The Harbin Ice and Snow Festival in China

© Gavin Hellier/Getty Image

Frozen beauty in Harbin. A winter wonderland in Northeast China

The annual Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival is considered the largest such event in the world. It’s home to record-breaking ice sculptures, including a 30-metre-tall tower installed just this year and shaped like the dress of a flamenco dancer. Here you can meander entire villages made of ice and built to scale. You can also see ice replicas of famous landmarks like the Sphinx and Great Wall of China. Last year’s event attracted more than 18 million visitors to this chilly destination, aptly nicknamed ‘Ice City.’