Freezing winter weather has come to Kyiv, and residents of the Ukrainian capital are taking advantage of the city’s snow-clad hills to get some exercise and fun – sledding, skiing, and snowboarding.
There are plenty of options in the city for skating too – not only frozen ponds and rivers, but outdoor rinks, and rinks in shopping malls that operate all year round. So here, the Kyiv Post lists the best rinks in and around the capital.
A boy skates at the ice rink at VDNG expocenter in Kyiv. (Volodymyr Petrov)
VDNG
Kyiv’s biggest outdoor ice rink, 4,000 square meters in area, is located in the VDNG expocenter in the south-west part of the city. In the center of the rink there is a large Christmas Tree. Visitors can rent skates or bring their own. The lockers for keeping valuables safe are available too. After a skating session, visitors can have a snack at the large food court located nearby, visit the ice sculpture park, or go to see the animals in the petting zoo.
The ice rink opened on Dec. 10 and will operate until Feb. 28. Entry prices start from Hr 85 for an adult ticket from Monday to Thursday, and Hr 150 on Friday and weekends. Enrollment in the skating school (15 lessons) costs Hr 600.
1 Akademika Hlushkova Ave. 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Hr 85-150
Dream Town
Another popular ice rink is located in the Dream Town shopping mall near Obolon metro station in the west-north of the city. Despite the rink itself being quite large (1,200 square meters in area, according to the shopping mall’s website), it’s also usually very crowded, especially on weekends.
The ice rink offers lockers where visitors can keep valuables and belongings safe while skating. There is a café and food court right beside the ice rink, so visitors can enjoy meals and watch other people skating. The price for an hour on the ice goes from Hr 40 for morning skating sessions, to Hr 60 on weekends and holidays. The rental of the skates is included in the entry fee.
1B Obolonsky Ave. 8 a.m. – 11.30 p.m. Hr 40-60
Lyodova Arena
This 1,800-square-meter ice rink is located in the Kosmopolit shopping mall near Shulyavka metro station in the north-western part of the city. Until recently, the ice rink in Kosmopolit was the biggest in the city, until the VDNG rink opened last year. One possible drawback is that there are several support columnthat hold up the mall’s roof right in the middle of the skating area, but these are covered with soft padding to prevent injuries from collisions.
Tickets cost around Hr 60 and include the rental of the skates. There is no discount for those who bring their own skates.
6 Vadyma Hetmana St. 8 a.m. – 1 a.m. Hr 40-60
Children enjoy the biggest outdoor skating rink in Kyiv. (Volodymyr Petrov)
Terminal
Another big ice rink, with an area of 1,800 square meters, is located in the Terminal shopping center, in the town of Brovary about 20 kilometers to the east of Kyiv. Unlike the rinks in Kyiv itself, the one in Terminal usually has fewer people, so there is much more space to skate. Terminal’s website says that more than 200 people can use the ice rink simultaneously.
The rink is often used for ice hockey training, so it has a big changing room. The price of renting skates is included in the entry ticket. One can get to the terminal via a free mini bus that departs from Lisova metro station, or take private bus No. 404. For most skating sessions, the entry price is Hr 70. To check the session schedule call +38044-200-13-17.
316 Kyivska St. Brovary. 9:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. Hr 70
