Lace Up For The Best Ice Skating In The World

Skate Around the World Cruise

By Mary Luz Mejia | Published on August 17, 2023

Lace up a pair of skates, and get ready to discover the best ice skating in the world. This handy guide will give you some background on what you'll need to skate, why it's a perfect family or solo endeavor on any vacation, the sports you can perform on a pair of skates and some of the best places to ice skate as you travel the world.

Before You Lace Up Your Skates

Never skated before? No problem. The first thing to keep in mind is that this is a winter sport, so dressing warmly from head to toe is crucial, especially if you're skating outdoors in one of the best places to travel in the world. You'll be skating on a rink that's man-made, on a canal, on a frozen lake or in an indoor rink. An interesting aside, the word "rink" is Scottish in origin, meaning "course." This was where curling was played and the name for man-made ice arenas for other sports, including ice hockey, ice dancing, speed skating and figure skating, was born.

If you don't own ice skates, you'll need to rent a pair at any rink you visit. Start with your street shoe size, and keep in mind that a lot of rental outlets don't carry half sizes. To be comfy, bring an extra pair of socks with you should you need them to fill any gaps (to avoid blisters) and to keep your feet warm. If skating outdoors, for first-timers especially, I also recommend snow pants, a warm hat and gloves or mitts. After a few frosty falls, the ice shavings will melt through jeans and you'll be numb in no time.

Tie up your laces securely, and if you're traveling with a child, help them tie theirs tight. If the laces are long, tuck them into your skates so you don't trip over them. Now you're ready to get on the ice.

The right equipment makes skating enjoyable.

Master The Push And Glide

Let the speed demons and kids clamoring to get on the ice go first, so you don't end up getting jostled around. When the coast is clear, grab hold of the hockey board or a railing for balance, ensuring your knees are slightly bent at all times when you're skating (stiff knees can lead to nasty spills). Push from one foot while the other glides over the ice to get moving slowly, then switch to the next foot and repeat. Watch more experienced skaters to get the swing and cadence of their technique. When starting out, take it easy until you get into a groove of how to skate in some of the best places to travel in the world!

Imagine a glass-like sheet of ice twinkling in the sunshine or illuminated by fairy lights in the evening. It's cold out; you can see your breath. You feel the nip in the air, but you're bundled up sufficiently. You take your first step on the ice and start skating to the sound of classical or pop music coming from the rink's speakers. You skim across this canal or rink of frozen water and marvel at the sensation of almost floating along on the ice. It's exhilarating. The faster you go, the more the wind brushes past your face and hair. It's the perfect activity to do with a family, a spouse, friends or even solo. Some spots are situated in beautiful cities or natural landscapes, offering the best ice skating in the world.

Best Friends Skating — Friends Helping Each Other Ice Skate

Clearing the ice is important to maintaining it.

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Love the idea of skating your way around the world? Consider booking the Ultimate World Cruise and seeking out fabulous ice rinks along the way.

Parents Skating with their Daughter — Family Enjoying the Onboard Ice Skating Rink

Once you get the hang of it, ice skating is easy, even for beginners.

Manufactured Ice Vs. Natural Ice

Depending on where you are in the world, ice skating can be seasonal or year-round. It's important to note that indoor skating rinks often use cold concrete to make ice, laying metal pipes inside concrete slabs. The slabs make up the floor and can drop below freezing so that thin layers of water get poured on top and then freeze. The ice you're skating on is usually ¾" thick and chilled at 16°F. This is considered ideal because when ice is thicker, it gets softer and "slower" to skate on.

Making an ice rink is one thing — maintaining it is equally important. First, water is slowly released onto the rink's surface to ensure that the ice isn't too thick, which is expensive to refrigerate, or too thin, as skaters might cut right through the surface. Closed rinks have to keep a close eye on humidity levels, too, or you might find yourself skating through the fog. One additional key maintenance activity is the ice resurfacer, commonly known as the Zamboni. These automated machines drive over the ice shaving, scraping and squeegeeing the surface, making sure it's smooth and free of ruts.

Skate under a starry night sky illuminated by twinkling lights.

Where is ice skating most popular in the world? That might arguably be Vienna, home to the serene and magical Vienna Ice Dream.

Where Is The Best Ice Skating In The World?

For international travelers who also love ice skating, a quest for the best ice skating in the world can be as satisfying as a foodie's quest for, say, perfect ramen.

Ice rink by the town hall of Vienna Austria

Glide past Viennese architecture and history.

If you're wondering where ice skating is most popular in the world, the answer may just be Vienna. This gorgeous city is home to the serene and magical Vienna Ice Dream. Surrounded by Vienna's fairytale-like buildings, you can skate down the magically lit Dream Path, with the soothingly lit Town Hall (Rathaus) as your backdrop. As with most outdoor rinks, this one is open from early January to early March and features a double-decker of an ice rink. The massive 9,500 square meters (23,000 square feet) of skating surface is an absolute must-do in friendly Vienna, one of the best places to travel in the world. Kids can access free helmets and double-bladed skates to help them on their skating journey, and there are curling lanes open during the week for those who choose to take their exercise at a more leisurely (yet competitive) pace. If you're taking a break and enjoying the DJ sets and light shows in this city full of beautiful Baroque buildings, fuel up with must-try slices of Viennese strudel, hot punch and more.

Tourists skating on Lake Louise winter ice skating rink Banff National Park Canadian Rockies Alberta Canada

There are miles of canal to skate on in Canada's capital city.

In Ottawa, Canada, the Rideau Canal is consistently ranked amongst the best places to skate in the world. This outdoor rink is actually part of the Rideau Waterway, which connects the Canadian capital to Lake Ontario 202 kilometers away. The entire Rideau Canal Skateway itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site almost 8 kilometers long (equivalent to 90 Olympic-sized indoor hockey ice rinks), winding its way through the heart of downtown Ottawa, and still qualifies as the world's largest naturally frozen ice rink. The skating season is weather dependent, but typically starts in early January and runs to early March. It's open 24/7, is free of charge and makes for one of the most memorable places to ice skate in the world. Grab a beaver tail (a local fried dough pastry invented in Ottawa in 1978), and fuel up for the skating ahead.

Another one of the best places to skate is in New Haven, Connecticut. The David S. Ingalls Rink at Yale University. It was designed by Yale alumnus and architect Eero Saarinen and built in 1958. It's home to the school's Bulldogs ice hockey team and seats 3,500. Nicknamed "the whale" for its impressive, dramatically curved humpbacked roof, it was renovated in 2010 and uses underground climate control systems allowing people to skate year-round.

For travelers looking for unique interesting spots to try out your skates, you may be surprised to hear that there are options at sea. Yes, various Royal Caribbean cruise ships have ice skating rinks, all of which offer both free skating periods and performances on ice. All ships in the Voyager, Freedom and Oasis classes have rinks. Set sail on one of these ships and you can skate wherever in the world your cruise takes you — and watch the Zamboni clear the ice in, say, the Caribbean.

Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center New York USA

Rockefeller Center is so popular, especially around the holidays.

When you think of famous ice rinks, New York City's Rockefeller Center may immediately come to mind. Often featured in films (from "The Godfather" to "Annie," "Elf" and "Home Alone") this officially designated National Historic Landmark is the quintessential New York experience, especially during Christmas and New Year's. It opened on Christmas Day, 1936, as a temporary exhibit but became so popular that it stuck around.

While being weather dependent, the rink is generally open from mid-November to mid-March. Glide past the enormous, decorated Christmas tree as you take in the city's twinkling night lights — it's such a romantic experience. If you're feeling like it's time for a snack, you're never going to be short on eating or shopping options.

Night View of Somerset House ice rink in Strand, London.

Get ready to party on skates at London's Somerset House.

While skating inside an arena may be more accessible, few things are as memorable as breathing in the crisp, fresh air as you admire the sights around you, both man-made and natural. There are so many amazing ice rinks to visit on an around-the-world cruise. If you're cruising to Europe on the World Cruise, don't miss Somerset House in London, England. This rink is a vast complex located in the center of London, slightly east of the famous Waterloo Bridge and overlooking the mighty Thames. These beautiful surroundings set the scene for festivities on a luxurious scale. There are Champagne soirées to nocturnal dance parties at their Club Nights, all integrated into the main attraction — ice skating.

Written By
MARY LUZ MEJIA

Colombian-born, Canadian raised Mary Luz Mejia is a twice NATJA nominated freelance food/travel journalist, Gemini-nominated former food TV producer and Level II Certified Chocolate Taster. Her work has been published in Saveur Magazine, the Toronto Star, The Globe & Mail, The Latin Kitchen, Rodale's Organic Gardening and Toronto Life to name a few. Former Saveur Editor-In-Chief James Oseland calls her "One of Toronto's most passionate food journalists" and her personal goal is to master iconic Latin American dishes, one plate at a time. And por supuesto, se habla Español!

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