Back again for 2017, the Magical Lantern Festival has vast, glittering lanterns that light up the night's sky and the rolling gardens of Chiswick House. Spot a range of brightly coloured animals Noah would be proud of and don't forget to wrap up warm! This year, it is so cold in Chiswick that the lakes meandering throughout the garden are frozen solid.

The theme for 2017 is Explore The Silk Road, so lantern installations pay homage to countries from Europe to Ancient China. Expect things like a 15-metre-wide lantern of London's Houses of Parliament, and other lantern creations will represent countries like Persia, Arabia, Egypt and India.

As well as a celebration of the iconic European-Asian trade route, this year's lantern festival will be a part of Britain's celebration of the Chinese New Year, Year of the Rooster.

It's not all highbrow though - innovative street food representing some of the countries on the silk road will be available from an on-site foodie market, and seasonal activities include an ice bar and ice skating rink. We recommend getting a pulled-pork bun with apple sauce before beginning you adventure and a small bucket of churros with chocolate sauce at the very end.

This artistic installation features over 50 vast sculpted lanterns in all shapes and sizes: from jewel-coloured exotic animals and birds to monuments and monsters. Our favourites include the marching camels (lots of camel displays) and the vast temple (it's bigger than your home) and the spectacular spinning fish inside the eight foot lantern vase.

Homed in the 18th Century Chiswick House gardens (the birthplace of the English landscape movement), collections of lanterns depicting different scenes appear suddenly as you wonder round the lakes and flowerbeds, sparkling in their various forms.

Those who go to Chiswick for the Magic Lantern Festival should try to visit the English Heritage building before it closes (at 4:30pm), which is one of the finest examples of neo-palladian design in England, having been built by the third Earl of Burlington in 1729 to showcase his art collection.

We had a great time wondering the grounds and admiring the multi-coloured creatures and creations that burst out of the darkness at us, but recommend that you go with as many layers, scarves and hats in tow as possible. By the time we completed our lap of the grounds, which took us about an hour and a half, we were thoroughly frozen.

Suitable for children (and adults) of all ages