Christmas is made of lights and, in recent years in Italy, the phenomenon has transformed holiday illuminations into works of art. The Lights of the Artist [Luci d’Artista] involve the entire national territory, from North to South, offering unique installations and animations that leave both adults and children spellbound. But which ones are the most beautiful to see? Here are the Lights of the Artist not to miss during the Christmas events of 2026.
Bressanone
In Bressanone, from 26 November 2026 to 9 January 2027, the Hofburg façade becomes the stage for OOPS 2, a light-and-music show following the adventures of a small creature searching for its red balloon. The journey traverses ancient Egypt, prehistory, space, and even an Indian festival of colors. The projections are signed by the French group Spectaculaires – Allumeurs d’Images, while the soundtrack bears the mark of Giorgio Moroder. There is also a charitable component: for every ticket sold, one euro is donated to UNICEF, with fifty cents allocated to children, to support the WASH Zambia project.
Salerno
In Salerno the XXI edition of Luci d’Artista brings, until 24 January 2027, 27 luminous works across the historic center, the seafront, and the eastern districts, accompanied by 4 video mappings on the façades of four city buildings. You can craft your own itinerary by following fantastical shapes, luminous landscapes, and installations that transform the character of squares and gardens. This year there is also a greater emphasis on accessibility: along the route you’ll find maps, information totems, and, for some works, digital content accessible via QR codes, including narratives and videos in Italian Sign Language.
Torino
Turin welcomes Christmas well in advance when it comes to luminous art. The 29th edition of Luci d’Artista, viewable until 10 January 2027, brings 31 installations to the city, four of which are new, under the theme Memories and Future Dreams. Expect works decidedly offbeat: Tony Oursler engages the facade of the Politecnico, Flavio Favelli works on historical memory in Piazza Reale, and the CANEMORTO collective tours the city with The Radiant Van, a luminous van decorated with good-luck symbols. Among the works to seek out are Mario Merz’s Flight of the Numbers on the Mole Antonelliana and Daniel Buren’s Flying Rug in Piazza del Palazzo di Città.
Arezzo, city of Christmas
The eleventh edition of Arezzo Città del Natale is anticipated from 14 November to 6 January and among the activities not to be missed are the light projections and videomapping that will make the town a must-visit during the holidays. Among the shows not to miss is the Big Light Show expected in Piazza Grande with videomapping themed around history and art. Light installations will also be distributed in other parts of the city, such as at the Palazzo Comunale and the Sagrato del Duomo.
Illuminandia in Monopoli
Would you like to go inside the whale’s belly, meet the Talking Cricket, and find yourself in the Land of Toys? In Monopoli you can do it thanks to Illuminandia, which for its second edition dedicates 15,000 square meters of installations to Pinocchio from 5 December to early February 2027. The nine scenographies, carved in wood, hand-painted, and lit up, are 6.5 meters wide and 3 meters tall. You can walk through them, interact with the elements, and photograph yourself inside. You’ll even find a Talking Cricket’s wheel with twelve life tips and Geppetto’s workshop with swings. The project celebrates the 200th anniversary of Carlo Collodi’s birth and is produced by Faniuolo Illuminazioni. Free admission, with an inauguration on 5 December. The initiative is promoted by the Municipality of Monopoli, conceived by artistic director Gianluca Ignazzi and realized by the historic and centuries-old workshop of artistic craftsmanship Faniuolo Illuminazioni.
Bergamo Christmas Design
The new edition of Christmas Design in Bergamo is titled State of Grace. Slow down to listen. Lighten up to be and brings 14 designer installations across Upper Bergamo, Lower Bergamo and, for the first time, ChorusLife. The works, created through the dialogue between designers and companies and visible from 21 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, transform public spaces into places for gathering and contemplation. The project invites you to change pace and give a little extra time to what we usually pass by in a hurry.
Perugia
In Perugia the Christmas lights intersect with one of the most important names in Italian contemporary art: Michelangelo Pistoletto. The project The Franciscan Thought Through the Art of Light. Harmony Between Earth and Sky, active from 27 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, pays homage to eight hundred years since the death of Saint Francis. On Vannucci Avenue, Cosmografia by Pistoletto will arrive, while Corso Cavour will host a luminous work by Mimmo Paladino.
Assisi
In Assisi the light has long found a natural stage on the façades of the Basilica of Saint Francis, in Piazza del Comune, and on historic buildings. For Christmas 2026, in the year of the Franciscan eight-hundredth anniversary, the city is preparing new initiatives, but the schedule of projections remains to be confirmed. It is nevertheless worth keeping an eye on the program: artistic nativity scenes and living performances in the hamlets traditionally accompany the festivities, weaving together religious heritage and popular culture.
Como
In Como prepare yourself to view architecture from a completely different perspective. The Cathedral, the Broletto, Porta Torre and several other buildings will be the protagonists of artistic projections that trace the shapes of their façades from 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027. In Piazza San Fedele the videomapping will also involve the church, accompanied by sound effects. The route will also touch the Teatro Sociale, Palazzo Terragni and the Monument to the Fallen. Among the ideas yet to be confirmed is a water screen on the lake on which to project luminous images.
Isole of Light, Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore
A true magic is the show offered on the lakes by the event Isole di Luce expected from 4 December 2026 to 10 January 2027. The installations will make the island Bella, the Fishermen’s Island, and the Borromean Gulf the protagonists, adding stops in Baveno, Verbania and Orta San Giulio. The theme? The Canticle of the Creatures by Saint Francis of Assisi. They dedicate light plays and color variations to remember Brother Sun, Sister Moon, Sister Water, or Sister Mother Earth.
