Winter brings fog to the Rhine valley and a few months of outdoor ice to the city. Rent skates at the rink and spend an afternoon under the lights, or ride a gondola up into the Jura, often above the fog, and come back down by sled when there's snow. Here's what we checked, from Margarethen's two lit rinks to Europa-Park's winter season.
Kunsteisbahn Margarethen is a public outdoor ice rink run by the canton in Margarethenpark. It has two fields: a 4,200 m² open rink and a 1,800 m² rink under a roof, both lit for evening skating.
Skates, kids' helmets, sticks and double-runner beginner skates are for hire, and there is a restaurant. The rink is step-free, with a ramp onto the ice and wheelchair ice gliders free to use.
Two lit ice fields share the site: a large 1,800 m² field for skating and hockey, and a smaller 650 m² field that is due to open in early December. Skates, hockey sticks, kids' helmets and two-runner beginner skates are for rent at the rink, and there is a restaurant on site.
On a few Friday evenings each season, the ice turns into an ice disco.
A gondola climbs from Reigoldswil to the Wasserfallen in about 10 minutes, with six-person cabins that run continuously, so there is no timetable to learn. At the top station, families pick up kick scooters and helmets and ride a 4 km forest track back down to the valley in 20 to 30 minutes. An adventure playground with a giant wooden sled and climbing tower sits beside the top station.
Europa-Park in Rust stays open through the winter season, and Rulantica opens too. Families can spend a day at each and sleep in one of the park's themed hotels, which all stay open along with the restaurants.
It suits families happy to turn a winter day trip into a short break. New Year's has its own packages built around dinner shows and parties, and several are already booked out.
Winter brings fog to the Rhine valley and a few months of outdoor ice to the city. Rent skates at the rink and spend an afternoon under the lights, or ride a gondola up into the Jura, often above the fog, and come back down by sled when there's snow. Here's what we checked, from Margarethen's two lit rinks to Europa-Park's winter season.
Kunsteisbahn Margarethen is a public outdoor ice rink run by the canton in Margarethenpark. It has two fields: a 4,200 m² open rink and a 1,800 m² rink under a roof, both lit for evening skating.
Skates, kids' helmets, sticks and double-runner beginner skates are for hire, and there is a restaurant. The rink is step-free, with a ramp onto the ice and wheelchair ice gliders free to use.
Two lit ice fields share the site: a large 1,800 m² field for skating and hockey, and a smaller 650 m² field that is due to open in early December. Skates, hockey sticks, kids' helmets and two-runner beginner skates are for rent at the rink, and there is a restaurant on site.
On a few Friday evenings each season, the ice turns into an ice disco.
A gondola climbs from Reigoldswil to the Wasserfallen in about 10 minutes, with six-person cabins that run continuously, so there is no timetable to learn. At the top station, families pick up kick scooters and helmets and ride a 4 km forest track back down to the valley in 20 to 30 minutes. An adventure playground with a giant wooden sled and climbing tower sits beside the top station.
Europa-Park in Rust stays open through the winter season, and Rulantica opens too. Families can spend a day at each and sleep in one of the park's themed hotels, which all stay open along with the restaurants.
It suits families happy to turn a winter day trip into a short break. New Year's has its own packages built around dinner shows and parties, and several are already booked out.
