ice skating
If you’re in Amsterdam during the winter, you’ll quickly notice that ice skating is a favourite pastime for the locals.
When the canals freeze over, the Dutch love to skate on them, zooming along the waterways with their own skates. But if skating on the canals feels a bit too daring, there are plenty of other beautiful spots where you can rent skates and glide around the ice in style.
1. Rijksmuseum
Perhaps one of the most popular places to hire skates is at the Rijksmuseum. With a lovely backdrop of the museum, this temporary rink is set up in Museumplein from November until early February each year.
Brasserie Winters is located next to the rink, a wooden chalet offering a range of Dutch and international dishes. You can also buy glouwijn (mulled wine) or a beer and watch the skaters from the bridge (personally, my favourite way of enjoying ice skating…)
2. Ice Rink Rembrandtplein
Located in the buzzy drinks square of Rembrandtplein, this temporary ice rink is surrounded by wooden stalls selling food, drinks and christmas-y trinkets.
3. Canals
During colder winters, Amsterdam’s iconic canals occasionally freeze over, creating a stunning winter wonderland perfect for ice skating.
For this to happen, temperatures need to stay below -4°C for four consecutive nights. Once that’s the case, the city council blocks off certain canals to allow the ice to form, creating a skating haven for locals.
Many Amsterdammers have their own skates, but if you don’t, you can find them at local markets or Dutch sports shops, making it a unique chance to skate along the canals!
