Pack for both scenarios because forecasts beyond 48 hours are basically guesses.
- Mornings and evenings stay quite cool - that 8°C (46°F) low means you'll want a proper jacket for early morning walks or late dinners outside. The temperature swing between midday and evening can be 10°C (18°F), which catches tourists off guard. You'll see locals in everything from t-shirts to winter coats on the same afternoon.
- The Baltic Sea is still properly cold - unless you're Scandinavian or exceptionally hardy, swimming is more of a quick plunge than a leisurely float. Beach towns like Jūrmala are pleasant for walks and the spa culture is great, but don't expect Mediterranean beach lounging. Most locals wait until late June for actual swimming season.
Best Activities in May
Gauja National Park hiking and castle exploration
May is genuinely the sweet spot for Gauja - trails have dried out from spring melt but aren't dusty yet, mosquitoes haven't reached their June-July peak, and the beech forests are that brilliant fresh green that only lasts a few weeks. The Gutmanis Cave area and ruins at Turaida Castle are stunning without the tour bus crowds. Temperatures are perfect for the moderate climbs - cool enough that you won't overheat on the 2-3 km (1.2-1.9 mile) trails but warm enough that you don't need heavy layers. The Gauja River is high from snowmelt, making it particularly scenic.
Riga Art Nouveau walking tours
Riga has the highest concentration of Art Nouveau architecture in Europe - over 800 buildings, mostly along Alberta iela and Elizabetes iela. May weather is ideal for the 2-3 hour walks these require, and the morning light (best around 9-11am) shows off the facade details beautifully. Unlike summer when these streets get crowded with tour groups, May mornings are relatively quiet. The Riga Art Nouveau Museum is a perfectly preserved 1903 apartment that gives context to what you're seeing outside.
Jūrmala beach walks and spa experiences
Jūrmala is Latvia's beach resort strip, 25 km (15.5 miles) of white sand backed by pine forests and wooden Art Nouveau summer houses. May is too cold for swimming but perfect for long beach walks - you'll have kilometers of sand nearly to yourself, the air smells like pine and sea, and cafes are open but not packed. The real draw is the spa culture - several hotels offer day passes (30-60 EUR) for thermal pools, saunas, and treatments. After a cool beach walk, a proper sauna session is exactly what you want.
Riga Central Market and food experiences
The Central Market occupies five converted Zeppelin hangars from WWI - it's architecturally fascinating and the best place to understand Latvian food culture. May brings the first local asparagus, greenhouse tomatoes, early berries, and smoked fish is everywhere. Go mid-morning (9-11am) when vendors are set up but it's not mobbed. The dairy pavilion alone could occupy an hour - try different types of skābais krējums (sour cream, a Latvian obsession) and fresh biezpiens (curd cheese). The fish pavilion has dozens of smoked varieties.
Rundāle Palace day trips
Latvia's Versailles, built in the 1730s for the Duke of Courland, about 80 km (50 miles) south of Riga. The Baroque palace is stunning, but May adds the French-style gardens in full spring bloom - tulips, early roses, precisely trimmed hedges all brilliant green. The scale is impressive - 138 rooms, and the Gold Hall is genuinely breathtaking. Crowds are manageable in May (unlike July-August), and you can actually photograph rooms without people in every frame.
Cēsis medieval town and brewery experience
Cēsis is the most intact medieval town in Latvia, 90 km (56 miles) northeast of Riga. The 13th-century castle ruins are atmospheric, and May weather is perfect for climbing the towers and walking the medieval streets without freezing. The town also has Latvia's oldest brewery (since 1590) with tours and tastings. The combination of history and beer culture gives you both tourist experience and local life - Latvians actually go to Cēsis for weekends, so restaurants and cafes have genuine character rather than tourist-trap energy.
May Events & Festivals
Museums Night (Muzeju nakts)
One of Latvia's biggest cultural events, typically the third Saturday in May. Museums, galleries, churches, and cultural institutions across Riga (and other cities) stay open until midnight or later with free or reduced admission, special exhibitions, concerts, and performances. The whole city participates - you'll see families, students, and tourists hopping between venues. It's genuinely festive with a street party atmosphere in Old Town. Expect 100-plus venues participating.
Restoration of Independence Day (May 4)
National holiday commemorating Latvia's 1990 declaration of independence from the Soviet Union. Riga hosts concerts, speeches, and ceremonies around Freedom Monument and Old Town. It's not a huge tourist spectacle but worth experiencing if you're there - you'll see genuine national pride, lots of Latvian flags, and outdoor concerts. Most shops and some restaurants close, so plan accordingly.