Wilanow Garden of Light

Wilanow was built in the 1680s as the country residence of Jan III Sobieski and is one of the few Polish royal palaces to have survived both partitions and wars with its fabric and much of its collection intact, which is the reason to come in daylight. Since 2011 the gardens have also been used in the dark months for the Krolewski Ogrod Swiatla, a light installation that runs from around October to February: illuminated tunnels, arches and figures set along the baroque parterres and avenues, with the palace facade lit behind them and the themes changing from year to year. It has become a standard winter outing for Warsaw families and draws large numbers on December weekends. The route is a walk of a kilometre or so through the gardens, ticketed and timed, and it is genuinely cold - this is an outdoor event in a Polish winter, with the palace as backdrop.

What you actually see

• Lit gardens - tunnels, arches and figures along the baroque parterres.
• The palace facade lit - the 1680s house behind the installation.
• A changing theme - the design reworked each year.
• A kilometre on foot - the route walked through the avenues.

When to go

October to February, after dark. Two hours.

Honest expectations

It is outdoors in winter - dress for standing cold. December weekends are extremely crowded and timed tickets sell out. The palace interiors are a separate daytime ticket. Queues at the entrance are common.

Nearby

The palace and its museum are on the same site; Lazienki is north.