Ice-skating rinks in the Netherlands: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, and beyond

Looking for the best ice-skating rinks in the Netherlands?

One of the most festive ways to enjoy the winter season has got to be hopping out onto the ice, pretending you have all the grace of a seasoned ballet dancer. 🩰

Yes, yes we know: the reality is, you’re clinging to the fence, desperately trying to keep your balance.

Whether you’re an ice-skating master, or the kind to prefer to be pushed around on a penguin chair intended for a small child, we’ve got the ultimate list of ice-skating rinks in the Netherlands, from Amsterdam to Eindhoven.

Amsterdam ice-skating rinks

Amsterdam is host to some of the best ice rinks in the Netherlands. 

From ice skating on the iconic Museumplein to indoor rinks that protect you (somewhat) from the cold, Amsterdam’s ice-skating rinks have so much to offer! ⛸

READ MORE | 6 things to do during Christmas in Amsterdam

Museumplein

The famous Museumplein ice rink is one of the landmarks of Amsterdam during the winter months.

With its replica of the Magere Brug and the Rijksmuseum in the background, it also consistently ranks among the most picturesque ice rinks in Europe. This makes it an iconic rink for ice skating at Christmastime in the Netherlands! ❄

It is flanked by a pop-up restaurant (including an open-air bar) on one side and a cosy Christmas market on the other. There is also a silent disco, if your jam is bopping along to music on the ice! 🎶

Jaap Eden

The Jaap Eden ice-skating rink in the Netherlands is open all year round, but that doesn’t make the visit any less exciting t during the winter season. 

Here you can get some ice-skating lessons and brush off your skills on the rink. Or, if you’re less into ice skating and more into ice hockey, this is the place to join an association and make your epic breakthrough into the world of winter sports. 🏒

Rembrandtplein

De ijsbaan op het Rembrandtplein is geopend! #ijsbaan #schaatsen #schaatsbaan #rembrandtplein #amsterdam #winter pic.twitter.com/CHMDwSmtg0

— Frans Stuy Evenementenorganisatie (@StuyKermisplaza) February 26, 2022

Another pop-up ice-skating rink in the Netherlands, you’ll find the Ijsbaan in the centre of Amsterdam city on the iconic Rembrandtplein. 

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With a winter wonderland backdrop and even mulled wine on sale (because that’s going to help you with your balance on the ice! 😉), skating at Rembrandtplein is a memorable way to spend the season.

Amsterdam Winter Paradise at the RAI

The Amsterdam Winter Paradise is one of Amsterdam’s favourite ice-skating locations. 🧨

With a merry-go-round, a Ferris wheel, and even cross-country skiing, the Winter Paradise at the RAI, Amsterdam’s largest conference and events centre, is sure to fill you full of Christmas-time glee! 🎅

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Rotterdam ice-skating rinks

Rotterdam is home to one of the coolest winter-time ice-skating rinks; a rooftop ice rink. Not only that, but with Christmas markets and pop-up rinks, Rotterdam has so much festive fun to offer! 

Schaatsbaan Rotterdam 

At this fabulous pop-up Schaatsbaan ice-skating rink, you can hop on the 400-metre ice track and race your friends (or play a bit of chase, like the good ol days!). 

Or, if winter sports are your thing, try your hand at a spot of curling. 

Rooftop ice-skating at De Bijenkorf

De Bijenkorf, a store in the bustling centre of Rotterdam, is offering one incredibly unique ice-skating experience: a Swiss-themed ice rink on the rooftop of the huge luxury shop! 😍

Stop for a drink or a snack inside the covered terrace in-between laps, but remember; bringing your own skates is not allowed. 

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The Hague ice-skating rinks

Though the Hague has just the one major ice rink, with a skating track as well as an open rink for a little bit of nonsense skating, you’re sure to find something to do on the ice!

De Uithof

The De Uitof ice-skating rink in the Netherlands has been around for a grand 50 years, so it’s surely the place to go for an enjoyable evening out! 

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With both a 400-metre ice-skating track and a ‘FunRink’ if you’re the type who enjoys a leisurely skate on the ice, there’s something to offer every visitor — seasoned professional, or amateur skater. 😎

Also on offer at De Uithof is curling, skiing, snowboarding, and even go-karting. None of these pique your interest? Why not try a couple of rounds of laser tag while the rest of your party tries to stay upright. 😉

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Utrecht ice-skating rinks

Are you living in the wonderful city of Utrecht, home to some stunning canals, churches, and gardens? Well, rest assured — you can still get out onto the ice in Utrecht!

Winter Station at the Spoorwegmuseum

The Winter Station at the Spoorwegmuseum ice rink is set up in the big hall of Utrecht’s railway museum’s main building, across the train platforms from the old Maliebaanstation building. There are food stalls on the side, as well as a vintage merry-go-round converted into a gezellig bar. 

If you plan to entertain kids, then this is the place. The museum alone is nothing short of amazing and warrants a visit, ice rink or not. It was established in 1927 and moved to the former Utrecht Maliebaanstation, a national monument, in 1954.

There is daily live music and children’s activities. And, as one would expect, lovely Christmas lights and decorations all over the place.

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Leiden ice-skating rinks

Leiden, the Netherlands’ secret gem, is also a wonderful city for some festive activities! The Christmas season is alive and well with both a floating ice rink and a professional rink to get those ice-skating lessons in. 🎅

Floating Ice Rink in Leiden

At the Floating Ice Rink in Leiden, you can get the festivities started. Bring along your date, and show off your epic ice-skating skills. What? No, I didn’t fall. It was a planned trick, I swear. 😎

The ice rink floats on the Nieuwe Rijn in Leiden, but it’s not just for skating — it also hosts lots of events. Every Saturday and Sunday morning that the rink is open during the festive period, Elsa and Anna from Frozen make an appearance!

Plus, a portion of the profits made by the sale of deposit cups (cups that you pay extra for and can use during the event — and then usually return for some €€), will be donated to aid the Willem-Alexander Children’s Hospital. 

Schaatshal Leiden

The Schaatshal in Leiden is home to an all-year ice-skating rink, which teaches ice skating as well as offering the chance to play Bavarian curling. 

The rink also runs a special Christmas programme and will open the rink for kids aged between 6 and 14 from December 27 to December 30. 

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Haarlem ice-skating rinks

In ‘Little Amsterdam’, you can immerse yourself in the culture. Spending the day? Check out the many museums, but don’t forget to pack your heavy coat (like we said, lots of these rinks ask you to bring good winter gear!). We’re going skating, schat!

IJsbaan Haarlem

The IJsbaan in Haarlem has so much to offer. A year-round skating rink, it opens for the skating season from October to March. 

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Groningen ice-skating rinks

Groningen is a Dutch city that can really light up during the festive season. Keep an eye out for updates, as the weather in Groningen can impact the number of ice rinks. 🧊

Sportcentrum Kardinge 

The roller skating rink at Kardinge, Groningen, transforms each year into a whimsical ice-skating rink. With an ice hockey hall on-site, be sure to pack your kneepads. 

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Before you go, check their updates, as the outdoor roller skating rink only transforms into an ice rink once the winter cold hits and the rink ices over. 

Grote Markt Groningen

Every year, the Grote Markt in Groningen transforms itself into an epic ice-skating rink, where you can trace laps on the ice with your loved ones. 

An annual festival, the official announcement for the opening of this ijsbaan is yet to be announced, so keep your eyes peeled! 👀

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Eindhoven ice-skating rinks

Disco ice-skating, you say? Well, Eindhoven is the place for that! Or a Dutch winter wonderland? Head to the Markt!

IJssportcentrum

Is disco ice skating more your vibe? Or perhaps you’re looking for somewhere to host a memorable kids party?

Well, you can do both and more at the IJssportcentrum in Eindhoven! This IJssportcentrum skating rink in the Netherlands is open year-round, so if you’re itching for a skate mid-July, you can escape  that summer heat and cool off on the ice. 

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Ice-skating rinks in other Dutch cities

Yes, the big cities tend to be the first choice when searching for Christmas nights out, but there are more Dutch cities than the big few! 

Arnhem

The Nederlands Openlucht Museum ice rink is located close to the museum’s main entrance, between the restaurant and the tram station. Once the dark descends, it is stunning.

There are two distinct parts to it: the large rink, reserved for stable skaters, and the smaller rink, with training seals, for anyone in the process of learning. The two parts communicate via a rubber carpet track so you can easily move from one to the other.

If you’re done with skating for the day, don’t leave before you take your ice rink pic on the Westerstraat flank. It will look as if you’re skating on a frozen Amsterdam canal.

Gouda

Gouda’s splendid Stadhuis (City Hall) building is a national monument, one of the most impressive examples of secular Gothic architecture in the Netherlands.

The beautiful ice rink De Goudse Ijsbaan follows a track around the Stadhuis building. Rather than having a common rectangular ice rink, you can skate around on a long stretch of ice, like a skate way.

Tilburg

The Christmas IJsbaan is up again in Tilburg, and this time it’s coming along with a horde of events to keep you feeling festive and cheerful this winter. This ice-skating rink in the Netherlands is open all winter-long, and the events in Tilburg don’t end there.

Hop onto the vintage carousel for a throwback to childhood days, or grab a cup of mulled wine at the BBQ & Christmas market on December 11.

Not enough to keep you entertained? Well, Tilburg isn’t done with you yet. Check out the Festival of Lights at the Sint-Jozefkerk, or even visit the live nativity scene! 🐏

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Ice skating on the canals and lakes of Dutch cities

Of course, an option for ice skating in the Netherlands, especially during the cold, icy months, is to skate on the canals and lakes. 

In the winter months, these bodies of water have a chance of freezing over, so if you’ve got your own pair of skates, make sure to dig them out and enjoy the frozen canals.

This is dependent on the weather conditions every year, so make sure to stay up to date, and if you’re local to the city, you’re sure to see swarms of Dutchies hitting the ice once it’s safe to do so.

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Ice skating in the Netherlands is one of the most enjoyable ways to warm up during the winter months. Though a bit daunting, once you’re steady on your feet, you can skate the day away. 

Perhaps grab your own pair of skates, and get discounts at many of these rinks for bringing your own. And, of course, never forget your gloves! 

Are you going to hit the ice this winter? Tell us in the comments below! 👇