Outdoor events aren’t just for the summer; whilst there aren’t that many music festivals in winter, Europe’s cities are full of festivals of light, making them shine with a special magic.
The shorter days and long winter nights offer the perfect opportunity to brighten them up with lighting effects, art installations, video mapping and drones, taking us into a world of fantasy and art. These festivals turn the streets and buildings into vibrant canvases, where light and technology interweave with the urban architecture to create a unique and enchanting atmosphere.
If you want to experience the magic of these enlightened worlds, here are the best festivals of light in Europe for winter 2024-2025.
Festivals of light in Volotea cities
Luci d’Artista, Turin
- Where: Turin, Italy
- Dates: From 28 October 2024 until 14 January 2025
- About it: From the end of October until the middle of January, Turin becomes an open-air museum of art, with the Luci d’Artista festival. This event invites renowned contemporary artists to create light installations to fill the city’s streets with colour and creativity. These works, ranging from large-scale pieces to subtler creations, bring a unique and enchanting atmosphere to Turin during the winter season. It’s a great opportunity to see how the city unites its artistic and historical heritage with the avant-garde art of light.
- For more information, visit the event’s website.
Cœur de Ville en Lumières, Montpellier
- Where: Montpellier, France
- Dates: From 28 until 30 November 2024
- About it: This charming festival turns the heart of Montpellier into a spectacle of light and art. The city’s most iconic buildings, such as the Ópera Comédie and the Faculty of Medicine, act as canvases for video mapping projections that tell stories and transport us into other worlds. Every year, local and international artists create amazing visual effects to enhance the architectural beauty of Montpellier, blending history and modernity in a truly magical display.
- For more information, visit the event’s website.
Fête des Lumières, Lyon
- Where: Lyon, France
- Dates: From 5 until 8 December 2024
- About it: The Lyon Festival of Lights is one of Europe’s most famous events. Over four nights, the French city lights up with stunning art installations that adorn its historic buildings, squares and rivers. Since it was first celebrated in the 19th century in homage to the Virgin Mary, this festival has grown to become a world-renowned spectacle of art, where artists from various parts of the world display their light creations. It’s an event that combines tradition, contemporary art and technology in the most amazing way.
- For more information, you can read our article on the Fête des Lumières and visit the event’s website.
Green Line Festival, Florence
- Where: Florence, Italy
- Dates: From 7 December 2024 until 5 January 2025
- About it: The festival highlights the city’s key monuments, squares and buildings, such as the Ponte Vecchio and the Palazzo Vecchio, with stunning spectacles of light and projections. Lighting effects and video mapping, light installations and projections, workshops and educational activities invite you on an imaginary journey from the city’s squares to the cathedral.
- For more information, visit the event’s website.
Copenhagen Light Festival
- Where: Copenhagen, Denmark
- Dates: From 2 until 24 February 2024
- About it: The Copenhagen Light Festival illuminates the chilly nights in the Danish capital with dazzling installations along its streets and canals. This event combines art, sustainability and technology to reflect the essence of Copenhagen; interactive light installations and light sculptures transform every corner of the city, making every stroll a fascinating experience. Some displays can also be enjoyed from the water, adding a unique dimension to this magical experience.
- For more information, visit the event’s website.
Bright Brussels Light Festival
- Where: Brussels, Belgium
- Dates: From 8 until 11 February 2024
- About it: This festival brightens up Brussels with light installations all over the city. The combination of historical heritage and contemporary light art makes Bright Brussels a perfect event for enjoying the Belgian capital in a different way. The festival route takes visitors through different districts and areas, showing both the well-known monuments and the hidden corners of the city, all wrapped up in a magical atmosphere that is truly captivating.
- For more information, visit the event’s website.
Llum BCN, Barcellona
- Where: Barcelona, Spain
- Dates: From 9 until 11 February 2025
- About it: Barcelona also lights up in winter with its Llum BCN festival, held in the technology and cultural district of Poblenou. This festival turns the streets and buildings of the city into a canvas of light and technology, with works by artists from all over the world who explore the interaction between light and urban spaces. Llum BCN not only stages stunning installations and spectacles, but also invites you to reflect on contemporary issues such as sustainability and living in the urban environment. It’s an immersive experience that attracts both art lovers and families.
- For more information, visit the event’s website.
Europe’s festivals of light are definitely an experience you can’t afford to miss if you’re looking for a different way of enjoying art and culture. As well as offering an amazing visual experience, these events also provide unforgettable moments for both adults and children. So come and enjoy the magic of light!
