Christmas: emotion in light
2 minutes
As we approach the end of the year and look forward to the new one with renewed hope, Italy is bursting with decorations and sparkling lights, from the smallest villages to the great cities of art.
Let us take you on a journey to discover some spectacular light installations, often created by leading figures in the world of contemporary art. A tradition that grows stronger every year with new "sets", the work of creative artists who come from all over the world to embellish streets, alleys and squares. If you are in Italy between mid-December and mid-January, have a look around and, once the sun goes down, follow the many beautiful lights...
Venice, Christmas of Light
The most eagerly awaited event of the year is just around the corner, and the city is preparing for the traditional celebrations by lighting up its streets and squares. The gateway to Venice, the connecting point between the city on water and the city on land, lights up, as do Saint Mark's Square and the Marciana area, as well as various routes in the districts of Santa Croce, Cannaregio, San Marco and Castello. Lights and installations will sparkle until the end of Carnival, an iconic event in Venetian life.
Turin, the birthplace of the "Luci d'Artista"
The event known as "Luci d'Artista" was first held in Turin in 1998. Its aim was to promote art in the Piedmontese city centre by installing ‘light sculptures or installations’ with a strong visual impact and highly symbolic and conceptual values. Over the years, other cities have emulated Turin by holding their own version of the "Luci d'Artista" event, resulting in a creative and cultural exchange between north and south that has grown richer over time.
At Christmas, Taranto is aglow with light
Taranto, the city of two seas, is illuminated for the holidays. The turning on of the lights on Saint Cecilia's Day (22 November) in Piazza Maria Immacolata envelops the city, and in particular the Umbertine quarter, in the warm embrace of the Christmas spirit. Light shows, concerts, events and markets complete Taranto's Christmas celebrations, along with rides on the Ferris wheel, the wonderful vintage carousel and a skate on the ice rink.
Alberobello, a luminous nativity scene
Alberobello welcomes the arrival of site-specific Christmas installations that will illuminate the Aia Piccola district, one of the five districts into which the town is divided and the only one without commercial activities.The installations, scattered throughout the narrow streets of the district, will create a luminous nativity scene consisting of 30 figures and 12 points of interest, lending an almost magical quality to the trullo dwellings, the symbol of this splendid UNESCO World Heritage Site.
