The Prettiest Places for Ice Skating in the Netherlands (2024)

Ice skating is a huge part of Dutch culture. Every winter, Dutchies get the so-called “schaatskoorts” (ice skating fever) when temperatures are about to drop below zero degrees Celsius. Besides ice skating on natural ice, there are also plenty of (outdoor) ice skating rinks around the country. In this blog post, we’re sharing the prettiest ice skating rinks and places for natural ice skating, because ice skating in pretty places is even more fun!

This post was originally published on November 16th 2021. It has been updated on October 14th 2022 to give you the most recent information.

The prettiest outdoor ice skating rinks

Ice*Amsterdam in Amsterdam

Probably the most famous outdoor ice skating rink in the Netherlands is Ice*Amsterdam. The rink is located at Museumplein and it’s absolutely a must visit if you’re in Amsterdam during the winter. The rink looks magical with a small version of the “Magere Brug” (Skinny Bridge) which you can skate underneath. This ice rink is also worth a visit if you don’t want to skate. It’s possible to walk on the faux Magere Brug without a ticket and it’s the perfect winter photo spot.

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Opening times in 2022-2023:
November 12th 2022 - February 5th 2023
Sunday - Thursday: 09:00-22:00
Friday & Saturday: 09:00-23:00
Ticket price: €7,50
Ticket + ice skate rental: €14,50
You can buy tickets at the entrance or in advance through their website.

Goudse IJsbaan in Gouda

The ice skating rink in Gouda is located at the market square. What makes this rink unique is that it surrounds the beautiful City Hall building. The City Hall building is definitely the most beautiful building in Gouda and that makes it even more fun to ice skate there. It’s obviously a perfect spot for photos too!

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Opening times in 2022-2023:
December 21th 2022 - January 15th 2023
Daily: 10:00-22:00
Ticket price: TBA (last year’s price: €6)
Ice skate rental: TBA (last year’s price: €2)
Check their website for more information.

IJsvrij Festival in Rotterdam

The seasonal outdoor ice skating rink in Rotterdam is organized by IJsvrij Festival and is located at a different location every year. We visited the IJsvrij rink in the winter of 2018-2019. That year the rink was located in Het Park with a beautiful view of the Euromast. This year, the rink will be located at Plein 1940. We bet this will be a beautiful location as Plein 1940 offers a beautiful view of Leuvehaven and the skyline of Rotterdam.

Opening times in 2022-2023:
December 15th - January 8th
Monday - Friday: 12:00-20:00
Saturday & Sunday: 10:00-20:00
Ticket price: €7,50Ice skate rental: €5

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You can check their website for more recent information.

The prettiest indoor ice skating rink

Schaatsbaan Rotterdam

Lots of cities in the Netherlands have their own indoor ice skating rink. The prettiest by far however is the ice skating rink in Rotterdam. What makes the Schaatsbaan Rotterdam so special are the rainbow lights at the rink. You’re literally skating through a rainbow of lights. Besides making ice skating here more fun, the lights also make for a perfect photo spot!

It’s also possible to take ice skating lessons if you’ve never done it before, or want to improve your technique.

Opening times in 2022-2023:
November 26th 2022 - March 3th 2023
Monday - Thursday: 08:00-22:00
Friday & Saturday: 08.00-23.00
Sunday: 07:00-22:00
On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 16.00 the rainbow lights are on.
Ticket price: €7,50
Ice skate rental: €6
It’s only possible to buy tickets online. Administration costs are €0,50.

The prettiest natural ice skating places

Around the end of January and the beginning of February is often when it gets really cold in the Netherlands. In order for enough natural ice to form, it’s necessary to have temperatures below zero for at least a week. This doesn’t happen every year, which makes it even more special when we are able to skate on natural ice. Natural ice forms quicker on smaller lakes and canals, which results in a few very picturesque natural ice skating places in the Netherlands.

Please note to always be careful when ice skating on natural ice. It can be very dangerous if you’re not cautious. Never go on the ice alone. Make sure to follow local news and do some research in advance whether it’s safe to go.

Kinderdijk

Kinderdijk is by far the prettiest place for ice skating. Imagine skating past the 19 windmills of Kinderdijk, sounds magical right? Well, it’s just as magical as it sounds. It’s been a while since we did this (winter of 2011-2012) but it’s definitely a must when it’s possible.

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This photo was actually taken in Alblasserdam, but we skated all the way to Kinderdijk that day (this photo is taken in 2012, that's why the quality is so bad)

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Imagine this but with frozen canals, magical right!?

Canals of Amsterdam

How lovely would it be to skate on the canals of Amsterdam? Some canals in Amsterdam freeze fairly quickly and are the perfect place for natural ice skating. Ice skating on the canals in Amsterdam is often only possible for a very short amount of time before it gets dangerous. That’s why we haven’t done it because the timing was never right. If you have the opportunity to do it, we would absolutely recommend it. We hope to do it ourselves someday too.

Biesbosch in Dordrecht

The Biesbosch is a National Park in the Netherlands. A smaller lake in the Biesbosch called the Viersprong is perfect for ice skating. It’s not the most picturesque place, but you’re surrounded by nature which is always nice. It’s a nice ice skating area if you’re in the neighborhood but it’s not worth a long drive.

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Other national parks that are (probably) beautiful for natural ice skating are De Alde Feanen (Friesland) and De Weerribben (next to Giethoorn). We’ve been to both of these places in summer, but not during ice skating season. We bet these places are beautiful for ice skating too!

We hope this made you excited for this year’s ice skating season. It for sure made us excited! Is ice skating in the Netherlands something you’d love to do?

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More The Netherlands

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Exploring Amsterdam by Boat

Day Trip to Giethoorn

One Day in Gouda: All Things To Do

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The Prettiest Places for Ice Skating in the Netherlands (2024)

FAQs

How many ice rinks are in the Netherlands? ›

The Netherlands has some 450 ice clubs and more are expected to open their doors to skaters as the freezing temperatures continue.

Read On ›

What is the history on Dutch skating? ›

The Dutch evolution

The Dutch actually added the now familiar edges to skates in the 13th century. The steel blade with sharpened edges to aid movement allowed people to truly skate. Skates now cut into the ice instead of gliding on top of it. Ancient skates date back to 1225 and were used in Amsterdam and Dordrecht.

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Where is the world's largest ice skating rinks? ›

OTTAWA, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Canada's renowned Rideau Canal Skateway, the world's largest natural ice skating rink, will open for skating on Sunday morning for the first time in two years, the National Capital Commission (NCC) said.

Who is the Netherlands skater female? ›

Jutta Monica Leerdam (born 30 December 1998) is a Dutch speed skater specializing in the sprint events.

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Why is speed skating popular in the Netherlands? ›

By the 1600s, speed skating became a useful form of transportation for the Dutch, who used their blades to travel between villages. The Netherlands doesn't get much snow, and there are no mountains, so skiing is out of the question.

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Are there fake ice rinks? ›

Artificial ice rinks are incredibly versatile and require minimal maintenance compared to traditional ice rinks. They don't rely on refrigeration systems or vast amounts of water, significantly reducing operational costs.

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What is ice Netherlands? ›

ICE International is a high-speed train running from Amsterdam, Utrecht and Arnhem via Emmerich to Oberhausen, Duisburg, Düsseldorf Hbf, Cologne, Frankfurt and Basel. For this train, you purchase a ticket and, optionally, a separate seat reservation.

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Where is the biggest ice rink in Europe? ›

VDNKh, Moscow. No doubt one of the most magical places to go ice skating is in Moscow, which is home to not only the largest ice rink in Russia, but in Europe, with a surface area of 20,000 square metres!

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Do Dutch people skate on canals? ›

Skating on the canals of Amsterdam to the strains of classical music is a memorable experience. Little kiosks are set up on the ice to dispense heart-warming liqueurs. Go cautiously when skating under bridges, where the ice is usually thinner, and in general don't go anywhere the Dutch themselves don't.

Has the Netherlands ever won the Olympics? ›

Netherlands is considered as one of the perennial powerhouses of the Summer Games for their consistently remarkable performance in every Summer Games but they will not win an Olympic gold, that is, until 1920.

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Has the Olympics ever been in the Netherlands? ›

The Netherlands hosted the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. The Netherlands had expressed interest in hosting the 2028 Summer Olympics in either Amsterdam or Rotterdam, as a centennial celebration of the 1928 Games.

Read The Full Story ›

Is Olympic ice rink bigger than NHL? ›

Current standard rink sizes are 85' x 200' for NHL rinks and 100' x 200' for Olympic-sized rinks. Ice markings are the same between them – the Olympic rinks simply have more room from the circles to the side boards.

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How many ice rinks are in us? ›

Meanwhile, the United States was home to just over 2,100 indoor ice rinks and 500 outdoor facilities.

Get More Info Here ›

What is the biggest rink in the world? ›

Each winter, the historic Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, becomes the Rideau Canal Skateway, the world's largest skating rink.

Can you skate on the canals in Amsterdam? ›

During periods of cold, boat traffic is blocked from certain canals (usually Keizersgracht en Prinsengracht) to allow the water to freeze. Skating on the canals of Amsterdam to the strains of classical music is a memorable experience. Little kiosks are set up on the ice to dispense heart-warming liqueurs.

What is the skate capital of Europe? ›

In the 1990s, at the very height of skater culture, Barcelona was something of a world capital for skateboarding, and that's still very much the case to this day.

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Where can I rollerblade in Amsterdam? ›

The one and only rink in Amsterdam

Next to the kart track in Amsterdam, a new kid in town can be found: Roller Planet! Every day from 1 pm onwards, you can roll around with your friends or colleagues and show off your baddest moves!

Do you need to book ice skating in Amsterdam? ›

If you want to skate at the ice rink at Museumplein in the centre of Amsterdam, you can book a ticket in advance. The ticket price is for 2 hours of skating and includes skate rental.

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