{"id":603480,"date":"2025-11-30T14:16:22","date_gmt":"2025-11-30T14:16:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/603480\/"},"modified":"2025-11-30T14:16:22","modified_gmt":"2025-11-30T14:16:22","slug":"i-went-to-the-most-magical-west-london-outdoor-ice-rink-with-a-palace-as-backdrop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/603480\/","title":{"rendered":"‘I went to the most magical West London outdoor ice rink with a palace as backdrop’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Visitors can expect ice sculptures, DJ sets and moreThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more<\/a><\/p>\n

Even though it’s quite far from where I live, I’ve always found it worthwhile to make the trip to Hampton Court Palace. But I’ve only ever been in summer, when the gardens and outdoor areas are at their peak.<\/p>\n

So this year, I decided to go there at Christmas time to see if it was as pleasant as in the warmer months. Well, let me tell you, I wasn’t disappointed.<\/p>\n

From the end of November each year, the historic monument is transformed into a veritable winter wonderland<\/a>. And the main attraction is, of course, the giant ice rink with Henry VIII’s former residence as a backdrop.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> The Shard housekeeper whose secret art inspired the skyscraper’s Christmas lights<\/a><\/p>\n

\"HamptonTickets start at \u00a318 for adults and \u00a313.50 for children(Image: L\u00e9onie Benhamouche)<\/p>\n

For the occasion, it is illuminated by colourful spotlights once night falls, giving it a grand yet warm appearance. The ice rink itself is decorated with twinkling fairy lights.<\/p>\n

It also boasts a small alcove in the centre with a hard floor if you want to take a breather during the session. And if that wasn’t exciting enough, a series of brand new features have been introduced for 2025.<\/p>\n

Visitors can now enjoy ice sculptures, DJ sets, and even face painting for the little ones. So not only does it make a great activity for a day out during the festive season, but it’s a truly idyllic experience too.<\/p>\n

\"HamptonLate adult sessions and little one dedicated skate sessions will take place throughout the festive season(Image: L\u00e9onie Benhamouche)<\/p>\n

Skating surrounded by centuries of architectural beauty is indeed quite spectacular. And it certainly offers a welcome change from London’s traditional Winter Wonderland if you fancy a variation of scenery.<\/p>\n

Now if, like me, skating gives you an appetite, there’s everything you need on site. Right next to the ice rink is a bar where you can easily pop in after or during your session.<\/p>\n

You will find a selection of hot and cold drinks, including hot chocolate and mulled wine. You can also choose from a variety of snacks, such as hot dogs and pastries.<\/p>\n

\"HamptonThe on-site bar serves food and drinks(Image: L\u00e9onie Benhamouche)<\/p>\n

And if you’d like to prolong the magic, Hampton Court Palace<\/a> awaits you. Although admission is not covered by the ice rink ticket<\/a> (from \u00a318 for adults and \u00a313.50 for children), you may as well make the most of your day and explore 500 years of history.<\/p>\n

At this time of year, highlights include a roaring fire in Henry VIII’s Kitchens, where you can watch demonstrations of cookery. The Tudor-paved courtyards and state apartments have also been decked out for the period, where festive tunes will be played on certain dates.<\/p>\n

How to get there<\/p>\n

You can access Hampton Court Palace via National Rail train services departing from Waterloo. The journey usually takes around 35 minutes and tickets start from \u00a39.40 – you can get them via Trainline<\/a>. After getting off at Hampton Court, it’s about a 10-minute walk to reach the palace.<\/p>\n

Hampton Court Palace is located at Hampton Ct Way, East Molesey KT8 9AU. Find out more information and book tickets here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Stay up to date about London’s hottest events, latest restaurant openings, and best deals with our Going Out Out newsletter.<\/strong> Sign up HERE!<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Visitors can expect ice sculptures, DJ sets and moreThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":603481,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7757],"tags":[748,35745,12232,393,4884,257,6417,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-603480","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-london","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-christmas","10":"tag-days-out","11":"tag-england","12":"tag-great-britain","13":"tag-london","14":"tag-things-to-do","15":"tag-uk","16":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115639078908559145","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/603480","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=603480"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/603480\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/603481"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=603480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=603480"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=603480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}