The world’s most beautiful ice rinks

The festive season means many things – hot chocolate, movie marathons, and carrying out popular Christmas traditions, including ice skating. Ice rinks often pop up in and around cities with Christmas markets, allowing for a meaningful day of festive fun and celebration. But where are the most beautiful ice rinks in the world? From The Rink at Rockefeller Center in New York City to the Castel Sant'Angelo Ice Rink in Rome, we’ve revealed just that.

To do this, we collected images of over 50 ice rinks around the world and used eye-tracking technology to see which festive display participants were most drawn to. We then analysed which images their eyes lingered over the longest, and how quickly the image got their attention, before combining these to create one overall score and reveal which ice rinks have the most visual appeal to the naked eye.

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The most beautiful ice rinks in the world

The study revealed that Düsseldorf in Germany takes the crown for having the most beautiful ice rink in the world, as the Kö on Ice rink captured the most attention with a total score of 89.7/100, and participants gazing at the image for an average of 3.2 seconds - the longest of any rink in the study.

In second place is the Wiener Eistraum, located in Vienna, Austria, with the average look at this ice rink lasting 2.97 seconds, and achieving a total score of 79.1/100. In third place came George Street Ice Rink with Emirates, located in Edinburgh, Scotland (total score of 72.9/100), followed by the Chesa al Parc Natural Ice Rink in St. Moritz, Switzerland (72.8/100).

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The Heinzels Wintermärchen Ice Rink in Cologne, Germany, completes the top five, with a total score of 72/100, and an average time of 2.35 seconds spent looking at this festive ice rink.

Other notable mentions within the rankings include the City Park Ice Rink in Budapest, Hungary. Whilst achieving only a score of 63/100 and placing 21st in the table, this ice rink is the largest continuous artificial ice rink in the world, and one of the oldest open-air ice rinks in all of Europe.

And perhaps one of the most well-known rinks in the world, The Rink at Rockefeller Center in New York City, USA, placed 14th in the rankings, with a total score of 68/100. This attraction first opened on Christmas Day in 1936, and has since become a world-famous rink, featuring in iconic Christmas movies such as Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, and Elf, to name a few.

See below for the full ranking table of the world’s most beautiful ice rinks:

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Rank	Ice rink	City	Country	Total score (/100)
1	Kö on Ice Rink	Düsseldorf	Germany	89.7
2	Wiener Eistraum	Vienna	Austria	79.1
3	George Street Ice Rink with Emirates	Edinburgh	United Kingdom	72.9
4	Chesa al Parc Natural Ice Rink	St. Moritz	Switzerland	72.8
5	Heinzels Wintermärchen Ice Rink	Cologne	Germany	72.0
6	Bondi Festival Ice Rink	Sydney	Australia	72.0
7	Grand Hyatt Seoul Ice Rink	Seoul	South Korea	71.7
8	Royal Pavilion Ice Rink	Brighton	United Kingdom	71.2
9	The UPMC Rink at PPG Place	Pittsburgh	USA	70.9
10	GATE M Dream Center Ice Rink	Shanghai	China	70.4
11	Place D'Youville Rink	Quebec City	Canada	69.7
12	Nathan Phillips Square Rink	Toronto	Canada	69.3
13	Skate at Somerset House	London	United Kingdom	68.7
14	The Rink at Rockefeller Center	New York City	USA	68.0
15	Amsterdam Museumplein Ice Rink	Amsterdam	Netherlands	67.3
16	Curry Village Ice Skating Rink	Yosemite Valley	USA	67.0
17	Plaza Athénée Ice Rink	Paris	France	65.4
18	The Rink at Campus Martius Park	Detroit	USA	63.7
19	Frankenmuth Ice Rink	Michigan	USA	63.7
20	Yorkshire's Winter Wonderland Ice Rink	York	United Kingdom	63.3
21	City Park Ice Rink	Budapest	Hungary	63.0
22	Tekapo Springs Ice Rink	Lake Tekapo	New Zealand	62.4
23	L’Iceberg	Strasbourg	France	62.1
24	Munich Airport Ice Rink	Munich	Germany	62.0
25	Skating By The Sea	Coronado	USA	62.0
26	Grand Palais des Glaces	Paris	France	61.6
27	Plaza del Ayuntamiento Ice Rink	Valencia	Spain	61.5
28	WestQuay on Ice	Southampton	United Kingdom	60.7
29	Skate Manchester	Manchester	United Kingdom	60.7
30	Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink	Philadelphia	USA	60.5
31	Keraike Ice Rink	Karuizawa Hoshino	Japan	60.0
32	ICEBOX	Liverpool	United Kingdom	59.8
33	Shimla Ice Rink	Shimla	India	59.6
34	Wollman Rink	New York City	USA	59.0
35	Crystal Lagoon Ice Rink at Fuji‑Q Highland	Fujiyoshida	Japan	58.5
36	The Boston Common Frog Pond	Boston	USA	58.5
37	Ice Skate Birmingham	Birmingham	United Kingdom	58.4
38	Shichahai Ice Skating Rink	Beijing	China	58.0
39	Maggie Daley Ice Ribbon	Chicago	USA	57.8
40	Munich Nymphenburg Palace Rink	Munich	Germany	57.1
41	Kunming Lake Ice Skating Rink	Beijing	China	56.8
42	Tivoli Gardens Ice Rink	Copenhagen	Denmark	56.7
43	The Providence Rink	Rhode Island	USA	56.1
44	EisArena Hamburg	Hamburg	Germany	56.0
45	Cardiff's Winter Wonderland Ice Rink	Cardiff	United Kingdom	54.8
46	Evergreen Brick Works Skating Rink	Toronto	Canada	54.7
47	Art Rink at Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse	Yokohama	Japan	54.3
48	Tallinn Old Town Rink	Tallinn	Estonia	54.2
49	Springer Market Square Ice Rink	Kingston	Canada	53.7
50	Siskiyou Ice Rink	Mount Shasta	USA	53.3
51	Melbourne Winter Village Rink	Melbourne	Australia	52.9
52	Glide Battersea	London	United Kingdom	52.3
53	Robson Square Rink	Vancouver	Canada	51.6
54	Hampton Court Palace Rink	London	United Kingdom	50.3
55	Castel Sant'Angelo Ice Rink	Rome	Italy	50.1
56	Darling Harbour Ice Rink	Sydney	Australia	49.8

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Europe’s most beautiful ice rinks

Europe is well known for its city breaks, especially during the winter season, so it’s no surprise that ice rinks in Europe populated 8 of the top 15 ice rinks in the ranking table!

In the top spot came the Kö on Ice Rink in Düsseldorf, Germany, a rink that acquired a total score of 89.7/100. This ice rink is part of the Christmas markets in this location, with a real ice surface giving you the most authentic skating experience. In addition to ice skating, the location also offers curling - a sport where teams slide heavy granite stones towards a target on the ice.

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In second place came the Wiener Eistraum ice skating rink in Vienna, Austria, with a total score of 79.1/100. This rink offers 10,000m2 of open-air ice skating, spanning across the city hall park and square. It also features split-level rinks and trails, meaning both beginner and experienced skaters have plenty to enjoy.

In third place was George Street Ice Rink with Emirates, located in Edinburgh, Scotland, with a score of 72.9/100. Located on George Street itself, this ice rink is Edinburgh city’s largest and is surrounded by Georgian architecture and festive decorations and stalls, so be sure to grab your favourite winter drink while you’re there!

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Rank	Ice rink	City	Country	Total score (/100)
1	Kö on Ice Rink	Düsseldorf	Germany	89.7
2	Wiener Eistraum	Vienna	Austria	79.1
3	George Street Ice Rink with Emirates	Edinburgh	United Kingdom	72.9
4	Chesa al Parc Natural Ice Rink	St. Moritz	Switzerland	72.8
5	Heinzels Wintermärchen Ice Rink	Cologne	Germany	72.0
6	Royal Pavilion Ice Rink	Brighton	United Kingdom	71.2
7	Skate at Somerset House	London	United Kingdom	68.7
8	Amsterdam Museumplein Ice Rink	Amsterdam	Netherlands	67.3
9	Plaza Athénée Ice Rink	Paris	France	65.4
10	Yorkshire's Winter Wonderland Ice Rink	York	United Kingdom	63.3
11	City Park Ice Rink	Budapest	Hungary	63.0
12	Strasbourg Ice Rink	Strasbourg	France	62.1
13	Munich Airport Ice Rink	Munich	Germany	62.0
14	Grand Palais des Glaces	Paris	France	61.6
15	Plaza del Ayuntamiento Ice Rink	Valencia	Spain	61.5
16	WestQuay on Ice	Southampton	United Kingdom	60.7
17	Skate Manchester	Manchester	United Kingdom	60.7
18	ICEBOX	Liverpool	United Kingdom	59.8
19	Ice Skate Birmingham	Birmingham	United Kingdom	58.4
20	Munich Nymphenburg Palace Rink	Munich	Germany	57.1
21	Tivoli Gardens Ice Rink	Copenhagen	Denmark	56.7
22	EisArena Hamburg	Hamburg	Germany	56.0
23	Cardiff's Winter Wonderland Ice Rink	Cardiff	United Kingdom	54.8
24	Tallinn Old Town Rink	Tallinn	Estonia	54.2
25	Glide Battersea	London	United Kingdom	52.3
26	Hampton Court Palace Rink	London	United Kingdom	50.3
27	Castel Sant'Angelo Ice Rink	Rome	Italy	50.1

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North America’s most beautiful ice rinks

Despite only two North American ice rinks ranking in the top 15, the region has plenty of spectacular rinks for skaters to enjoy this winter.

Taking the top spot in North America was The UPMC Rink at PPG Place, located in Pittsburgh, USA. This ice rink achieved a total score of 70.9/100, with the average participant viewing this image for 2.5 seconds. Located in the heart of Downtown Pittsburgh, this festive ice rink first opened in 2001 and is active every year from mid-November until late February or early March. And a fun fact, this ice rink is 67% larger than the Rockefeller Center ice rink in NYC!

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In second place was the Place D'Youville Rink in Quebec City, Canada. With a score of 69.7/100, this ice rink is a spectacle in the streets of Old Quebec and is fitted with a refrigeration system to ensure the perfect ice surface quality at all times.

The Nathan Phillips Square Rink in Toronto, Canada, takes the bronze medal in the North America rankings, with a total score of 69.3/100 and an average of 2.24 seconds spent in admiration by the participants of the study. Through the spring, summer, autumn and winter months, the Nathan Phillips Square features a fountain and reflecting pool, which is then turned into an artificial ice rink during the winter. The rink has been a seasonal attraction for over 60 years, and with this unique set up, it’s easy to see why.

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Rank	Ice rink	City	Country	Total score (/100)
1	The UPMC Rink at PPG Place	Pittsburgh	USA	70.9
2	Place D'Youville Rink	Quebec City	Canada	69.7
3	Nathan Phillips Square Rink	Toronto	Canada	69.3
4	The Rink at Rockefeller Center	New York City	USA	68.0
5	Curry Village Ice Skating Rink	Yosemite Valley	USA	67.0
6	The Rink at Campus Martius Park	Detroit	USA	63.7
7	Frankenmuth Ice Rink	Michigan	USA	63.7
8	Skating By The Sea	Coronado	USA	62.0
9	Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink	Philadelphia	USA	60.5
10	Wollman Rink	New York City	USA	59.0
11	The Boston Common Frog Pond	Boston	USA	58.5
12	Maggie Daley Ice Ribbon	Chicago	USA	57.8
13	The Providence Rink	Rhode Island	USA	56.1
14	Evergreen Brick Works Skating Rink	Toronto	Canada	54.7
15	Springer Market Square Ice Rink	Kingston	Canada	53.7
16	Siskiyou Ice Rink	Mount Shasta	USA	53.3
17	Robson Square Rink	Vancouver	Canada	51.6

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Asia’s most beautiful ice rinks

Claiming gold for Asia’s most beautiful ice rinks is the Grand Hyatt Seoul Ice Rink, located in South Korea. This ice rink claimed a total score of 71.7/100, with participants only taking 1.74 seconds to notice it! With an open view of the Hangang River and the Gangnam area, this ice rink is a popular option and has been featured in various TV adverts and dramas in Korea.

In second place is the GATE M Dream Center Ice Rink, found in Shanghai, China, achieving a score of 70.4/100. This 1,500 square meter ice rink is one of Shanghai’s most popular winter rituals, with riverfront lights and joyful music bringing the festive spirit.

In third place is the Keraike Ice Rink in Karuizawa Hoshino, Japan, acquiring a total score of 60/100. The Keraike Ice Rink is formed over the Kera Pond in the Karuizawa Wild Bird Forest, just opposite the Karuizawa Wild Bird Sanctuary.

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Rank	Ice rink	City	Country	Total score (/100)
1	Grand Hyatt Seoul Ice Rink	Seoul	South Korea	71.7
2	GATE M Dream Center Ice Rink	Shanghai	China	70.4
3	Keraike Ice Rink	Karuizawa Hoshino	Japan	60.0
4	Shimla Ice Rink	Shimla	India	59.6
5	Crystal Lagoon Ice Rink at Fuji‑Q Highland	Fujiyoshida	Japan	58.5
6	Shichahai Ice Skating Rink	Beijing	China	58.0
7	Kunming Lake Ice Skating Rink	Beijing	China	56.8
8	Art Rink at Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse	Yokohama	Japan	54.3

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Oceania’s most beautiful ice rinks

The study found that four ice rinks across Australia and New Zealand also made it into the top rankings, with the Bondi Festival Ice Rink in Sydney, Australia, coming out on top. Achieving a total score of 72/100, this beachside ice rink that pops up during the Australian winter month of July had an average look of 1.41 seconds from participants – and took only 1.42 seconds to notice.

Tekapo Springs Ice Rink in Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, came next, with a total score of 62.4/100. This international-sized ice rink offers 360 views of Lake Tekapo and the surrounding mountainous area, with tables and fires nearby to warm up when needed. Participants in the study gazed at this ice rink for 1.55 seconds but took 1.82 seconds to initially fix the image, claiming second place in the rankings for Oceania.

The Melbourne Winter Village Rink in Melbourne, Australia took the bronze medal, achieving a total score of 52.9/100, and an average viewing time of 1.43 seconds. This alpine-inspired winter wonderland is located atop the Skyline Terrace at Federation Square, offering views of the glistening city lights in the distance. The area also offers over 20+ private dining igloos, food and drink stalls, and other winter activities for the full family to enjoy.

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Rank	Ice rink	City	Country	Total score (/100)
1	Bondi Festival Ice Rink	Sydney	Australia	72.0
2	Tekapo Springs Ice Rink	Lake Tekapo	New Zealand	62.4
3	Melbourne Winter Village Rink	Melbourne	Australia	52.9
4	Darling Harbour Ice Rink	Sydney	Australia	49.8

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Feeling inn-spired to book a trip away to celebrate the festive season? Browse our range of travel guides for more information, or book one of our airport hotels to ensure you rest easy ahead of your trip.

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Methodology

We compiled a list of 56 ice rinks from around the globe using desk research. To conduct the research, a series of images of the different ice rinks were shown to a sample of 200 people. By using eye-tracking software, the average length of time it took for people to first look at the rinks (average time to first fixation) and the average time spent looking at the image were recorded. These values were then scored using a weighted scoring system, to create an overall score out of 100 for each ice rink. The rinks were then ranked based on their scores, to reveal which were the most eye-catching and ultimatley, the most beautiful overall.