Beneath the spires of Riga’s Old Town and alongside its Art Nouveau facades, ancient Latvian traditions remain part of everyday life. Summer solstice celebrations, flower wreaths, Latvian sauna rituals and folk songs all have a place in the city today. Discover Riga’s cultural heritage through seasonal festivals, music and traditional food, and explore the Latvian folk beliefs and close connection to nature behind these customs.
Meet the Gods of Latvia
In Latvian folklore, Saule travels across the celestial hill, Laima determines each person’s destiny, and Jumis watches over the grain fields. These deities are closely involved in human life - in everyday work, seasonal celebrations and hopes for the future. Their stories have survived mainly through folk songs, legends, fairy tales and folk beliefs, rather than a single collection of sacred texts. Discovering Latvian mythology offers a fresh perspective on the crafts found at Riga’s artisan markets: patterned mittens, woven belts, silver jewellery and traditional rooftop ornaments. Here, age-old patterns meet more recent interpretations and the imagination of each maker.
Latvian seasonal festivals
The ancient Latvians followed the rhythms of the sun and the land. Their year was a cycle marked by the solstices and equinoxes, with seasonal festivals celebrating work and rest in between. Many of these Latvian traditions are still celebrated today. In Riga, you can experience them alongside local folklore groups, with masks, songs, bonfires and traditional festive food. Planning your visit: The dates mentioned here are the traditional festival dates. Celebrations in Riga often take place on the nearest weekend, so check the LiveRiga events calendar for the latest details. Jāņi, Latvia’s midsummer celebration, is the exception: 23 and 24 June are public holidays, with the main festivities taking place on the night of 23 June.
Places to Explore Latvia’s Pagan Heritage in Riga
Although no ancient pagan shrines survive in Riga, the city has places where Latvia’s ancestral beliefs and traditions still resonate. Discover a hill where midsummer has been celebrated for three centuries, a cabinet holding nearly 270,000 slips of Latvian folk songs, a historic village beside a lake and a forest where the nation gathers to sing. You can explore all these places independently, and most are accessible by public transport.
Ancient rituals, Modern experiences
The best way to discover Latvian traditions is to experience them firsthand. Weave your own flower crown, learn traditional Latvian folk dances, dress up in a traditional mask, or enjoy an authentic Latvian sauna experience with herbal whisks and traditional sauna rituals. Many of these cultural experiences in Riga are also available in English.
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Eat Like a Pagan – Ancient Flavours of Latvia
For centuries, traditional Latvian cuisine has followed the rhythms of nature and the changing seasons. Meals were prepared using ingredients from the fields, forests and family farms, while each seasonal celebration had its own special dishes rich in symbolic meaning. Bread was regarded as sacred, honey was treasured as a source of sweetness and nourishment, and the round Jāņi cheese, a traditional Latvian Midsummer speciality, symbolised the sun and its life-giving energy. In Latvian culture, food has always been about more than satisfying hunger – it was also a way to honour ancestors, celebrate the cycles of nature and welcome prosperity in the year ahead.
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Traditional Latvian Souvenirs - Ancient Symbols, Local Crafts and Gifts with a Story
The best souvenir from Latvia is one that tells a story. A silver ring inspired by ancient Baltic patterns, hand-knitted woollen mittens decorated with traditional Latvian symbols, or a linen towel woven by a local craftswoman is more than just a beautiful keepsake. These objects preserve generations of craftsmanship, ancient beliefs and symbols that reflect Latvia's deep connection with nature, seasonal celebrations and cultural traditions. From replicas of archaeological jewellery to contemporary Latvian design inspired by centuries-old patterns, Riga offers plenty of places to discover authentic souvenirs and handmade gifts created by local artisans.
Folk Music, Fire & Ancient Rhythms
As the lanterns light up Riga Old Town, ancient melodies come alive in historic cellars, concert halls and around festive bonfires. In Latvia, folk music is far more than a relic of the past - it's a vibrant, ever-evolving part of the country's cultural identity. From the delicate sounds of the kokle, a traditional Latvian string instrument, and polyphonic folk songs to the powerful rhythms of bagpipes, ethno-pop and folk metal, Latvian music can surprise, captivate and get you dancing, even if you don't understand a word of Latvian.