Christmas Lights (Alumbrados Navideños) in Medellín 2024-2025, Colombia

Medellín has transformed significantly from its challenging past, with its Christmas lights, Alumbrados Navideños, playing a symbolic role in the city's renewal. National Geographic has regularly featured this dazzling light display among the world's top ten. The annual Holiday Lights Festival draws millions, with over four million tourists visiting during the holiday season to experience the city's radiant streets and festive energy.

Festival Highlights

Millions of Christmas lights illuminate Medellín at night, with vibrant displays primarily focused around the Medellín River and La Playa Avenue. Food stalls line the sidewalks, offering local treats as giant 3D figures glow along the river. In recent years, the city has extended the holiday magic to over a hundred other locations, creating a truly immersive experience throughout Medellín with light shows and cultural events that bring the festive atmosphere to life.

Main Lights Displays

The Medellín Christmas Lights start on La Playa Avenue, with the main attraction set along the Medellín River. The illuminated route typically begins at the Pablo Tobón Uribe Theater, continuing down La Playa Avenue to Bolívar Park. Since 2013, the Metropolitan Cathedral's facade in Bolívar Park has been lit up with video projections, adding to the holiday ambiance. From there, visitors can head along Carabobo Street to San Juan Street, following this road to the Medellín River. Parques del Rio Medellín is also a must-visit, as it hosts some amazing displays.

Dates

Medellín's famous Christmas lights, El Alumbrado, will be illuminated from December 1, 2024, to January 12, 2025. With warm, pleasant weather and a carnival-like atmosphere, this festive season is an ideal time to experience Medellín as it bursts into vibrant life for the holidays.

Origin of the Tradition

Medellín's Christmas light tradition dates back to 1851. Still, it wasn't until 1955 that the city's public utility company, Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM), began formally enhancing the city's holiday displays, expanding them each year. By 2013, Medellín's lighting spectacle included approximately 27 million LED lights, 10 tons of colorful foil, 150 tons of iron, and 730 kilometers of light tubing, crafting festive figures as tall as 24 meters. This evolving display has since become a defining cultural event, drawing locals and visitors alike to witness its enchanting transformations each holiday season.

If you're spending an extended stay in Colombia and plan to ring in the New Year here, explore more about local traditions and New Year's Eve events through this link.