Top Snow and Ice Festivals Around the World (7 Must-See Events)

Bruges, Belgium, hosts a Snow & Ice Sculpture Festival each winter from late November through early January. Every year centers on a new theme; one recent edition featured Hobbit-inspired sculptures crafted by more than 40 artists using roughly 300 tons of ice and 400 tons of snow. The combination of medieval architecture and temporary icy art installations gives Bruges a particularly picturesque and magical atmosphere.