Markets by theme

Christmas markets with ice skating

Skate first, mulled wine after. These markets have an ice rink at the market or close by, and we’ve got the dates, prices and skate hire for each one.

43 cities with a rinkDates, prices and skate hirePrices checked 2 Nov 2026

See all 43 on the map →Jump to the list ↓Where to stay ↓

Vienna Christmas market — ViennaWiener Eistraum on Rathausplatz and in the RathausparkOver 3,000 m² of ice on Rathausplatz, right next to the Christkindlmarkt.

43 of the Christmas market cities we cover have an ice rink at the market or a short walk away. Vienna’s Eistraum is the biggest by miles, Lucerne and Budapest’s Óbuda market let you skate for free, and most of the rest charge between €5 and €12 a go, plus skate hire. Whatever you do, pack gloves.

All 43 at a glance

Best Index score first. Open them on the map →

Market	The rink	Dates and prices	Market open	Index
ViennaOur pick Wiener Eistraum on Rathausplatz and in the Rathauspark	The biggest rink at any market we cover, over 3,000 m² of ice plus 300 m of paths winding through the park.	When 13 Nov to 6 Jan, closed 31 Dec Price €11, €9.90 online, children €7.80 Skate hire €10, children €6.30 Late Free from 21:30 Hotels in Vienna →	6 Nov – 6 Jan	8.6
Dresden Dresdner Winterlichter on Prager Straße	The Feldschlößchen Eisarena sits right between the stalls, with a cheap ticket for the last hour.	When 27 Nov to 23 Dec Price €8, children €6, half price in the last hour Skate hire €5 Pay Usually cash only Hotels in Dresden →	25 Nov – 6 Jan	8.4
Budapest Advent Óbudán on Fő tér	Free skating on Óbuda’s main square while the Advent market is on, and for weeks after it.	When From 27 Nov into January Price Free Skate hire HUF 1,500 to 2,000 Hotels in Budapest →	13 Nov – 3 Jan	8.3
Montbéliard Patinoire, Place Denfert-Rochereau	Official rink beside the market, 21 November 2026 to 2 January 2027, €6 a session.Hotels in Montbéliard →		21 Nov – 24 Dec	7.9
SalzburgOur pick Eiszauber am Mozartplatz, next to the Christkindlmarkt	The square next door to the main market, open until 22:00 and right through January.	When 12 Nov to 31 Jan Price €6.50, or €12 with skates Children €4.50, or €9 with skates Evenings €4.50 from 19:00 to 21:00 Hotels in Salzburg →	19 Nov – 6 Jan	7.9
Düsseldorf Kö on Ice, Corneliusplatz at the top of the Königsallee	Opens before the markets do, with Eisstock lanes and a two-storey Alm for food.	When 6 Nov to 10 Jan, closed 22 Nov and 24 Dec Price €9, under-11s €6 Skate hire €6 Hotels in Düsseldorf →	19 Nov – 30 Dec	7.8
Graz Grazer Winterwelt, at the foot of the Schlossberg	About 3,000 m² of ice with weekend ice discos and a small punch market by the rink.	When 13 Nov to 31 Jan Price €9.50 for a two-hour slot, children €7.50 Skate hire €8, under-17s €6 Hotels in Graz →	20 Nov – 24 Dec	7.8
Prague Wenceslas Square, beside the market there, not Old Town Square	Prague’s central rink is on Wenceslas Square. Old Town Square doesn’t have one.	Price 200 Kč for two hours, children 100 Kč (2024/25) Note 2026 dates not announced yet Hotels in Prague →	20 Nov – 6 Jan	7.8
BerlinOur pick Berliner Weihnachtszeit am Roten Rathaus	A 600 m² round rink around the Neptune Fountain, right inside the market.	When 23 Nov to 3 Jan, closed 24 Dec Price €5, skate hire €3 Sessions Five 90-minute sessions a day, from 12:00 Hotels in Berlin →	13 Nov – 3 Jan	7.7
Brno Moravské náměstí, under the observation wheel	About 800 m² of ice in the park under the 33 m wheel, next to the main-square markets.	Price 140 Kč for two hours last season, children 70 Kč Skate hire 100 Kč plus a 500 Kč deposit Note 2026 hours and prices come out before the markets open Hotels in Brno →	13 Nov – 31 Dec	7.7
Annecy Jardins de l'Europe festive zone	Natural-ice rink of 460 m² with 30-minute sessions, 26 November 2026 to 3 January 2027.Hotels in Annecy →		26 Nov – 3 Jan	7.6
Bath Bath on Ice, Royal Victoria Park	A separate rink from 20 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027, a walk from the market’s north end rather than on the market streets.Hotels in Bath →		26 Nov – 13 Dec	7.5
Cologne Heinzels Wintermärchen on the Heumarkt	Skating inside the old-town market, with Eisstock lanes you can book by the hour.	When 23 Nov to 10 Jan, closed 24 and 25 Dec Price €9.50 weekdays, €11.50 weekends, children €6 Skate hire €6.50, children €5.50 Tip An online ticket guarantees entry Hotels in Cologne →	13 Nov – 10 Jan	7.5
Innsbruck Ice Magic on Landhausplatz and Bozner Platz, new this year	A brand-new 2,300 m² rink with winding ice paths in the city centre.	When 12 Nov to 21 Feb Price €12 for 2.5 hours, children €8 Skate hire €7.50 Hotels in Innsbruck →	13 Nov – 6 Jan	7.5
Brussels Winter Wonders (Plaisirs d’Hiver)	A rink with curling lanes and a toddler area, on Place De Brouckère last year. The 2026 spot isn’t announced yet.	When 27 Nov to 3 Jan Price €12 with skates, under-16s €6 (2025) Curling €8, under-16s €4 (2025) Hotels in Brussels →	27 Nov – 3 Jan	7.4
Heidelberg Heidelberger Eisbahn on Karlsplatz	A real-ice rink is one of the six market squares, 23 Nov 2026 to 6 Jan 2027.Hotels in Heidelberg →		23 Nov – 1 Jan	7.4
Munich Münchner Eiszauber on Karlsplatz (Stachus)	750 m² of ice at the Karlstor end of the pedestrian zone, with themed nights like Tracht on Ice.	When 13 Nov to 10 Jan Price €8 to €14 by time slot, children €6 to €10 Skate hire €8 Hotels in Munich →	20 Nov – 24 Dec	7.4
Bruges IJsgloed in Koning Albert I-park, not on the Markt	A rink with a winter bar looking over the ice, open for the whole Winter Glow season.	When 20 Nov to 3 Jan Price €9, under-3s free Hotels in Bruges →	20 Nov – 3 Jan	7.2
Helsinki Manta Christmas Market, by the Market Square	A covered rink beside the harbour at Manta, the one Helsinki market that runs through Christmas.	When 4 Dec to 6 Jan Hotels in Helsinki →	27 Nov – 22 Dec	7.2
Geneva Noël au Quai on the Quai du Mont-Blanc	The market has its own rink for the first time this year, with curling and ice-hockey sessions.	When 19 Nov to 24 Dec Price Not out yet Hotels in Geneva →	19 Nov – 24 Dec	7.1
Ghent Emile Braunplein, under the Stadshal	A real-ice rink between the Belfry and the market on Sint-Baafsplein.	When 3 Dec to 3 Jan Price €12 with skates last year, 2026 not out yet Hotels in Ghent →	3 Dec – 3 Jan	7.1
Lucerne Eiszauber on Europaplatz, under the KKL roof	Free skating under the concert hall’s huge roof, in front of the station.	When 20 Nov to 1 Jan Price Free Skate hire CHF 9, children CHF 6 Hours 11:30 to 22:00 Hotels in Lucerne →	20 Nov – 23 Dec	7.1
Warsaw Old Town Market Square, by the Mermaid statue	A free rink for up to 200 skaters, set up with the Old Town Christmas fair.	Price Free, skate hire 15 zł an hour (last season) Note 2026 dates not out yet. It opened on 3 December last year Hotels in Warsaw →	20 Nov – 6 Jan	7.1
Manchester Cathedral Gardens (Skate Manchester)	A covered rink from 6 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027, adults £15 to £21.Hotels in Manchester →		6 Nov – 3 Jan	7.0
Milan Villaggio delle Meraviglie	A double rink, part covered and heated and part outdoors, one of the largest in northern Italy.Hotels in Milan →		20 Nov – 10 Jan	7.0
Paris La Défense Christmas market, just outside the city limits	A rink under its own tent, with free ice-hockey tasters on Wednesday afternoons in December.	When 13 Nov to 3 Jan Price €10, €12.50 at peak times, children €6 to €10 Skate hire €2.50 Gloves Compulsory, €4 to buy Hotels in Paris →	12 Nov – 4 Jan	6.9
Newcastle Life Science Centre, Times Square (separate site)	An outdoor rink from 7 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027, from £15.75, about 12 minutes’ walk from the stalls.Hotels in Newcastle →		19 Nov – 23 Dec	6.8
Copenhagen Nytorv and Kongens Nytorv	Free skating with free skates on Nytorv, and a 1,200 m² rink round the middle of Kongens Nytorv.	When Nytorv 6 Nov to 21 Dec, Kongens Nytorv 13 Nov to 30 Dec Price Nytorv free, Kongens Nytorv paid Hotels in Copenhagen →	6 Nov – 3 Jan	6.7
Maastricht Magisch Maastricht Vrijthof	Covered rink of 1,000 m² with a walk-over, skate-under replica of the Sint-Servaasbrug, the event's main draw for years.Hotels in Maastricht →		27 Nov – 27 Dec	6.7
Oslo Jul i Vinterland, Spikersuppa on Karl Johans gate	A free rink in the Spikersuppa pond, right inside the market below the parliament.	When From 28 Nov to 3 Jan, closed 24 Dec Price Free, skate hire extra Hotels in Oslo →	7 Nov – 3 Jan	6.7
Gothenburg Jul på Liseberg	The rink inside Liseberg comes with the Christmas entry ticket, so skating costs nothing extra.	When Liseberg's open days, 14 Nov to 30 Dec Price Included in entry, from 125 kr online Hotels in Gothenburg →	14 Nov – 30 Dec	6.6
Leeds Ice Cube at Christmas, Millennium Square	A 400 m² covered rink on Millennium Square, open 19 November to 31 December, £13 for adults.Hotels in Leeds →		19 Nov – 31 Dec	6.6
Antwerp Groenplaats, around the Rubens statue	A covered rink in the middle of Winter in Antwerpen, about 1,000 m² last year, with a winter bar beside it.	When 4 Dec to 3 Jan, with the market Price 2026 prices not out yet Hotels in Antwerp →	4 Dec – 3 Jan	6.5
Craiova Piața Mihai Viteazul	The rink is back on Piața Mihai Viteazul, where the Nutcracker ballet was danced on the ice last 26 December.Hotels in Craiova →		13 Nov – 3 Jan	6.5
London Hyde Park Winter Wonderland; Skate Leicester Square	Hyde Park’s rink (10:00 to 21:00, 45-minute sessions, from £12.65 for an adult in advance) and Skate Leicester Square round the Shakespeare statue, 31 Oct to 3 Jan.Hotels in London →		31 Oct – 4 Jan	6.5
Exeter Exeter's Winter Wonderland in Northernhay Gardens, 7 minutes' walk from the market	An undercover real-ice rink runs from 20 November to 3 January, on a separate site from the market on Cathedral Green.Hotels in Exeter →		13 Nov – 13 Dec	6.4
Birmingham Centenary Square	An ice rink in Centenary Square from 5 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027, ten minutes’ walk from the market itself.Hotels in Birmingham →		5 Nov – 24 Dec	6.1
Nottingham Old Market Square	A ground rink plus the Sky Skate ice path that takes skaters above the square and the market, 12 November to 31 December.Hotels in Nottingham →		12 Nov – 31 Dec	6.1
Amsterdam Schaatsbaan Museumplein, beside the Christmas Village	Open-air rink on Museumplein, 24 Oct 2026 to 16 Jan 2027, right next to the Christmas Village.Hotels in Amsterdam →		3 Dec – 27 Dec	5.9
Bristol Bristol On Ice at the Harbourside Amphitheatre	Skating from £12.95, 28 November to 27 December, about 20 minutes' walk from Broadmead.Hotels in Bristol →		6 Nov – 23 Dec	5.7
Dublin TwinkleTown Smithfield Square, Everwinter	A covered rink at Smithfield with 45-minute sessions from €10.75, and a 600 m² covered rink at Everwinter.Hotels in Dublin →		20 Nov – 31 Dec	5.4
Glasgow Glasgow Green	An open-air real-ice rink from 20 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027, skates included, with sessions on the hour.Hotels in Glasgow →		6 Nov – 3 Jan	5.2
Rotterdam Winter Wonderland Rotterdam, Ahoy	Real-ice skating with skate hire included, 18 to 30 Dec 2026, indoors at Ahoy and ticketed, not at the Markthal.Hotels in Rotterdam →		5 Dec – 30 Dec	5.0

Our three picks for skating

The biggest, the best placed and the best value.

Austria · Wiener Eistraum on Rathausplatz and in the Rathauspark

Vienna

Vienna’s Eistraum is the one to beat. Over 3,000 m² of ice on Rathausplatz, plus 300 m of skating paths winding through the park, right next to the Christkindlmarkt. It’s €11 a go, or €9.90 online, and free from 21:30 if you don’t mind sharing the ice with the night owls.

When: 13 Nov to 6 Jan, closed 31 Dec
Price: €11, €9.90 online, children €7.80
Skate hire: €10, children €6.30
Late: Free from 21:30
Market open: 6 Nov – 6 Jan, free entry
Index: 8.6 out of 10

Hotels in Vienna →From Salzburg by train, 2h25 →

Read the Vienna guide →Vienna or Salzburg? Compare →

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A printable street map of Vienna’s markets with the transport stops and the walks between them.

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Austria · Eiszauber am Mozartplatz, next to the Christkindlmarkt

Salzburg

The Eiszauber on Mozartplatz is right next door to the Christkindlmarkt, and it’s open until 22:00 and right through January, long after the stalls have packed up. A go is €6.50, or €12 with skates, and it drops to €4.50 between 19:00 and 21:00.

When: 12 Nov to 31 Jan
Price: €6.50, or €12 with skates
Children: €4.50, or €9 with skates
Evenings: €4.50 from 19:00 to 21:00
Market open: 19 Nov – 6 Jan, mostly free entry
Index: 7.9 out of 10

Hotels in Salzburg →From Munich by train, 1h39 →

Read the Salzburg guide →Salzburg or Berlin? Compare →

Germany · Berliner Weihnachtszeit am Roten Rathaus

Berlin

Berlin’s round rink wraps the Neptune Fountain right inside the market at the Rotes Rathaus, and at €5 plus €3 for skates it’s one of the cheapest sessions going. There are five 90-minute sessions a day from 12:00.

When: 23 Nov to 3 Jan, closed 24 Dec
Price: €5, skate hire €3
Sessions: Five 90-minute sessions a day, from 12:00
Market open: 13 Nov – 3 Jan, mostly free entry
Index: 7.7 out of 10

Hotels in Berlin →From Hamburg by train, 1h47 →

Read the Berlin guide →Berlin or Vienna? Compare →

Where to stay near the best rinks

Pick a weekend and one of our picks. The map shows the hotels still free for those nights, with the real price for two.

Staying

Friday to Sunday, two adults

That weekend

Our pick 1ViennaThe biggest rink at any market we cover, over 3,000 m² of ice plus 300 m of paths winding through the park.2h25 from Salzburg by train

Our pick 2SalzburgThe square next door to the main market, open until 22:00 and right through January.1h39 from Munich by train 2h25 to Vienna

Our pick 3BerlinA 600 m² round rink around the Neptune Fountain, right inside the market.1h47 from Hamburg by train

Vienna market guide →All Vienna hotels →

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Where you won’t find ice

A few big names people expect a rink at, and don’t get one.

Dropped for 2026

Edinburgh

The George Street rink has been dropped this year after almost 30 years.

Roller, not ice

Stuttgart

The Wintertraum on Schlossplatz has a roller-skating rink instead of ice.

After the market

Leipzig

The Eistraum only opens in January, once the Christmas market has closed.

Where to skate, and what it costs

Vienna wins on size. The Eistraum spreads more than 3,000 m² of ice across Rathausplatz and winds another 300 m of skating paths through the Rathauspark, and it’s €11 a go, or €9.90 if you buy online. Graz’s Winterwelt is about as big, and Innsbruck has opened a brand-new 2,300 m² rink on Landhausplatz this year, so for serious skating the Austrian cities have it pretty well sewn up.

If you just want a few wobbly laps between mugs of Glühwein, go where it’s cheap. Skating is free at Lucerne’s Eiszauber and at the Óbuda Advent market in Budapest, where you only pay for skate hire, and Berlin’s rink round the Neptune Fountain costs €5 plus €3 for skates. Vienna lets you on for free from 21:30, which is the best deal going if you don’t mind sharing the ice with the night owls.

Time slots, tickets and the small print

Most rinks sell tickets on the spot, but a few work in time slots, and that changes how you plan the day. Munich splits the day into four blocks and charges more for the evening ones, Graz sells two-hour slots, and Vienna’s online ticket is good for four hours from when you first go in. In Cologne an online ticket guarantees you get in on a busy weekend, and Dresden’s rink usually takes cash only.

Pack gloves even if you think you won’t need them. La Défense in Paris doesn’t let anyone on the ice without them and charges €4 a pair if you forget, and you’ll be glad of them the first time you go down.

More rinks at the markets

Markets we don’t have a full guide for yet.

Town	Rink	When	Price	Stay
GenevaSwitzerland	Noël au Quai’s own rink, new this year, with curling and ice-hockey sessions	19 Nov to 24 Dec	Not out yet	Hotels →

Turn the list into a trip

See all 43 on the mapPins, dates and the trains between them.Open the map →Check your datesSee which of them are open while you’re there.Pick your days →Compare two marketsVienna or Salzburg? Put them side by side.Compare →Get a pocket guideA free printable map and the essentials. Start with Vienna.Get one free →

Ice skating questions

Which Christmas market has the biggest ice rink?

Vienna’s Eistraum at the Rathausplatz market, with over 3,000 m² of ice and 300 m of skating paths through the park. Graz’s Winterwelt is about 3,000 m² too, but it sits at the foot of the Schlossberg rather than in a market.

Is there an ice rink at Edinburgh’s Christmas market this year?

No. The George Street rink has been dropped for 2026 after almost 30 years, Time Out reported on 28 October 2026. Last season it cost from £15.

Which big Christmas markets don’t have an ice rink?

Nuremberg, Strasbourg, Kraków, Frankfurt, Colmar and Bratislava have no rink at or beside the market. Stuttgart’s Wintertraum on Schlossplatz has a roller-skating rink instead, Leipzig’s Eistraum only opens after the market has closed, in January, and Prague’s central rink is on Wenceslas Square rather than Old Town Square.

Where can I skate for free?

At the Óbuda Advent market in Budapest and at Lucerne’s Eiszauber, where you only pay if you hire skates. Warsaw’s Old Town rink was free last season too, and Vienna’s Eistraum is free from 21:30.

Can I hire skates at the rink?

Almost everywhere. Hire runs from €2.50 at La Défense to €10 in Vienna, and in Brussels last year the skates came with the ticket. Some rinks, Munich and Salzburg among them, want a €50 deposit or your ID for the skates.

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