The best cities in Spain to experience the Christmas lights

Two destinations in Andalucía stand out for their stunning lighting displays

With the Christmas holidays just around the corner, most cities in Spain are already proudly displaying their festive decorations, donning their streets in everything from giant trees to spectacular nativity scenes. There are many iconic Christmas destinations across the globe, but this year travellers won’t have to jet off to London or New York to soak up the atmosphere, as the following Spanish cities give some of the most famous in the world a run for their money.

1. Madrid

You would expect the country’s capital to put on a good show and Madrid certainly hasn’t let the side down this year.

Visitors to Madrid will be dazzled by its roughly 6,700 lights (around 147 kilometres) and 13 enormous Christmas trees.

2. Malaga

The Andalucían province never fails to amaze at Christmas and for this reason has been listed among the top 20 most beautiful cities by the Best European Destinations site. The main event, a spectacular lighting display called The Christmas Forest, is located on Calle Larios, but other areas such as Alameda – with 500 strings of LEDs – Paseo del Parque, Calle Nueva and Plaza del Obispo are also lit up this year and well worth a visit.

A stunning show featuring images of the main Christmas scenes is put on at the Cathedral between 7pm and 10pm with extraordinary special effects such as smoke machines and anti-aircraft lights, while visitors will not want to miss either the Hall of Chandeliers or the Enchanted Garden on Calle San Juan.

3. Vigo

For sheer scale, the Galician city of Vigo is hard to beat. Featuring eleven million led lights, 350 decorated streets, 3,000 lighting motifs, 100 illuminated trees and more than 400 loudspeakers scattered throughout the historic centre and its surroundings, a festive stroll through Vigo is a must.

In addition to having a 12-metre ice rink in Samil and a festive-themed amusement park at Rosalia de Castro, tourists and residents have been flocking to the city’s 60-metre high Ferris wheel. Located at the junction of Colon and Areal, the wheel is the largest in Spain and offers unbeatable views of Vigo, all for the bargain price of five euros.

4. Sevilla

Seville’s Plaza de San Francisco is home to Europe’s largest Christmas tree, which measures 40 metres in height and 14 in diameter. Known as the Pixel Tree, it offers a light and music show every day from 6.30pm to 11pm.

In addition, the city has more than 280 illuminated squares and streets, as well as a magical train, the Christmas town, several markets, ice rinks and the fairground attractions.

Image 1: Ayto. Sevilla

Image 2: Visita Madrid

Image 3: Ayto. Malaga

Image 4: Navidad en Vigo official

Image 5: Ayto. Sevilla

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