London does winter well when it tries. The air sharpens, the lights come on earlier, and suddenly there are ice rinks everywhere — temporary transformations of courtyards, parks and, this year for the first time, even a rooftop.
It squares into something almost magical; roasted chestnuts and mulled wine, the scrape of blades on ice, the occasional spectacular pratfall. It’s all a bit on the nose, isn’t it? Especially the falls. And true, the romance comes with caveats: London's rinks are expensive — £15 to £20 for a measly 45 minutes, sometimes more — and during peak season they're crammed with tourists doing their London Christmas pilgrimage. Note the changing fees — below we’ve listed the cheapest tickets available, but beware they can go up when peak time pricing hits (each rink is different).
