Top 5 Things to Do at Winter Wonderland

Every winter before Christmas, Hyde Park comes alive with a vibrant carnival known as Winter Wonderland. This is not your usual funfair: it has the usual fairground games and rollercoasters, but it also features plenty of unique attractions well worth parting from your hard-earned cash. Winter Wonderland is located at the north end of Hyde Park, opposite the A4 — also known as the Great West Road, London. In between visiting these top five fun things to do at Winter Wonderland, you can wander through a traditional Christmas market, fill up with tasty dishes at the food stalls and stay warm with a cup of hot mulled wine or cider before retreating from the cold to one of the grand hotels near Hyde Park. There is a huge range of carnival rides to keep kids entertained, while adults will love the Bavarian-style beer halls and handmade crafts for Christmas gift ideas.

1.Go to the circus: Winter Wonderland is home to the Mega-Dome, the largest circus tent in the entire United Kingdom. Each year you have a choice of two shows, featuring death-defying stunts on aerial ropes, silks and trapeze, as well as juggling feats and much more. Performances last up to 45 minutes and you can buy tickets at the door for £6-£12; you can also book online to skip the queue. For a touch of luxury, hire a VIP box and receive champagne and a box of chocolates for roughly £100.

2.Ice-skating: At the centre of Winter Wonderland is a huge temporary ice rink, with a beautiful old-style bandstand in the middle. It’s open from 10am until 10pm every day, but it’s at its most magical after the sun sets, when thousands of Christmas fairy lights sparkle around you. Entry is up to £14.50 for adults or £9.50 for children and includes skate hire, and you can also sign up for lessons. The rink can become crowded on weekends, so choose your session time wisely.

3.Bar Ice: An echo of the permanent ice bar in Piccadilly, both the bar and glasses here are made completely of ice. Guests are issued with coats and gloves on entry, and sessions last only 40 minutes. It may not sound like a long time, but we imagine you’ll be glad to swap this frosty bar for one of the cosy hotels near Hyde Park. Or you could always walk up to a mulled wine stall to take the edge off your chill. Tickets to the Ice Bar are up to £15 per person.

4.Ride the Giant Observation Wheel: It’s not the London Eye, but the Ferris wheel at Winter Wonderland still provides an outstanding view. It rises up to 60 metres high and you’ll be riding for about 15 minutes, giving you some outstanding photo opportunities, of both the city skyline and the beautiful heritage-listed hotels near Hyde Park. It’s open from 10am until 10pm and tickets cost £6 for children or £8 for adults — about half the cost of a ride on the Eye. For a touch of winter romance and the VIP treatment, you can rent a private pod for a fee of between £40 and £60.

5.Magical Ice Kingdom: As you enter Winter Wonderland, the huge blue tent will be one of the first things you see. Inside you’ll find a fairy-tale world of expert ice sculptures, some of them life-size. Take a seat in an ice carriage pulled by an ice horse; sit on the throne in the glittering ice castle; consult the ice wizard and meet the ice Knights of the Round Table. If you have kids in tow who loved last year’s winter hit Frozen, this is sure to be one of the high points of their holiday. Tickets from £7 for adults and from £5 for children.