There is something utterly magical about this time of year. The dark evenings, twinkling lights, festive drinks and delicious food - if you’re looking for an outing that encapsulates all of this and more, then this might be for you: this winter, De Bijenkorf in Rotterdam is opening an ice rink on its rooftop which allows visitors to skate under the stars.

Ice skating on the roof of De Bijenkorf

Alright, considering the Dutch obsession with ice skating, it’s worth noting that there are already some pretty iconic ice skating spots across the Netherlands, from the floating ice rink in Leiden to Ice Amsterdam on the Museumplein in the Dutch capital. 

But this December, Rotterdam will be adding its own one to the list: from December 16, the rooftop of De Bijenkorf in the city will be transformed into a winter wonderland, featuring an illuminated winter garden and, of course, an ice rink.

 

 

 

 

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A magical outing under the stars

The twist? The ice rink isn’t made with real ice! Instead, the so-called glicebaan (“glice track”) is made of plastic, or synthetic ice, which looks and feels like real ice, but doesn’t use as much energy or water and so is better for the environment. 

The ice rink will be open daily from 12.30pm until 8pm on most days, from December 16 through to January 13. For just 10 euros, visitors can rent skates and take to the “glice” for 60 minutes.