Manchester Ice Village

Manchester's Ice Village has arrived in Cathedral Gardens.

The Ice Cavern is once again the centrepiece of the Christmas Markets ' family area and this year has a Fantasy Adventure theme, featuring mythical beasts and royal regalia.

A team of the world’s best ice artists began hand carving the intricate ice sculptures for the immersive walk-through experience as far back as June.

In fact 250 tonnes of ice have been used to create everything from a massive dragon bathed in fire-red light, to a spectacular unicorn and an ice princess.

The mythical creatures guard the entrance to a frozen castle, its battlements and turrets, all built from solid blocks of ice.

You can also get that all-important selfie trapped in a block of ice, or have your picture taken inside the icy medieval stocks.

To stop any of it melting, the cavern, effectively a massive freezer structure installed in front of the National Football Museum, is kept at a chilly -10º so you certainly need hats and gloves at the ready.

Perhaps most exciting for youngsters is the Ice Regal carriage you can actually sit in, not forgetting the mini ice slide - and don't worry mums and dads, while it's mostly aimed at under 12s, you can accompany little ones, or even have a go yourself, so there's no getting out of it.

The Ice Cavern itself costs £9 for adults, £7 for children aged four to 15, or £28 for a family of four. Under fours go free but still need a ticket.