Staro Rīga 2026: a head spa before the festival lights

In Latvian, staro means to shine. The city lights up for four evenings. We like the idea of arriving there already lit from within: slower, warmer, unhurried.

HEADSPA is not part of the festival and has no connection with its organisers. We simply share the city with it, and the timing works well.

What is Staro Rīga, and when are the lights on?

Staro Rīga is the festival of light that LiveRiga announces each November. In 2026 it runs from Sunday 15 November to Wednesday 18 November, every evening. People walk from one light installation to the next in the early dark.

The last evening, 18 November, is also Latvia's Independence Day. The city is full, the streets are busy, and the afternoon is the calmest part of the day.

Why spend the afternoon at a head spa before the festival?

November in Riga is dark early and often damp. By mid afternoon many visitors have already walked the Old Town, and the feet and shoulders feel it. The festival asks for another long walk, in the cold, until late.

A ritual at 15:00 fills the gap between the day and the evening. You come in from the grey street, sit down, and for an hour or a little more nothing is asked of you. Then you step out at dusk, just as the first installations light up a few minutes away.

We think of the northern dark not as something to endure, but as a time to recover. Staro Rīga says the same thing in its own language: in a country without many sunny days, light is something people make together.

Why Head Spa Dry for a festival evening?

Head Spa Dry follows Kaze-no-Michi (path of the wind), our dry method. There is no water in this ritual. For a November evening this matters: you go back out into the cold without a wet head and without needing time for drying.

Like every ritual at HEADSPA, it begins with a scalp diagnostic. We do not work without it. Our founder, Aleksandra Talikova, a cosmetologist with a medical education and a spa specialist (CIDESCO), builds the programmes herself. After the diagnostic come the elements that are the base of each of our rituals: head massage by hand and with tools, care with Davines or Limba chosen for you, aromatherapy, a hand cream-butter and a tea ceremony at the end.

The levels change what is added around that core:

• Basic, 60 min, 55 €: the core of the programme.
• Premium, 75 min, 70 €: adds a hand and foot massage. After a day on Riga's cobblestones, this is the level we would suggest.
• Deluxe, 90 min, 85 €: adds hand and foot massage and a body scrub.

Starting at 15:00, even Deluxe, 90 min, ends at 16:30, with a little time to sit with your tea.

What does it feel like afterwards?

We do not promise results. We can describe what the ritual is made of: the quiet of the room, warmth in the hands, a slower breath. We call what stays the afterglow - what you still carry two hours later, walking under the lights, and sometimes the next day.

We are not a medical practice. If you have hair loss, itching or flaking of the scalp, we advise seeing a dermatologist.

Can we come as a couple or as friends?

Yes. Travelling in pairs is a natural way to visit. You can book for two, and each person receives their own programme after their own diagnostic. Then you walk to the lights together.

Why book ahead for these dates?

The festival brings many visitors to the city at once, and the afternoon slots before dusk are the ones that suit them. If you know your dates, we suggest booking as soon as your trip is planned. A deposit of 20 € per guest holds your time.

Book Head Spa Dry for a festival afternoon

What is near the studio?

HEADSPA is in the centre of Riga. You leave the studio and are close to the evening's walk. Dress warmly, wear comfortable shoes, and keep the tea ceremony's calm with you for the first hour outside.

The ritual for this article

Head Spa Dry, method Kaze-no-Michi (path of the wind). A dry head spa that begins with a scalp diagnostic and ends with a tea ceremony. Basic 60 min from 55 €, Premium 75 min 70 €, Deluxe 90 min 85 €. Read more on the Head Spa Dry page or book your afternoon.

If you are visiting someone in Riga for the festival, a gift card is another way to bring them here.