Christmas light shows and trails are becoming increasingly more popular with new venues appearing each year.
Here are our top picks for the best 2024 Christmas light shows and illuminated light trails across the UK to experience and enjoy with family and friends during the festive season.
Wales
Christmas at Bute Park, Cardiff
Wales’s award-winning light trail will be returning to the magnificent Bute Park this winter, in the heart of Cardiff City Centre. New for 2024 is a completely reimagined route and expect original audio compositions, dynamic choreography and jaw-dropping illuminations across 15 distinct zones.
Bute Park will feature fairy-lit pathways, flickering fire sculptures, spectacular mirror ball displays, huge-illuminated trees and a magical dragon that sits atop of the walls of Cardiff castle.
From 22 November to 31 December 2024
Book tickets at https://christmasatbutepark.com/
Margam Country Park, Neath Port Talbot
Luminate returns to this iconic South Wales setting this year for a bigger and better light trail than before. Enjoy the mesmerising, mile-long, illuminated walk through the stunning, historic grounds and experience interactive light displays, the facades of orangery and castle lit by a spectacular light show.
Kids will love the “wish tree” where children and adults can write their wishes on message tags and hang them from illuminated fences and being able to roast marshmallows in the fire pits at the entrance to the castle.
From 23 November to 31 December 2024
Book tickets at https://luminate.live/margam-country-park
England
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, London
The light show at Kew Gardens is one of the most popular in the UK and for good reason. This year this iconic setting will be lit with 3km of enchanting illuminations, featuring over 20 dazzling installations, including some cherished favourites and exciting new displays, starting at the iconic glittering archway.
The beautifully illuminated Palm and Temperate Houses are always worth stopping by and new for this year is ‘Feathers’: 16 floating UV feathers that will sway in the breeze, appearing as if from nowhere.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AE
Selected dates, 13 November 2024 to 5 January 2025
Book tickets at kew.org
Glow Wild, Wakehurst, West Sussex
The woodlands and gardens at Wakehurst are transformed with a glistening trail of hand crafted lanterns, light installations and projections. This is the 11th year, featuring a never-before-seen route, brand new installations, and packed full of other surprises.
Wakehurst, Selsfield Road, Haywards Heath RH17 6TN
Dates Selected dates between 28 November 2024 to 1 January 2025
Book tickets at https://www.kew.org
The Eden Project, Cornwall
This year the Eden Project has a stunning Christmas light festival in their winter wonderland. Visitors will love the musical light show as you walk around the site with the two iconic biomes both becoming beautifully-lit tropical paradise with illuminated waterfalls and live Christmas music.
Eden Project, Bodelva, Cornwall, PL24 2SG
Selected dates 22nd November – 5th January 2025
Book tickets at edenproject.com
Christmas at Dunham Massey, Cheshire
Returning for its 8th tear, this light trail is one of the National Trust’s flagship Christmas light shows and one of the most popular in the region. Enjoy giant glittering deer that represents their deer park, huge sparking snowflakes and the Rose Garden, with 150 illuminated roses that fade and brighten in time to music as you make your way around the trail.
National Trust Dunham Massey, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA14 4SJ
From 15 November – 1 January 2025
Book now at nationaltrust.org.uk
AGLOW, Auckland Castle, Durham
This glittering one and a half mile long trail at Auckland Castle illuminates the grounds and the castle. Visitors will experience stunning projections on the castle walls, a sparking 100 metre-long tunnel of 100,000 stars, laser illuminations, mirror balls, dancing water light fountains and more
Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland, County Durham DL14 7NP
From 22 November – 31 December 2024
Book now at aucklandproject.org
Winter Light Trail, Waddeson Manor, Buckinghamshire
The stunning grounds of Waddeson Manor will be as part of their Christmas festivities. On this light trail, visitors will see immersive light features including a tunnel of light loops, colourful tree canopies and giant dandelions. One of the highlights if the illumination of the manor’s façade to sequenced music.
From 15 November – 5 January 2025
Book now at waddeson.org.uk
Coombe Abbey Winter Light Trail, Coventry
This enchanting journey returns for 2024 – at this captivating light trail through the stunning, historic grounds of Coombe Abbey Park. Immerse yourself in our mesmerising mile long trail, with stunning lighting elements and fabulous light play, all set to music.
From 30 November – 31 December 2024
Book now at https://luminate.live/coombe-abbey
Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
The iconic Blenheim Palace has launched another new illuminated trail for this year with amazing light displays set against the backdrop of the palace. Their Illuminated Light Trail promises to be more magical than ever this year where you will discover glittering tunnels of light, dancing lakeside reflections and trees drenched in jewel-like colour and see the flickering flames in the fire garden in the beautiful surroundings of their trail.
Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire OX20 1UL
From 15 November – 1 January 2025
Book now at blenheimpalace.com
Enchanted Christmas at Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, Cotswolds
The spectacular National Arboretum in the Cotswold’s provides the magical festive backdrop for one of the countries most popular light trails. On your journey through the trail you will discover stunning light displays and kids will enjoy looking for elves and talking trees.
From 29 November – 31 December 2024
Book now at https://www.forestryengland.uk/forest-event/events-westonbirt-the-national-arboretum/enchanted-christmas
Leeds Castle, Kent
Created by award-winning international producers of light trails, Christmas Lights at Leeds Castle has everything you need for an unforgettable time with friends and family, including a magical glimpse of Father Christmas along the way.
Discover larger than life glowing reeds rising high into the night sky, giant colour-changing lilies shimmering on the lake, sparkling tunnels and exquisitely lit trees that fill the air with all the colours of the rainbow.
From 22 November – 31 December 2024
Book now at https://leeds-castle.com/events/christmas-lights-at-leeds-castle/
Scotland
Christmas at the Botanics , Edinburgh
The Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh is one of my favourite parts of the city and at Christmas time it’s even more beautiful. Their illuminated trail, which takes around 90 minutes to walk takes you and walk past trees drenched in colour, laser lights and giant baubles and snowflakes. Enjoy fairy lit tunnels, a fire garden and giant luminescent sculptures that rise high into the night sky. A highlight is the festival finale, which illuminates the facade of Inverleith House in sequence to Christmas music.
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Arboretum Place, Edinburgh EH3 5NZ
From 21 November – 30 December 2024
Book tickets at rbge.org.uk
Castle of Light, Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh
Castle of Light returns for its fifth year at Edinburgh Castle! Discover the iconic site after-dark and enjoy unmissable immersive displays, interactive installations, music and wonder. See Edinburgh’s stories brought to life on the castle walls.
This light show tells the story of Scotland’s heroes through fabulous light installations creating stunning visuals in such a unique location.
From 22-23 & 29-30 November; 6-8, 13-15, 20-23 & 27-30 December; 2-4 January
Book tickets at https://www.edinburghcastle.scot/whats-on/castle-of-light