Experience the magic of Christmas lights in these Spanish cities
Travelling at Christmas is always special. There’s an atmosphere in the cities like no other time of the year. From the end of November, the streets of Spain start to light up with thousands of sustainable bulbs and the arrival of the traditional street markets. You can also admire the stunning Nativity scenes, the Three Kings Parade on 5 January, skating rinks and the wonderful aroma of roast chestnuts and churros for sharing in good company. We reveal to you which cities in Spain have the most incredible sparkle about them. Happy holidays!
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Madrid
It’s impossible not to include the Spanish capital in this list. In addition to its legendary centuries-old market in the Plaza Mayor, its streets, squares and buildings are lit up by fabulous lighting displays for several weeks, transforming the city into a beautiful Christmas postcard. Usually, over 200 locations are decorated with coloured lights specially created for the occasion by artists and designers. Millions of LED bulbs illuminate places such as the entrances to the Plaza Mayor and the Plaza de España with strings of lights, ‘light cherry trees’ and large figurative nativity scenes; as well as the enormous fir trees that usually take pride of place in Madrid’s main squares, including the iconic ones at the Puerta del Sol and the Plaza Mayor.Any other ideas? Visit the parks and gardens which, at this time of year, are transformed into ‘Christmas gardens’ and put on displays featuring illuminated figures: the Alfonso XIII Royal Botanic Garden (in the Ciudad Universitaria area) is one of them. Another option is Cortylandia, one of the capital’s most traditional Christmas light displays. Every year, a different story is told through huge moving figures, light and music. There are several free showings each day.You can also hop aboard the ”Naviluz“ Christmas bus for a tour of the dazzlingly lit city, see out the year with 12 lucky grapes as the clock chimes midnight at the Puerta del Sol, enjoy the incredible Three Kings Parade as if you were a child or savour hot chocolate and churros at San Ginés chocolate shop. You’ll have the time of your life!
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Barcelona
With the arrival of Christmas, different parts of the city transform into a real fairy tale. The switch-on ceremony takes place at the end of November: from then until Three Kings’ Day, you can enjoy the illuminations decorating various areas and districts of Barcelona. One option for discovering the city's Christmas lights is the Barcelona Christmas Tour on a double-decker bus.If you’re looking for a special Christmas market, don’t miss the Santa Llúcia Fair, which has been held around the cathedral since 1786, making it the oldest in the city. A Christmas market is also held next to the Sagrada Familia, and another at Port Vell, where a fair is set up by the sea, featuring a Christmas tree decorated with LED lights and a large Ferris wheel. What's more, at the Gran Via Three Kings' Fair,you can stroll among stalls selling decorations, sweets, or toys - and on Three Kings' Eve, it stays open until the early hours!At Poble Espanyol- a theme park dedicated to traditional Spanish architecture - you can visit the homes of Santa Claus and the Three Wise Men. Looking for more Christmas experiences in Barcelona? Let yourself be carried away by classical melodies at the Palau de la Música Catalana or the Liceu, enjoy light shows such as‘Els Llums de Sant Pau’, at the Sant Pau Modernist Complex, or enjoy the Symphony of Stars (Simfonia d’estels), a visual and projection show held in Plaça de Sant Jaume.
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Málaga
This image of Calle Larios has made its name as one of the most famous Christmas scenes in all of Spain. No one wants to miss how this shopping area is lit up with an incredible show of light and music that surprises everyone who visits it. This is usually inaugurated in late November.The city glows with more than two million LED lights with different decorative figures such as chandeliers, while the façade of the Málaga Cathedral is usually used to display a videomapping audiovisual show. Plus, in Málaga you will be able to buy souvenirs at the artisan markets of La Malagueta or in the bohemian neighborhood of Soho. And naturally, you simply can’t miss the municipal Nativity scene in the area of the Patio de Banderas at the City Hall,which is reinvented year after year. Another option is to enjoy the Christmas light show that usually decorates the Botanical-Historical Garden of La Concepción.And And if you enjoy ice skating, which is so closely associated with festive celebrations, do pop along to the Hielo Azul Christmas Park. As well as boasting one of the largest natural ice rinks in Andalusia, it features fairground attractions for children and families, gastronomic spaces and themed areas such as Santa’s House.
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Vigo
In recent years, this Galician city has become a Christmas icon thanks to the more than 11 million LED lights that usually illuminate its streets from mid-November. Among the lights distributed throughout Vigo, one of the highlights is the Christmas tree in Porta do Sol, which stands more than 40 metres high. Various giant decorative figures also shine out, including a carriage, a Christmas forest, a large snowman, a box of presents and a fantastic illuminated castle-palace. Vigo also has other Christmas activities to have a great time. Among the most striking is the giant Ferris wheel installed in the Praza de Compostela, perfect for contemplating the city from above. There are also Christmas markets such as the ”Cíes Market“ and the one in O Calvario, where you can buy Christmas products and artisan craftwork, ride with the little ones on children's rides and attend street shows. The Christmas activities in this Galician city do not end here – you can also go ice skating next to Samil beach, take a ride on a tourist train that runs through the city centre or attend shows such as the Circo de Nadal (Christmas Circus).
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