Winter is the time to go ice skating, warming up with hot cocoa or mulled wine during breaks. And it’s even better to do it in the courtyard of an old English castle or at the foot of a snow-capped mountain. We’ve put together a list of ten of the most impressive skating rinks around the world that are worth visiting this winter.
1. Vienna Ice Dream, Vienna, Austria
Photo: wienereistraum.com
In fact, this is not one, but two skating rinks with a total area of 6000 square meters, connected by small paths. The skating rink is located right next to the Vienna City Hall, and around it there are many stalls with Austrian cuisine and hot drinks.
2. Skating rink at Somerset House, London, UK
Photo: James Bryant
In London you can drink champagne and eat chocolate while skating in the courtyard of a majestic 18th century building. In the evening, the skating rink turns on special lighting, and at night it turns into a lively dance floor with DJs, parties and festivals.
3. GUM-skating rink, Moscow, Russia
Photo: gum.ru
The large skating rink near GUM overlooking the Kremlin and St. Basil’s Cathedral occupies a quarter of Red Square and can accommodate 450 people at a time. In addition to skating, you can attend master classes of famous figure skaters and hockey players.
Excursions from local residents in Moscow
4. Ice skating rink at the Cosmopolitan Hotel, Las Vegas, USA
Photo: The Cosmopolitan
As we know, dreams come true in Vegas. And despite the fact that there is no real winter in the Nevada desert, you can still go ice skating here – at The Cosmopolitan Hotel. If it gets cold on the ice, go roast marshmallows by the fire or try seasonal dishes and drinks at the cafe near the skating rink.
5. Royal Pavilion Ice Rink, Brighton, UK
Photo: royalpavilionicerink.co.uk
Another skating rink in England is located in front of the former royal residence of George IV. The palace, in front of which the ice is flooded, was built in an Indo-Saracenic style that is uncharacteristic for Great Britain. In the evenings, the facade of the building is illuminated in pink and purple colors, creating a romantic atmosphere for visitors.
6. Ice skating rink in Rockefeller Center, New York, USA
Photo: Getty Images
This skating rink with skyscrapers towering above it is known to many from cult Hollywood films like “Home Alone 2”, “Sleepless in Seattle”, “Elf” and many others. Since the skating rink can accommodate no more than 150 people, the atmosphere there is quite cozy – but the queues to enter are also impressive.
Tours from Locals in New York
7. Skating rink in Gorky Park, Moscow, Russia
Photo: Tatyana Savina
In winter, the alleys and paths of Moscow’s Gorky Park are filled with water, turning it into something like an ice labyrinth. This year the skating rink was named “Factory of Happy People”. According to the organizers, the ice should be associated with the factory conveyor, and the ten-meter chimney should show that the factory is working at full capacity. The skating rink also has a dance floor, a hockey rink, a figure skating school and a special area for children.
8. Ice Rink on Lake Louise, Banff, Canada
Photo: lakelouisewellness.com
At Lake Louise, surrounded by the scenic Rocky Mountains in Banff National Park, the water freezes in winter, turning the surface into a natural ice skating rink. Next to the lake is the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, where you can rent skates. Skating here is a pleasure, especially in sunny weather, when the sun makes the ice castle built in the center of the lake almost transparent.
9. Ice Rink*, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Photo: Facebook/IceAmsterdam
The ICE * Amsterdam skating rink is located on Museum Square in Amsterdam, in front of the art museum. Master classes, group skating, hockey and curling classes are held on the ice. Next to the skating rink is the Winters restaurant, which serves a wide selection of Dutch dishes.
10. Ice Rink on the Rideau Canal, Ottawa, Canada
Photo: Facebook/RideauCanalSkateway
In winter, the Rideau Canal freezes and turns into a skating rink almost eight kilometers long. The canal is under the protection of UNESCO, and the skating rink is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest open-air skating rink in the world. You can drive on frozen ice through most of downtown Ottawa, past the Canadian Parliament and the impressive Chateau Laurier Hotel building.
Preview photo: Getty Images
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