Christmas lighting is one of Spain’s most beloved traditions. Every year, with the arrival of the last weeks of the year, the streets are flooded with people strolling and enjoying the lights that illuminate every corner of the city.

The Christmas season is associated with a time of gatherings, reunions and celebrations which also incur costs. Business people try to decorate their facilities with decorations and products that attract customers’ attention. Christmas lighting is another way that cities, besides surprising and delighting their citizens with lights, encouraging them to go out, visit and also consume at local businesses.

The lighting is one of the most prominent Christmas events in Spain. In each city, Christmas lights are different, in some cities they are more spectacular, in others they are simpler, Each City Council gives it the importance and budget it deems necessary.

When the Christmas lights come on in 2023

Each town chooses when to turn on its Christmas lights, although the general trend is to do it earlier and earlier, and in many places you can enjoy the lights from November. This is the date when some of the most prominent lighting is expected to be turned on.

When do the Christmas lights come on in Madrid?

The capital city has one of the largest Christmas lighting traditions in the country. The major boulevards of the city center see their usual traffic during Christmas, when thousands of Madrid residents come out to enjoy the lights and make typical purchases on the date. There are lots of areas to walk through while looking at the Christmas lights.

Apart from that, Madrid is one of the cities that receives the most visitors on the long weekend in December, with holidays on the 6th and 8th, many tourists both from abroad and from other regions of Spain consider Christmas lighting to be another big attraction in the capital. In 2023 the Christmas lights will be turned on on November 23 and will run until January 7.

When the Christmas lights come on in Vigo

One of Vigo’s signature features in recent years has been its Christmas lighting. The importance of this event has made it viral, becoming one of the lighting events that raises expectations every year not only in the city itself, but also throughout Spain.

Every year, the Vigo City Council makes a large economic investment in Christmas lighting, which was installed in 2023. and like previous years, this caused controversy due to excessive consideration in some sectors. On Friday, November 24, the official lighting will take place.

When do the Christmas lights come on in Barcelona?

Christmas lights are also one of the winter attractions in Barcelona. According to what the Barcelona City Council defends, “Christmas lighting wants to be the new icon of the city.” Apart from turning it into a beautiful and interesting tradition, it is also a huge boost to local trade.

The date chosen to turn on the lights was November 23. As with Madrid, today seems to be a strategic one for the city council coinciding with ‘Black Friday’ celebrations, which ensured that in the first days of lighting the streets were crowded.