London Met’s Student Blog will be sharing different Christmas ideas for you to explore, read, eat and wear for the next 12 days to put you in the right mood.
Christmas Ice Rinks
There are a lot of ways to feel festive but Christmas won’t be complete without a few bruises from the ice rinks. London has a few famous ice rinks that always have a long waiting list and can be quite inconvenient for people living further away from the centre. Here is a list of ice rinks that won't be as overcrowded as Skate at Somerset House or Winter Wonderland, and are spread across all of London providing easy access for all.
North London – Alexandra Palace Ice Skating Rink is open all year round and inside one of London’s most iconic landmarks. Enjoy family ice skating, professional skating lessons, ice hockey and discos on the ice every Friday and Saturday night.
North West London – You can plan a whole day at the Wembley Park’s ice skating rink. You can start with shopping for bargains at the London Designer Outlet next to the ice rink, where if you spend £50 or more, you get two free tickets for same-day skating. In the outlet centre, you’ll also find restaurants, coffee shops and a cinema.
Alternatively, go to the JW3 on Ice 200-square-metre rink. There are penguin stabilisers for the young ones, and after your session you can warm up with hot chocolate and mulled wine, as well as treat yourself to a delicious doughnut in the centre’s Zest restaurant and cafe.
West London – Westfield Shopping Centre and the fashion brand Coach present London’s indoor ice rink. Take a break from shopping to try the 500-square-metre ice rink in the shopping centre’s Atrium, decked out for the festive season. Skate to live music after dark, or enjoy themed sessions and special music performances on the ice rink’s stage.
Queen’s London Ice Skating and Bowling is another option you can find in West London. It is a perfect option if you want to hide from the cold, and you ca find so much more than ice skating there. On top of the ice rink, the centre has 12 lanes of ten pin bowling, arcade games and two large karaoke rooms.
South London - Glide on the ice with the historic royal palace as a backdrop at the Hampton Court Palace ice rink. The 1,040-square-metre outdoor ice skating rink offers great views of Henry VIII’s palace. Enjoy a skating session by day, or book an evening session to see the palace lit up after dark as you skate under the night sky. You can make a day out of it with visiting the palace and its gardens.
East London - Ice Rink Canary Wharf in Canada Square offers more than just an ice rink: the ice is lit up by colourful lights set to music. This winter, the ice rink puts on a brand new LUMINOCITY spectacle, with eight kilometres of colourful LED lights running under the ice and all around the venue for a brilliant ice skating session. Once you’re done skating, you can warm up with a hot drink at the on-site bar or watch the action unfold on the ice from the large outdoor heated terrace.
The City – If you do end up in Central London, then head for Broadgate Ice Rink in Moorgate. It is the capital’s longest-running outdoor ice rink and it offers skating instructors and skates aids for children. The ice rink is surrounded by street food stalls, making sure you don’t go hungry.
