The festive season is well and truly here, and Manchester doesn’t do halves when it comes to celebrating. Now, Manchester has had one of its very own festive ice rinks crowned one of the top in the UK, and honestly, we’re not surprised.
Ice skating remains one of the UK’s most loved festive traditions, with visitors travelling across the country each winter to enjoy seasonal rinks set against historic backdrops and Christmas markets. To map where skaters can find the best experiences, Online-Casinos.com analysed 40 highly recommended UK and international ice rinks across peak-season adult pricing, customer reviews, Instagram activity, and monthly search demand.
The findings reveal the best-rated ice rinks, the strongest value for money, and the most photographed destinations in both the UK and worldwide.
Skate Manchester was named fifth best ice rink in the UK
Skate Manchester is ranked fifth overall, and has the highest Google Review rating of all the venues studied (4.8). It was also boosted in the rankings by a relatively affordable entry price, at £14.70, the third-cheapest of the top 10.
A staple of Manchester’s festive celebrations, Skate Manchester made its return to Cathedral Gardens back in October, just in time for Halloween. Sticking around until January 4th, 2026, the gleaming ice path lets skaters spin around a dazzling seven-metre-tall Christmas tree, and is the largest ice rink in the UK that is partially powered by the grid – making it the more sustainable attraction of its type in the UK.
Skate Manchester is a fully covered and weatherproof rink, meaning you can enjoy the ice even when the Manchester weather throws some curveballs our way. The rink also offers a variety of skate sessions tailored to meet the needs of all visitors – this includes dedicated quiet and toddler sessions designed for a more relaxed environment. Quiet toddler sessions cost £15 for a parent and a toddler and run from Monday to Friday, 2pm-3pm.
Other top ice rinks in the UK
London’s Winter Wonderland takes first place thanks to its combination of low entry price, strong customer ratings, and Instagram visibility. At £8.25, it is the most affordable rink in the UK top ten, while its 4.4 Google rating is outperformed only by Blenheim Palace (4.6) and Skate Manchester (4.8).
Alexandra Palace ranks second with a 4.4 review rating and strong demand on Google, with 27,600 monthly searches. Somerset House completes a London top three – while its £28.50 ticket is among the most expensive, it remains the UK’s most searched-for rink, generating 66,200 monthly searches, more than any other UK location.
Glide at Battersea Power Station is the most expensive ice rink in the study, with adult prices reaching £31.20.
Top ice rinks in the UK
- Winter Wonderland Ice Rink, London
- Alexandra Palace Ice Rink, London
- Somerset House Ice Rink, London
- The Blenheim Palace Ice Rink, Woodstock
- Skate Manchester, Manchester
- Ice Skate Birmingham, Birmingham
- Bath on Ice, Bath
- Ice Rink Canary Wharf, London
- Eden Project Ice Rink, Cornwall
- Cardiff’s Winter Wonderland Ice Rink, Cardiff
