December 2006
Skating in the City
Recent reality shows have proven that everyone—even celebrities—can have a fantastic time carving up the ice. Even if you decide to leave your sequined costume at home, lacing up your skates this winter at any one of the many rinks in Munich will ensure a few hours of frosty fun.
By far the nicest ice in Munich year after year,
the Münchner Eiszauber will be back on Stachus from November 24 through January 2007. When the huge fountain turns into a central skating wonderland, hundreds of Munich residents stop by to chill out after a day spent shopping, in school or hunched over a desk. It’s a singular winter tradition that no resident of the city should miss. For more information, see
www.muenchnereiszauber.de.
Prinzregentenstadion (Prinzregent-enstrasse 80) is an “in” destination for young skaters, and offers music, a restaurant and comfortable seating for those who want to watch them whirl around the 1,800 square meters of ice. The sauna of the Prinzregentenbad is nearby for warming up afterwards. Admission costs € 3.50 for adults and € 2.50 for children. For a full schedule of opening times, see
www.swm.de or call Tel. (01801) 796 223.
At
Olympia Eissportzentrum (Spiridon-Louis-Ring 21), future hockey stars can take to the home ice of EHC München. The hall is open daily from 10 am to 12, and 1:30 pm to 4 pm, as well as 8 pm to 10:30 pm, on Wednes-days through Sundays. See
www.olympiapark-muenchen.de
for more information on special theme nights. Adult admission costs € 3, and children enter for € 2.50.
A little farther afield, the
Eis- und Funsportzentrum Ost at Staudinger-strasse 17 in Neuperlach, and the
Eis- und Funsportzentrum West at Agnes-Bernauer-Strasse 241 in Laim, are open most days from 9:30 am, but call Tel. 63 01 91 47 or 89 68 0 07 for the complete schedule. Adults skate for € 3, and those aged six to 18 pay € 2. See
www.sport.musin.de/sportamt/sportstaetten/index.html for more information on these locations.
Finally, if the temperatures remain low enough over a long period, you can turn your figure eights in the great outdoors on the Kleinhesseloher See in the English Garden or on the canal at Nymphenburg Palace. (The City posts signs to let would-be skaters know if the ice is safe.) At the latter site, locals sometimes even indulge in
Eisstockschiessen (a Bavarian version of curling). <<<
