Ice-Skating in Mexico City’s Historic Center

Last summer, Mexico’s City’s government created three artificial “urban beaches” in Mexico City, so that city dwellers could ‘experience the seaside in Mexico’s capital’.

The project entailed moving several thousand tons of sand from the coasts to the capital (7,200 feet above sea-level), and creating pseudo-beaches next to public pools complete with seasand and wave machines.

This Christmas, the city’s government decided to install a colossal ice-skating rink in the Zocalo, or Main Square, right in the heart of the country’s capital city.

Mexico City’s historic center – once the epicenter of the Aztec Empire – boasts the world’s second-largest main square: only Red Square in Moscow is bigger.

Last Saturday, the city’s latest public attraction was opened by the city’s mayor, Marcelo Ebrard.

The ice skating rink, said to be the world’s largest, is over 34,000 square feet in size. It is open from 10am to 10pm daily. The rink is nearly five times the size of the famous ice-rink at New York’s Rockefeller Plaza and can accommodate 2,000 ice-skaters at a time.

Admission to the ice rink is free and everyone is welcome.  With Mexico City’s estimated population of 22 million, there is unlikely to be a dearth of demand at the rink this festive season.  You may have to wait in line for your turn during busier periods: evenings and weekends, especially.  If you don’t have your own ice-skates, the rink organizers will lend you a pair – also free of charge.

The ice skating rink is open now until January 7, 2008.  Parking downtown is difficult so it’s best to visit the historic center using public transport.  The best way to get to the city’s central square is to take the Metro (blue line) and alight at the station named Zocalo.

Also See: Guide to Mexico City