Hampton Court Palace’s Enchanting Ice Rink Opens This Weekend

Hampton Court Palace ice rink is opening its doors again this weekend.

There’s something so wonderfully festive about whacking on a pair of skates and gliding ungracefully around an ice rink. So you can imagine our disappointment when a number of London’s magical ice skating rinks announced they wouldn’t open this year. Looks like our Christmas wish is coming true after all as the Hampton Court Palace ice rink reopens tomorrow (Saturday, December 5). You can venture to this stunning setting for a seasonal skate from this weekend until mid-January.

SEE ALSO: You Can Skate Around A UNESCO World Heritage Site On This Dreamy London Ice Rink

This rink is situated in the gardens of Henry VIII’s historic home, so you can glide all your troubles away with spectacular views of the Tudor palace in the background. It also happens to be an open-air venue, meaning you’ll have London’s beautiful sky to gaze at while you skate. And you can rest assured that this ice rink is Covid-secure. Temperature checks, contactless interactions, reduced capacity and of course, social distancing, will all be in place so that you can skate worry-free.

If you work up an appetite on the ice, their café will be nearby to offer you a hearty meal. Thankfully, there is a seated area for post-skate socialising and a takeaway service for skaters on the go. You’ll find tapas-like platters, homemade soup, camembert with plenty of bread, and the most Christmassy treat of them all, mince pies, on the menu. If you have more of a sweet tooth, their wide selection of cakes, brownies, and muffins will surely impress you. More importantly, no festive skate would ever be complete without mulled wine. So it’s just as well that there’ll be plenty of winter warmers to choose from.

SEE ALSO: 64 Magical Things To Do In London In December 2020

Skating sessions last for up to 45 minutes and you’ll need to book in advance to secure your spot. It may be chilly out but we definitely won’t receive a frosty reception from the Hampton Palace ice rink!