During winter, the sun may be scarce but festive light displays across the UK bring us much-needed cheer. Whether you are visiting with friends, family or for a romantic night out, these magical trails will get you into the holiday spirit.
Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
This year, the traditional light trail at Blenheim is bigger and better. In addition to the usual installations, it features an array of new designs from “international and local artists”, said Nick Trend in The Telegraph. Inside, “The Palace of Oz” will entice kids and adults alike; follow the yellow brick road looking out for all the beloved characters from L. Frank Baum’s book, from Dorothy to the Cowardly Lion. Be sure to make the most of the Christmas market (until 21 December) in the Great Court, too.
Until 3 January, blenheimpalace.com
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Starry Nights at Beecraigs Country Park, West Lothian
The “Starry Nights” trail looks as if it was pulled straight from a fairy tale. The park is filled with “nearly 1,000 acres of twisted oak and shadowy pine”, said Phoebe Taplin in The Times. The immersive experience is full of “magical installations”, alongside a food village, campfire and Santa’s grotto.
starry-night.co.uk
Stourhead, Wiltshire
“Wonderful luminescent colours” await you at Stourhead, said Gardens Illustrated. The National Trust estate is covered in magnificent trees and is home to a picturesque lake. This year, the team has set up new installations including “a mesmerising Star Show, a Sea of Light and dazzling lasers”. The “colour-changing reflections” across the lake and tunnel of light are also back, making this a spectacle not to be missed.
28 November to 31 December, nationaltrust.org
Christmas at Kew, London
With its “futuristic tree gardens” and “strobing light tunnels flashing like paparazzi bulbs”, the Christmas light trail at Kew Gardens is “the closest most of us will get to starring in a sci-fi film”, said Taplin in The Times. Stretching for nearly two miles, it’s one of the country’s longest trails, complete with “flickering fountains” and colourful displays. Carousel rides and sweet treats add to the “razzmatazz”.
Until 4 January, kew.org
RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Essex
See the beloved gardens in a “whole new light” this Christmas, said Gardens Illustrated. Located near Chelmsford, Essex, RHS Hyde Hall undergoes a “magical technicolour makeover” with a total of 26 installations to enjoy along the trail. Guests are “greeted with a magnificent lone oak tree, lit up on a distant hillside”. Among the 13 new additions this year is “Mycelium”, part of a more immersive route through the Robinson Garden.
21 November to 27 December, rhs.org.uk/hydehall
Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh
This Christmas, expect a “fresh display of lights and lasers” at this gorgeous Edinburgh garden, said Trend in The Telegraph. An “LED heart-shaped arch walk” along with a “colourful show projected on to Inverleith House” have been confirmed for this year. Most of the other details for the 2025 trail are yet to be revealed so your 90-minute walk through the garden will be full of surprises.
Until 30 December, rbge.org.uk
