Have you ever seen a minotaur, William Shakespeare and dinosaurs in one place? 

I went to Longleat's Festival of Light for the first time and it’s safe to say I underestimated how much I’d enjoy it.

Sometimes it’s easy to see pictures of something online and think ‘well I’ve seen it now haven’t I?’ rather than experiencing it for yourself. But it was truly magical.

It was so good that I would even say it was worth driving in rush hour traffic on a Friday afternoon from Swindon to experience it on the opening night.

As you can imagine the event does get quite busy, but the parking wardens are on hand to keep everything running smoothly. You can catch a glimpse of Britain’s biggest singing Christmas tree from the car park. I heard Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy from The Nutcracker about 20 times.

Once you get in, there are plenty of places to grab a hot drink or do some Christmas shopping. The beginning of the adventure is in between the food vendors and you're quickly transported to the Ice Age. From a roaring tiger to the iconic woolly mammoth, the details on the lanterns were mesmerising.

(Image: Newsquest) (Image: Newsquest)

Little did I know it would keep getting better and better. I saw Roman soldiers, Kings and Queens, Greek gods and goddesses and a 10 metre high Colosseum. There was something for everyone.

I was ready to declare the dinosaur era as my favourite pretty early on, but then the trail took me to a giant Egyptian pyramid (which you get to walk through) and I was absolutely captivated.

(Image: Newsquest) (Image: Newsquest) There were so many fantastic photo opportunities and plenty of people excitedly pointing out their favourite lanterns to their loved ones. It was a lovely atmosphere and a great adventure – you didn’t know what to expect next!

I particularly liked how it wasn’t all Christmas-themed. You could buy a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie and ride the Santa train if you wanted to, or you could marvel at all of the lanterns and watch the light show at Longleat House, celebrating Longleat’s 75th anniversary and 10 years of the event.

It’s enjoyable regardless of when you visit, just make sure to wrap up warm.

(Image: Newsquest) This was another favouriteThis was another favourite (Image: Newsquest) A little girl was crying on the way out because she didn’t want to leave and I have to say that’s exactly how I felt too – even when it began to rain. It might have been my first time at the festival but it will not be my last.

The Festival of Light is running on selected dates until January 5 and tickets start from £20.95.