Important information
Vilnius Opens Christmas Ice Rink in One of Edgiest Urban Spots—Century-Old Lukiškės Prison

Vilnius Ice Rink 2.0. © Rytis Seskaitis
Taking advantage of a snowy white winter, Vilnius invites the city’s guests and residents to a new ice rink set up in one of the edgiest urban spots—the world-famous Lukiškės Prison 2.0. Free morning skating sessions and friendly matches of Bavarian curling will entertain skaters all winter, while a highly-awaited Christmas gastro market around the rink will offer the city’s characteristic delicacies on December 8th-11th.
December 2, 2022. The postcard-worthy winter is in full swing in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, enticing the citizens and guests to enjoy a wide range of cold weather activities. The city has just lit up a dazzling Christmas tree installation, which is an enormous birthday cake for the upcoming 700th anniversary, and now has opened an ice rink in one of the most unique urban spaces of the city—the former century-old prison turned cultural and artistic hub Lukiškės Prison 2.0.
Vilnius Ice Rink 2.0 will be open in the main yard of Lukiškės Prison from December 1st till February 28th. A 600 sq m plot has been covered with ice mats that have a circulating glycolic coolant and allow reducing energy consumption by 26%. The ice rink can accommodate 80 skating aficionados at once.
The unique location and custom-made roof structure invite skating amateurs and enthusiasts to spin around it, while more sports-focused visitors can also engage in a friendly Bavarian curling match. Everyone will also be invited to skate for free every morning.
Another crowd-favorite, a Christmas gastro market, will again open near the rink in Lukiškės Prison 2.0 from December 8th-11th. After strenuous skating sessions, everyone will be offered a delicious repose with wintery delicacies, degustations, family-friendly activities, a holiday tree town, and much more.

Vilnius Ice Rink 2.0. © Rytis Seskaitis
Edgiest urban object as a cultural entertainment spot
Lukiškės Prison was built in 1905 and, throughout a century of operation, held convicts and political prisoners opposed by various political authorities, including Tsarist Russian, Nazi German, and the Soviets. The prison survived World Wars and the Nazi and Soviet occupation and had many political prisoners from Lithuanian, Belarussian, Polish, Jewish, and other backgrounds.
After ceasing to function as an imprisonment facility in 2019, the former prison opened doors to the public and over 350 artists as a cultural hub Lukiškės Prison 2.0. Now it is available to the public as a unique urban space for culture, artistic expression, and community. The facility hosts international concerts and performances, day and night tours, and many other events and projects all year round. Widely-recognized performers like Jungle, Arlo Parks, Aurora, Moderat, and Tash Sultana have already played in Lukiškės Prison 2.0, and many are scheduled to perform next year.
Marketing and Communication Division, [email protected]
Also read:
Organizations of World Heritage Cities will develop an emergency relief programme in Vilnius
In cooperation with the City of Vilnius and the Public Institution Vilniaus senamiesčio atnaujinimo agentūra (Vilnius Old Town Renovation Agency), the Central and East-Central European Secretariats of the Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC) are organising a meeting in Vilnius on Monday,... ❯❯❯
2023-03-22
Holiday Destination Vilnius: Top 700th Anniversary Highlights for Spring and Summer
March 15, 2023. The warm season enveloping Lithuania offers new adventures for its residents and guests, and Vilnius, the capital city, has numerous options for a well-rounded city break. Not only does the city entice with full-on outside adventures in many of its parks and the surrounding... ❯❯❯
2023-03-15
Leaders of European cities in Vilnius on support for Ukraine: long-term support for people and cities matters
Support for Ukraine’s cities and people from other European cities is important today, but it is also necessary to provide long-term support for the restoration of the country and for the care for Ukrainian refugees, the mayors and representatives of Vilnius, Lviv, Tallinn, Warsaw, and Riga said... ❯❯❯
2023-01-30
Let Festivities Begin—Vilnius Celebrates 700th Anniversary and Embarks On Year-Long Cultural Program
Let Festivities Begin—Vilnius Celebrates 700th Anniversary and Embarks On Year-Long Cultural Program Vilnius 700 birthday. Photo by Go Vilnius On January 25th, the Lithuanian capital Vilnius finally started celebrating its 700th anniversary and got the jam-packed cultural program going... ❯❯❯
2023-01-25
President Zelensky Awarded Vilnius as “Rescuer City” Just Before Its Official 700th Birthday
President Zelensky has granted an honorary title, “Rescuer City,” to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, for its continued multidirectional support to the people and cities of Ukraine. The title was bestowed just one day before the city’s 700th anniversary at an international conference,... ❯❯❯
2023-01-24
Crowd-Beloved Vilnius Light Festival Returns With Futuristic Illumination Art
Vilnius will start its 700th-anniversary festivities on January 25th with the highly-anticipated fifth Vilnius Light Festival. Futuristic light solutions by internationally recognized creators will illuminate hidden courtyards, parks, and streets from January 25th to 28th. January 20, 2023. The... ❯❯❯
2023-01-20