Advent calendars at the ready everyone because it’s that time of year again – Christmas! Whether you’ve been feeling festive since October or you’re a bit of a Scrooge, Nottingham’s Winter Wonderland will undoubtedly get you in the Christmas mood! So gather your friends, wrap up warm and head into Exchange Square for festive drinks, food and fun!
Ice Rink
Nothing screams Christmas more than a giant sparkling tree surrounded by ice skaters making festive memories. Beautifully set overlooking the markets and full of people of all abilities, a trip to the ice rink would make for a fun afternoon with friends, so long as you’re not the first to fall over because you’ll never live it down!
Ice Bar
If you want to get icy but you’re more Made in Chelsea than Dancing on Ice, then the Ice Bar might be more your scene. New to Nottingham this year; the magical, frosty setting is the perfect place for a unique drinking experience and is definitely ‘insta-worthy’. The standard price for entry is £9.50 which will get you two drinks, gloves and a cloak, or if you’re feeling in the festive spirit you can spend an extra £3 for a glass of prosecco! Be warned though, if you want to go at the weekend you’ll have to book in advance.
Central Bar
Stepping away from the ice rink and towards the wooden huts you’ll come across the central outside bar. Overlooking the ice rink, this is the perfect spot to laugh at any unfortunate ice skaters as you sip on a mulled wine, mulled cider or beer.
Helter-Skelter Bar
When I checked out Winter Wonderland last weekend, I found that the queues at the central bar were super long. So instead I headed to the Helter-Skelter bar near Primark. The quieter and cosy atmosphere is perfect for a romantic drink or cosy catch up with a few friends and who knows, if you have too many mulled wines you might find yourself on the Helter-Skelter!
Carousel
If that doesn’t appeal to your inner-child, then maybe the Carousel will! Travel around and around the golden ride on horseback whilst Christmas songs play in the background. Be prepared for a wave of festive feelings and a blast of nostalgia.
Sausage Hut
If you get hungry after all these festivities, there’s only one answer, Bratwurst! Covered in onions, ketchup and mustard this traditional German food is not to be missed and I doubt you’ll be able to resist when you smell them cooking on the giant open barbeque. Alternatively, try Currywurst, another German delicacy to get your mouth watering.
Fudge Stand
If you’ve got more of a sweet-tooth, then head to the fudge stand. Selling more flavour of fudge than you can imagine including vanilla, Rocky Road and Rhubarb & Custard. The stall has a wide selection of other confectionaries including candy apples, candy floss and giant sweets so you’ll be spoilt for choice!
So there you have it, Nottingham’s Winter Wonderland in a nutshell. Be sure to visit to discover the wide variety of other stalls set up in the city centre and have a very merry Christmas!
Edited by: Susan Akyeampong
Sources:
http://gem106new.orioncdn.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/NWW_H1–946×302.png
http://www.quingoscooterusers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/nottingha…