Illuminating Your Festive Period
There are few better ways to get into the spirit of the most wonderful time of the year than by taking in an illuminating Christmas light display. To provide a bit of inspiration for where to experience the ultimate Christmas cheer this year, we’ve pulled together three of our favourite displays from across the globe in case you’re looking to get away this month to feel a little extra festive.
Rockefeller Centre, New York City
There aren’t many cities in the world that are more synonymous with Christmas time than the Big Apple. Regularly featured on the big screen, a New York Christmas brings to mind snow-covered, cold, crisp winter evenings, flamboyant storefront displays, holiday markets, and of course the Rockefeller’s bounteous Christmas spruce.
Standing at 77-foot tall, one of the world’s most famous Christmas trees is wrapped in an incredible 5-miles worth of wiring, consisting of nearly 50,000 lights. Needless to say, the results are stunning and a must-see for any festive light enthusiast. A mainstay since 1933, the tree, light display and famous skating rink are now seen in person by an estimated half a million people every day.
Amsterdam Light Festival, The Netherlands
A little closer to home for us at Blend Group is the Amsterdam Light Festival in Holland’s ever-popular capital. Having kicked off at the end of November, the annual celebration of light has already been enjoyed by many who’ve taken in this year’s theme of “Revealing Art, AI and Tech”.
Amsterdam’s city centre and iconic canal system have been decorated by artists from across the globe, depicting the effect that AI and technology have on our everyday lives. Should you be unable to make it before Christmas, don’t fear as the display is on show until the 21st of January.
Luci d’Artista, Salerno, Italy
Also being displayed until the end of next month is the Luci d’Artista festival of light in Salerno, the ancient city and commune in the southwest of Italy. The beautiful city’s quaint streets, piazzas and gardens are brought to life by Christmas activities and festive lights, including an LED replication of the night sky, an Amalfi Coast-tribute lemon tree-shaped light installation and an illuminated zoo. To get a different perspective of the display, you can also take a ride on an overlooking 60-foot Ferris wheel.
The nearby iconic Amalfi Coast is just an hour’s drive away and is a treasure trove of Mediterranean beauty, even in the winter. You can read our Insight piece on the Amalfi Coast here in case you need any inspiration on why you should visit.
We’d recommend visiting these stunning destinations at any time of year, but they’re that little bit extra special during the festive season, largely due to the thought-provoking and uplifting light shows that are on display. At Blend Group, we’re specialists in combining cultural moments with luxury travel to create bespoke, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. We work with high-end local suppliers to cater to all of our clients’ travel, accommodation and additional requirements. Please get in touch with us here if you’d like us to help you get into get into the Christmas spirit this winter.
