Venue
Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
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Cardiff's Winter Wonderland guide
Skating within Cardiff Castle's walls.
In short
Cardiff's Winter Wonderland runs from 12 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 across Cardiff Castle and the lawns of City Hall, and walking in is free. Families can skate, ride the Giant Wheel and explore the funfair, while the castle's ice trail is the atmospheric choice. Hours change through the season, so check the timetable.
Cardiff's Winter Wonderland is the Welsh capital's Christmas fair, split between the grounds of Cardiff Castle and the lawns in front of City Hall. Skating rinks, a Giant Wheel, a family funfair and a pair of themed bars fill the centre of the city for most of November and December, and walking in costs nothing.
The castle half is the more atmospheric, with covered rinks and an outdoor ice trail set inside medieval and Victorian walls. The City Hall half is louder and brighter, built around fairground rides and a ski-lodge bar.
For Cardiff families it is a seasonal habit, with skating a favourite for many years, and for visitors it is a simple way to spend a winter evening in the city centre with the castle as a backdrop.
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Key Facts & Stats:
Ends: Sunday, 3 January 2027
Where: Cardiff, United Kingdom
Venue: Cardiff Castle Grounds and City Hall Lawns
Held: Every year
Type of event: Leisure Events, Winter Festivals, Fair
Currency: Pound sterling (GBP, £)
Time zone: Greenwich Mean Time, UTC+0 (UTC+1 in summer)
Language: English
Map
Getting around
Hotels near the venue fill up around the event dates.
Age rules and supervision on the ice
Children under 3 cannot go on the ice. Anyone aged 3 to 17 needs a responsible adult over 18 skating with them for the whole session, and one adult should look after no more than ten children. Skate aids help nervous beginners: small ones for skaters under 1.2m tall and larger ones for everyone else.
Hire skates run from Junior 8 to adult size 15, with a limited number of double-bladed bob skates for the smallest feet (junior 8 to 10). At busy sessions sizes go on a first-come basis, so arrive early. You can bring your own skates and leave the bag in the cloakroom for free.
Weather closures and the open-air Ice Walk
The main rink and the curling lanes are under cover, so rain will not stop a session. The Ice Walk is open to the sky. In high winds or other extreme weather the site can close at short notice, and closures are posted on social media wherever possible.
- Wear gloves on the ice; falls are part of the fun.
- Dress in warm layers you can move in.
- Check the organiser's social media before setting off on a stormy day.
Wheelchair skating and accessible facilities
Wheelchairs are allowed on the ice. Users of electric chairs may be asked to switch to manual mode, and bringing a carer or assistant is advised. Accessible-only skating sessions run every week.
Accessible tickets need proof of eligibility on the day, such as PIP or DLA paperwork, a Blue Badge or a HYNT Card. A carer gets one free ride when helping a paying visitor. There is an accessible toilet with baby change at the castle and a Changing Places toilet on City Hall Lawn.
Card payments and booking skating in advance
Cards are accepted and contactless is preferred, so you may not need cash at all. Rides are paid for at kiosks as you go, along with food and drink, while skating and the ice bar must be booked ahead online.
There is no phone line. Read the FAQ first, then email the team, which aims to reply within two days.
What happens on the day
- Thursday 12 November, 5pm
Opening night
The gates open in the evening, the first skating sessions of the season run under the lights.
- November weekdays
The quiet weeks
Sessions usually start around midday or 1pm, and skating slots are easiest to get.
- Weekends
Daylight and lights
Opening from 11am, so you can skate in daylight and stay for the illuminations.
- Late December
Festive break
Full days from late morning. The Christmas skating sessions sell out first.
- Sunday 3 January
Last day
The season closes on the first Sunday of the new year.
Visiting both the castle grounds and City Hall
Cardiff spreads its Christmas fair over two sites a few minutes' walk apart, and a good visit uses both. The castle grounds are where you skate, try the curling and sit by a fire pit with a drink. The lawns outside City Hall hold the Giant Wheel, the family rides and the ski-lodge bar. Walking in costs nothing at either.
The one thing to sort out before you travel is skating. Sessions are sold online in advance only, nobody is let in on the door without a ticket, and the Christmas sessions tend to sell out. Book Bavarian Curling at the same time if your group fancies it; a session lasts 40 minutes. Everything else, from the funfair to food, is paid for on the spot.
A sensible plan is to skate first, while you still have energy, then cross to City Hall for the wheel as the lights come on. If you are turning the trip into a longer break, our Wales travel guide has ideas for the coast and the valleys beyond Cardiff.
The history of Cardiff Castle
Few Christmas rinks have a setting like this one. The Romans built a fort on the site around AD 55, the Normans raised a motte in the late 11th century, and the stone shell keep on top dates from the 12th. The Bute family later handed the architect William Burges a free rein, and from 1868 he turned the house into a Gothic Revival fantasy, clock tower and all. In 1947 the 5th Marquess gave the castle and its park to the people of Cardiff.
Across the road, City Hall adds a grander civic backdrop. Opened in 1906 in Cathays Park, it is an early example of Edwardian Baroque, and it makes a handsome backdrop for the funfair and the Giant Wheel.
The atmosphere leans more cosy than commercial. Over at City Hall, Sur La Piste copies an Alpine ski lodge on two floors, all wooden booths, cushions and blankets, with hot chocolate and mulled wine at the bar. Inside the castle, the Tafarn Triple Tepee Bar sets out three open tepees around fire pits and claims Wales' first self-serve Guinness bar. Food stalls cluster in the castle grounds, and a free entertainment programme runs on both sites, from the bandstand at the castle to a covered stage at City Hall.
Getting there
By train from London
Great Western Railway runs from London Paddington roughly every half hour, calling at Reading, Swindon, Bristol Parkway and Newport.
Cardiff Central and Queen Street
Long-distance trains stop at Cardiff Central; local Transport for Wales services also call at Queen Street. Both are within walking distance of the castle.
From Cardiff Airport
The Rail Link 905 bus runs to Rhoose Cardiff International Airport station, where trains continue to Central or Queen Street.
By coach
Megabus stops on Kingsway, right beside the castle; National Express pulls in at Sophia Gardens.
Finding the entrances
Use the castle's South Entrance on Duke Street for the rinks, or come through Bute Park along North Road to the North Entrance. City Hall's lawns are a few minutes north-east.
Where to stay during the festival
Staying in the city centre keeps the whole evening on foot, from the castle rink to the City Hall wheel and back to your room. Driving in is a poor idea, as the castle has no parking.
Weekends in December are the busiest, especially when there is a rugby international or a big concert at the stadium, so check the city's event calendar before you fix dates.
Weather and what to pack
Expect cold, damp evenings. On the 1991-2020 normals for the Met Office station in Bute Park, right beside the castle, November averages a high of 11.6°C and a low of 4.9°C with 131 mm of rain over about 16 days. December is colder, at 9.1°C and 2.8°C, with 140 mm over 15 days.
Rain is more likely than frost, so plan on wet ground and pack for the wind.
Worth packing
- A waterproof jacket with a hood
- Gloves, which you will want on the rink
- Thick socks for hired skates
- A warm hat and scarf
- Shoes with grip for wet grass and paving
- Your e-ticket for the skating session
Car hire in Cardiff
Airport transfer to Cardiff's Winter Wonderland
Met at arrivals at Bristol Airport (BRS) and driven door to door to Cardiff Castle Grounds and City Hall Lawns.
- Bristol Airport (BRS) → Cardiff Castle Grounds and City Hall Lawns
- 76 km · 75 min
Restaurants and food in United Kingdom
Places to eat in United Kingdom before or after the celebrations.
Magpie Café
14 Pier Road, Whitby YO21 3PU, United Kingdom
Cuisine:SeafoodFish and chips
- Dine-in
- Takeaway
Ubiquitous Chip
12 Ashton Lane, Glasgow G12 8SJ, United Kingdom
Cuisine:ScottishModern British
- Dine-in
- Bar
The Kitchin
78 Commercial Quay, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6LX, United Kingdom
Cuisine:Modern ScottishSeasonal
- Dine-in
Dishoom Covent Garden
12 Upper St Martin's Lane, London WC2H 9FB, United Kingdom
Cuisine:IndianBombay café
- Dine-in
- Bar
- Outdoor seating
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Need help?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Prices & payment
Yes, both sites are free to walk around. You only pay for what you choose to do, such as skating, curling, rides, food and drinks.
Booking
No. Skating tickets are sold online in advance and walk-up customers are turned away, so book as soon as you know your date, particularly for the Christmas weeks.
General
It is new for 2026 and played in shoes, not skates. Each lane needs at least one adult aged 18 or over, and you should arrive ten minutes before your slot.
Yes. Alongside the main rink there is a covered novice rink for less steady skaters, while the outdoor Ice Walk is meant for those who are already confident on blades.
Yes. Own skates are welcome, and the cloakroom will hold your skate bag free of charge while you are on the ice.
No public display is planned in the city centre, so treat the Winter Wonderland sites as an early evening out on New Year's Eve.
Timing & weather
No. Both the castle and City Hall sites are shut on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, then reopen the following morning for the run to early January.
On the organiser's timetable most nights end at 10pm, but the City Hall lawns stay open until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Confirm the time for your date before you go.
Earlier than usual. On the organiser's timetable the City Hall lawns close at 20:00 and the castle at 19:30, and both then stay shut for two days.
Getting there
No, the castle has none. Use one of the city-centre car parks listed by Visit Cardiff, and expect them to be busy when other events are on in the city.