This winter in the centre of Moscow there will be several skating rinks where all can go and enjoy the Christmas holidays

Right in the heart of Moscow and Russia, on Red Square next to GUM, there is an ice rink, which this year resembles a Russian fairy tale. The rink was first made here last year, and since then more than one renowned guest has found himself here: next to the Kremlin's walls a hockey match was held between a world team and the team of the former Soviet Union; winners of world and European ice skating competitions, and stars taking part in television projects. It is the biggest ice rink in Moscow and one of the biggest in Europe: 2, 7 thousand square metres of ice, tribunes for 2, 5 thousand viewers, and a few cafes. The arena is open daily from 10am till midnight until March 9th 2007.

This winter, for the time ever, an ice rink has been set up on Tverskaya Square, next to the statue of Iuri Dolgoruki. It will be open from December 20th till January 15th 2008 from 9am till midnight.

On December 14th the oldest ice rink in Moscow was opened, the “French Ice Rink on Petrovka”, which was first opened in the 19th century. Here you can warm up with some mulled wine, eat hot pancakes and sing karaoke in its cosy café.

Another one worth noting is the ice rink at the Hermitage Gardens, which Muscovites love. This cosy ice rink with its ice slide for children is open on weekdays from midday till 11pm, and at the weekends from 10am till midnight.

Ice rink on Red Square
Red Square; Metro: Teatralnaya, Ploshchad Revolyutsii, Okhotnii ryad

Ice rink on Tverskaya Square
Tverskaya Square; Metro: Teatralnaya, Okhotnii ryad, Tverskaya and Pushkinskaya

French Ice Rink
26/9, Petrovka Street, in the same building as the “Dinamo” tennis club Teatralnaya, Chekhovskaya, Tverskaya, Pushkinskaya

Ice Rink at Hermitage Garden
3, Karetny ryad Metro: Pushkinskaya, Tverskaya and Mayakovskaya.