Ice skating has been described by some as the closest you can get to the feeling of flying, without ever leaving the ground.

And as Christmas approaches, why not get in the festive spirit by having a skate at one of London's many rinks.

To help you decide where's best to go, check out our round up of London's best skating spots.

Alexandra Palace

Open all year round, hundreds of thousands of visitors come each year to skate at the rink in the Grade II listed entertainment and sports venue.

Situated between Wood Green and Muswell Hill in Haringey, Alexandra Palace hosts regular sessions for skaters of every standard imaginable, aged anywhere from three to 90-years-old.

It’s a perfect day out, for friends, families or fitness - whatever your level.

The rink feels particularly merry at Christmas time which gives the feel of a full-on festive day out.

You can book onto a Christmas skate session, or head to one of the Christmas Club de Fromage discos where you can whizz around to Christmas tunes before enjoying a mulled wine in the nearby Ice Café.

The Christmas skate experience is available every weekend from November 27, as well as throughout the school holidays between December 18 and January 3.

Tickets cost from £9 for adults, £8 for children and £6 for under fives.

For further information, visit alexandrapalace.com/the-ice-rink/book-now/

Sobell Leisure Centre

You can get your skates on all year round at GLL's indoor ice rink in Hornsey Road, Islington, which boasts a variety of sessions to suit all ages and abilities.

Skate hire is available for all sessions, from a child size 7 to an adult size 15. For the smaller ones who may need extra support, there are penguin skating aids to help to build confidence on the ice.

Tickets cost £7.15 for adults and £5.70 for children.

To improve your ice skating skills, the centre runs weekly lessons based on British Ice Skating levels 1 to 8, from £44 a month.

For further information, visit better.org.uk/leisure-centre/london/islington/sobell/ice-skating

Ice Rink Canary Wharf

The rink in Canada Square will be open until the end of February after its longest season to date began last month.

Enthusiasts were able to enjoy Halloween beneath the stunning skyline of Canary Wharf, and will be free to do so in the run-up to Christmas and Valentine’s Day.

Canada Square Park has been transformed by a traditional alpine theme, with the rink covered with hundreds of twinkling fairy lights to ensure any poor weather doesn't dampen the spirits.

It's open from 9.45am each day: until 9.45pm Monday-Thursday, 10.45pm on Friday and 10.30pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Tickets cost £17.95 for over 13s, £11.95 for children and £49.50 for a family of two adults and two children.

For further information, visit icerinkcanarywharf.co.uk/

Skate at Somerset House

The neoclassical courtyard at Somerset House morphs into a magnificent ice rink for the festive season, complete with a 40ft Christmas tree.

As part of Skate at Somerset House, people are welcome to sign up for sessions with Skate School.

Music - in the form of DJs on rink-side decks - is also part of the experience.

To satisfy those taste buds, Jimmy Garcia has set up pop-up alpine restaurant Chalet Barragiste, while champagne and cocktails are available at the Skate Lounge.

Tickets cost from £11 for adults and £8.50 for children.

For further information, visit somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/skate-somerset-house

Ice Rink at the Natural History Museum

Set against the backdrop of the Waterhouse building in Kensington, the Ice Rink at the Natural History Museum is a magical place to be this winter.

This year's experience promises to be particularly poignant, with this the last time the rink will be in the grounds of the museum in Cromwell Road.

After 16 years, its five-acre gardens are set to be transformed into a hub for urban wildlife.

Skate sessions can be purchased from the box office on arrival, but booking online is advised to guarantee a place at peak times.

Adults can skate from £12.65, while the cost of children's tickets starts from £8.80.

For further information, please visit nhm.ac.uk/visit/exhibitions/ice-rink.html

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

Located in the heart of Hyde Park, Winter Wonderland's rink is the UK’s largest outdoor ice rink.

Set under a canopy of twinkly lights and built around the iconic Victorian bandstand, you can hit the ice from 10am to 10pm every day.

The rink is open to all, including those in wheelchairs.

Skates are included in the price which ranges from £10.50 per adult off-peak and £15.50 at peak times.

For further information, visit hydeparkwinterwonderland.com/things-to-do/ice-skating/