Vienna Ice Dream skating rink, Vienna, Austria
Winter is the time to skate, warming up with hot cocoa or mulled wine during breaks. Better yet, do it in the courtyard of an old English castle or at the foot of a snow-covered mountain. We’ve compiled a list of ten of the most impressive ice rinks around the world to visit this winter.
It’s actually not one, but two ice rinks total area of 6,000 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. Somerset House Ice Rink, London, UK
In London you can drink champagne and eat chocolate while ice skating in the courtyard of a magnificent 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
Big skating rink near GUM overlooking the Kremlin and St. Basil’s Cathedral Blessed occupies a quarter of Red Square and can accommodate 450 people at a time. In addition to ice skating, you can attend master classes by famous figure skaters and hockey players.
Excursions from local residents in Moscow
4. Skating rink at the Cosmopolitan Hotel, Las Vegas, USA
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, grill marshmallows by the fire or try seasonal food and drinks at the ice rink café.
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5. Ice skating rink Royal Pavilion, Brighton, UK
Another ice rink in England is located in front of the former royal residence of George IV. The palace, in front of which is filled with ice, was built in an Indo-Saracenic style 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.
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6. Rockefeller Center Ice Rink, New York, USA
This ice rink with towering skyscrapers is known to many from the cult Hollywood movies like Home Alone 2, Sleepless in Seattle, Elf and more. Since the skating rink accommodates no more than 150 people, the atmosphere there is quite cozy – but the queues to enter are impressive.
Guided Tours by Locals in New York
7. Skating rink in Gorky Park, Moscow, Russia
In winter, the alleys and paths of Moscow’s Gorky Park are flooded with water, turning it into something like an ice labyrinth. This year the skating rink was named “Factory of Happy People”. As planned by the organizers, the ice should be associated with the conveyor belt of the factory, and the ten-meter chimney should show that the factory is working at full capacity. The rink also has a dance floor, hockey rink, figure skating school and a special area for children.
8. Lake Louise Ice Rink, Banff, Canada
On Lake Louise surrounded by picturesque Rocky Mountains in the National Park Banff water freezes in winter, turning the surface into a natural ice rink. Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is located next to the lake and offers skates for hire. It is a pleasure to ride here, especially in sunny weather, when the sun makes the castle of ice, built in the center of the lake, almost transparent.!
9. Ice Skating Rink *, Amsterdam, Netherlands
ICE * Amsterdam skating rink is located in Amsterdam Museum Square, in front of the building of the art museum. Master classes, group skating, hockey and curling classes are held on the ice. Next to the ice rink is the Winters restaurant, which serves a wide variety of Dutch cuisine.
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10. Rideau Canal Skating Rink, Ottawa, Canada
In winter, the Rideau Canal freezes over and turns into an almost eight kilometers long ice rink. The canal is under the protection of UNESCO, and the ice rink is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest open-air ice rink in the world. On frozen ice, you can drive through almost all of Ottawa’s city center past the Canadian Parliament and the impressive Chateau Laurier Hotel.
I want to go to Ottawa!