Winter in Budapest means mulled wine, big sweaters, and plenty of ice skating! There are lots of ice skating rinks in Budapest, and the whole milieu of ice skating here is a thrilling, family-friendly experience.
If there is a winter day that lets up a little, we highly recommend trying this most popular winter outdoor activity! Guaranteed fun for all ages, and will give you some much-needed exercise and good old vitamin D, which is hard to come by in these cold months.
City Park Ice Rink
As the saying goes, “Go big or go home”! City Park Ice Rink is not only Budapest’s largest open-air ice rink, but it just so happens to be the biggest one in all of Europe! Apart from the sheer fun of whizzing around the rink, the surrounding fairytale-like scenery, complete with the Vajdahunyad Castle and the nearby Városliget Café in the background makes for a magical winter day or evening. A fun fact about this ice rink is that in the summer months, it’s actually an artificial lake used for boating. Then, once the chilly weather sets in, the lake is transformed magically into an even cooler venue (literally!)
- Monday – Friday from 9 AM to 1 PM, and from 5 PM to 9 PM
- Saturday from 10 AM to 2 PM, and from 4 PM to 9 PM
- Sunday from 10 AM to 2 PM, and from 4 PM to 8 PM
Buda Ice Rink
Buda Ice Rink can be found on Széna Square, directly across from Budapest’s Mammut 2 shopping mall. This indoor ice rink can definitely bring you to a state of inner bliss; after all, who doesn’t love ice skating, specifically, ice skating amid the warmth of a heated arena!? The state-of-the-art ice rink is open yearly until the spring season rolls around. Aside from the usual skating time it also offers ice skating and hockey lessons, rentable space for corporate and personal events, and even an onsite restaurant and bar, so you can keep your energy up while enjoying all of the fun!
Source: Buda Jégkert Facebook Buda Ice Rink Budapest, Bakfark Bálint utca 2, Hungary
General Opening Hours
- Monday-Sunday: from 7 AM to midnight.
Balna Ice Skate Rink
Whoever said nothing in life is free obviously never set foot (or skate) in Bálna Ice Skate Rink! This ice rink, which happens to be the biggest free rink in all of Budapest, is found along the Danube River, so you can only imagine how epic the riverside views are as you glide around. For those of you in the know, it’s right at the unique building known as the “Bálna” or “Budapest Whale”. Besides the free factor and the unmatched panoramic views offered, the rink offers onsite ice discos in the evenings, if you needed another reason to wander this way, allowing you to boogie till you drop!
Source: Bálna Budapest Bálna Ice Skate Rink Budapest, Bálna, Fővám tér, Hungary
General Opening Hours
- Monday-Thursday: 10 AM-8 PM
- Friday-Saturday: 10 AM-10 PM
- Sunday: 10 AM-8 PM
MüPa Ice Rink
MüPa, or Palace of Arts is one of the largest and most notable buildings in Budapest. It has amazing theaters and concerts halls, and as it so happens, a very notable ice skating rink as well. It is a triangular-shaped outdoor rink that has a nice view of the Danube and the Petőfi Bridge and is accompanied by the usual mulled wine, chimney cake, and fried foods from one of the best food stalls in the area.
General Opeining Hours
- Every weekday: 14:00 – 15:45; 16:11 – 17:45; 18:00 – 20:00
- Weekends: 10:00 – 11:45; 12:00 – 13:45; 14:00 – 15:45; 16:11 – 17:45; 18:00 – 20:00
Jégpalota
The name translates to Ice Palace, and this indoor ice skating rink is truly worthy of the name. it is HUGE, and many competitions and performances on ice are held here. Located in the illustrious 13th district, this is a perfect rainy day thing to do, as it is not far from the inner city, and you can easily spend an entire day at Jégpalota. Open all year round, but also used by Vasas, one of the best sports teams in Hungary, so you have to book when they do not have practice.
General Opening Hours
- 5 AM-11:45 AM every day, including weekends, but sometimes later.
Óbuda Főtér Ice Rink
Óbuda is the 3rd district and one of the most historic districts as it used to be part of a Roman settlement (Aquincum), and has some amazing natural surroundings. It also has a very decent ice skating rink on its main square. This is an outdoor ice skating rink, and it is only open in December and January making it a special holiday experience. The surroundings exude the aura of old Budapest, with brick buildings and tiny squares, in a cute little cobblestone scenery. A small but quality Christmas market is situated right next to the ice skating rink, meaning you won’t have to go hungry (or thirsty) while skating, either.
General Opening Hours
- 8 AM- 10 PM Every day until February 2
