Tourists and locals flock to Tartu's ice skating rink this winter
As is customary, the ice rink around the Kissing Students fountain on Tartu's Town Hall Square (Raekoja plats) is packed with visitors, most of whom are students and schoolchildren.
"I really like it here. I even wanted to suggest to the mayor of Tartu that the ice rink open at 8 a.m. – that would be ideal for small children. At the moment, the rink only opens at 10 a.m. In a winter like we're having now, this is the only place where I can get into the Christmas spirit," Kadri, a visitor to the rink told ERR.
"This rink is really incredibly cozy. Where else can you skate right in the main square of the city – literally in front of the town hall? And, in my opinion, what makes this place special is that the rink is completely free. If you have your own skates, you can just come and skate. And the best part is that the rink is open until the beginning of March, so the winter mood on Town Hall Square (Raekoja Plats) will last for a long time," said Maarja Liba, project manager of Tartu Christmas City.
Skating in the fresh air is also great exercise and Tartu residents love being active during the winter months.
"I've been coming here to skate for a couple of years now. I don't go to training sessions – I just come here to practice. Admission is free, and this is the only outdoor skating rink in Tartu," Egert, who was also visiting the rink, told ERR.
"It's great here. It's good that when it rains and there's no ice on the lake yet, you can come and skate here," added Roxana.
The ice rink is part of Tartu's Christmas village. When darkness falls, Town Hall Square begins to shine with the glow of hundreds of lights: festive garlands decorate the fair, children's attractions, and the city's main Christmas tree.
"It's very beautiful here, especially these lights. We're from Munich, and we don't have this many lights there. I really like the Town Hall building itself, the lighting around it, and the ice rink right in front of it. Everything looks just amazing," said Eric, a German tourist who was at the fair.
His partner Connie also said she was very impressed by the lights and the Christmas tree.
For those who are feeling tired, there are special benches and a fireplace with glowing coals at the Christmas City to keep them warm.
"Here in Tartu, there is such a pleasant atmosphere, it's just wonderful. To be honest, we could use more of this in Finland," said Finnish tourist Juho.
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Editor: Michael Cole, Elizeveta Kalugina
Source: ETV+
