When it’s dark by 4pm and the opening of any pub door means you’re met with a waft of mulled wine, it can only mean one thing – the most wonderful time of the year is right around the corner.
But Christmastime doesn’t truly begin until buildings, trees and piazzas across the continent are smothered in sparkles and twinkling with lights. And while a lacklustre string of fairy lights might suffice for some places, other cities in Europe really turn up the volume when it comes to Christmas lights.
To pinpoint which destinations dazzle more than most, DFDS, a ferry and cruise operator, has done some research using TikTok. They’ve compiled a list of light displays across Europe that have garnered the most posts and views – and one city shines quite a lot brighter than the rest.
London has claimed five of the top ten spots, with Regent Street’s Christmas lights beating all the competition. The famous flying angels have flown ahead with 2.3 million TikTok video views, and Christmas in Covent Garden, which is only down the road, claims second place, with 1.4 million. Clearly, shoppers in the UK capital are spoiled by all the Christmas sparkle.
Brussels by Lights in the Belgian capital comes in third place, with various neighbourhoods across the city being adorned with festive displays. In fourth, it’s Christmas at the Botanics in Edinburgh, and fifth is another London entry – the Oxford Street Christmas lights.
Here are the ten best places in Europe to see Christmas light displays:
- Regent Street Christmas lights, London, 2,300,000
- Christmas in Covent Garden, London, 1,400,000
- Brussels by Lights, Brussels, 510,200
- Christmas at the Botanics, Edinburgh, 195,600
- Oxford Street Christmas lights, London, 60,800
- George Square Christmas lights, Glasgow, 39,000
- Bahnhofstrasse street/Lucy Christmas lights, Zurich, 27,000
- Carnaby Street Christmas light, London, 26,900
- Colmar Christmas lights, Colmar, 26,200
- Christmas at Kew, London, 21,500
If you’re keen to marvel at some lovely displays but don’t fancy tackling the London shopping crowds, DFDS have used their research to curate a list of the best overall cities for Christmas lights, too.
Here are Europe’s ten overall best cities for Christmas light displays:
- London
- Barcelona
- Paris
- Zurich
- Lisbon
- Budapest
- Dublin
- Edinburgh
- Vienna
- Madrid
For more Christmassy travel inspiration, you can check out our Travel hub, which has recommendations on everything from affordable ski resorts to trending winter destinations.
Did you see that a new sleeper train from Rome to the Dolomites is launching soon?
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