A free skating rink has been set up right in the heart of Budapest, around the courtyard of the city mayor’s office. The facility will be open for two sessions a day until 5 January, apart from 24 and 31 December, and 1 January.

Covering a former car park by the cobbled square of Városháza park, not 20 paces from the stop for the 100E airport bus on Károly körút, a free public skating rink has been unveiled by Mayor Gergely Karácsony.

The rink is open until 8pm, and from 10am-2pm and 3pm-8pm every day, apart from the afternoons of 24 and 31 December, and the morning of New Year’s Day.

Up to 150 skaters can use the facility at any one time, and other children’s attractions and surprises will be laid on.