Medellín has the largest Christmas lights display in the Aburrá Valley but there are nine other municipalities in the valley that also have Christmas lights. To really see the Aburrá Valley Christmas lights, it is worth visiting other municipalities such as Sabaneta, Envigado and Barbosa, which also have beautiful Christmas lights displays worth seeing.
After living over eight years in Medellín, this year was the first year I went to see the Christmas lights displays in all 10 municipalities in the Aburrá Valley. And I was impressed with several that are definitely worth seeing.
In this article, we have 35 photos of the Christmas lights displays in all 10 municipalities in the Aburrá Valley.
This year Medellín has 27 million Christmas lights and Sabaneta has 5 million Christmas lights. And I believe the other eight municipalities in the Aburrá Valley likely have well over 8 million more Christmas lights. So, the total number of Christmas lights in the Aburrá Valley is probably well over 40 million lights for 2019.
This article first has photos of the Christmas lights displays in the 10 municipalities in the Aburrá Valley in alphabetical order. And then provides my personal recommendation of the top six Christmas lights displays worth seeing.
A tall tower in Barbosa for its 2019 Christmas lights display
1. Barbosa Christmas Lights
Barbosa, Antioquia is a pueblo or small town located less than an hour from Medellín. Barbosa is a close and great getaway from Medellín with streams, waterfalls, natural swimming pools, hiking, horseback riding and many other things to do nearby. It’s located at the northern end of the Aburrá Valley.
Surprisingly, Barbosa is off the beaten path and hasn’t yet been discovered by many foreign tourists. This is due to Barbosa not being in any of the English-language Colombia guidebooks and not much information about this pueblo is available on the Internet.
Christmas lights at Parque Principal in Barbosa
Barbosa is located only 22 miles (36 kilometers) from Medellín. And it’s a separate municipality with a population of over 50,000 and is located north of Girardote.
More of the Christmas lights at Parque Principal in Barbosa
The Christmas lights display in Barbosa are located at Parque Simón Bolívar, which is the main park in the Barbosa municipality and is also known as Parque Principal.
Iglesia de San Antonio de Padua in Barbosa for Christmas 2019
Also, at this park in Barbosa is Iglesia de San Antonio de Padua, which is a beautiful Neo-Romanesque-style church that has many pieces of religious artwork.
Christmas tree at Parque Bello
2. Bello Christmas Lights
Bello is the municipality directly north of Medellín in the Aburrá Valley. Normally the primary Christmas lights display in Bello is located at Parque Bello. But in 2019, this park is undergoing a major renovation and is currently closed off. You can’t even get into this park.
Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Rosario at Parque Bello
So, unfortunately there are only a few Christmas lights displays near this park and along nearby roads plus Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Rosario at the park has Christmas lights.
One of several Christmas lights displays near Parque Bello
A friend living in Bello told me that there are Christmas lights in other locations in Bello that he plans to take me to see next week.
Christmas tree at Parque Caldas
3. Caldas Christmas Lights
Caldas is a separate municipality in the southern Aburrá Valley with a population of over 55,000. And it’s located south of La Estrella, which is located south of Sabaneta.
Catedral Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes at Parque Caldas
The primary Christmas lights display in Caldas in 2019 is located at Parque Caldas where Catedral Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes is located.
One of several Christmas lights displays in Parque Caldas
Christmas lights at Parque Copacabana
4. Copacabana Christmas Lights
Copacabana is a municipality located north of Bello in the Aburrá Valley. The primary Christmas lights display in Copacabana is located in the principal park in the municipality known as Parque Principal or Parque Copacabana.
Christmas lights at the park in Copacabana
2019 Christmas lights at Parque Copacabana
Another of the many Christmas lights displays at Parque Copacabana
Christmas trees in Parque Envigado in 2019
5. Envigado Christmas Lights
Envigado, the municipality south of El Poblado, has a large Christmas lights display this year primarily in Parque Envigado.
Iglesia de Santa Gertrudis at Parque Envigado in 2019
The Christmas lights display in Envigado in 2019 is primarily located at Parque Envigado but there are Christmas lights in several other locations in Envigado, including:
- Débora Arango Library
- Las Palmas Roundabout
- The Founders Bridge
- Carrera 42, 43 and 43A
- Iglesia San Jose
Also, we have a separate article about the 2019 Christmas lights in Envigado with several more photos.
Christmas tree in Parque Envigado in 2019
Christmas lights in Parque Girardota
6. Girardote Christmas Lights
Girardota is located directly north of Copacabana. The primary Christmas lights display in Girardota is at the main park (Parque Principal or Parque Girardota).
Catedral de Nuestra Señora del Rosario at Parque Girardota
At this park in Girardota is the beautiful Catedral de Nuestra Señora del Rosario church.
More of the Christmas lights at Parque Girardota
Large Christmas tree at Parque Itagüí in 2019
7. Itagüí Christmas Lights
In Itagüí for 2019, the Christmas lights display is spread between several locations. Itagüí is located west of the Medellín river and is located west of Envigado and Sabaneta and south of Belén.
Christmas lights at Parque Itagüí
There are Christmas lights in Itagüí at the principal park in Itagüí (Parque Itagüí) and other parks in Itagüí including:
- Parque Artista
- Pauque Obrero-Brasil
- Parque Chimeneas
Christmas lights display near Parque Itagüí
Christmas tree at Parque La Estrella
8. La Estrella Christmas Lights
La Estrella is the municipality located south of Sabaneta and La Estrella is the last station going south on the Medellín metro. The Christmas lights in La Estrella are located at Parque La Estrella.
One of several Christmas lights displays in La Estrella
Another of the Christmas lights displays in La Estrella
Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Chiquinquirá church in La Estrella for Christmas 2019
Parque La Estrella is likely the most popular park in La Estrella. It is a one square block plaza that has the Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Chiquinquirá church on one side and many small local restaurants, bars and shops along the other sides.
Fisherman lights display on the lake at Parque Norte in Medellín
9. Medellín Christmas Lights
One event that Medellín is really famous for is the annual Medellín Christmas lights display that is known as Los Alumbrados or Alumbrados Navideños.
On the lake at Parque Norte
This year is different than last year with the primary Medellín Christmas lights at two locations in 2019. In 2019, there are two epicenters of the Christmas lights in Medellín.
The primary lights display has traditional Christmas lights inside the Parque Norte amusement park. This is the same location as last year. The second major location of lights for Christmas this year is at Parques del Río, along the river. The Parques del Rio location is a more modern lights display.
Large Christmas tree at Parques del Río
This year is the 52nd anniversary of Medellín’s Christmas Lights. The name this year is “EPM lighting, traditions that illuminate Christmas” (in Spanish: “Alumbrados EPM, tradiciones que iluminan la Navidad”).
The Medellín River at Parques del Río for Alumbrados 2019, it change colors
The Medellín Christmas lights display in 2019 includes:
- 27 million LED lights, which is up from 26 million LED lights last year.
- 32,000 hand-woven figures, which is down from 35,000 hand-woven figures last year.
You can also find Christmas lights in Medellín this year in several locations, including:
- Carrera 70 (Avenida Libertadores de América)
- Avenida Las Palmas
- Avenida La Playa
- Along the Ayacucho tram line
Also, there are lights at the main parks of the 16 comunas in Medellín such as Parque Poblado and the first Laureles park. In addition, there are Christmas lights at Pueblito Paisa.
Furthermore, we have a separate article about the 2019 Christmas lights in Medellín with many more photos.
Alumbrados Sabaneta 2019 at Parque Sabaneta
10. Sabaneta Christmas Lights
Sabaneta, which is the smallest municipality in Colombia located south of Medellín and Envigado, is having its largest Christmas lights display this year with over five million lights.
The snowman in front of the church at Parque Sabaneta is popular for taking photos
Last year in 2018, Sabaneta reportedly only had 900,000 lights for its Christmas display. So, Alumbrados Sabaneta in 2019 is over five times larger and is impressive.
One of many Christmas figures at Parque Sabaneta
The Christmas lights display in Sabaneta in 2019 is primarily located at Parque Sabaneta but there are Christmas lights in several other locations in Sabaneta, including:
- Parque Cuatro Elementos (a new park three blocks north of Parque Sabaneta)
- Churches
- Major roads in Sabaneta
Also, we have a separate article about the 2019 Christmas lights in Sabaneta with several more photos.
Iglesia de Santa Ana at Parque Sabaneta for Alumbrados 2019 in Sabaneta
Aburrá Valley Christmas – What are the Best Christmas Lights Displays?
In my personal opinion the following are the six best 2019 Christmas lights displays in the Aburrá Valley:
- Parque Norte in Medellín – the largest Christmas lights display in the Aburrá Valley with a big selection of food.
- Parque Sabaneta in Sabaneta – a very impressive Christmas lights display with the best lights on a church in the metro area plus a big selection of food.
- Parques del Rio in Medellín – impressive lights along the Medellín river with a very large Christmas tree but not much else to see and not many food options.
- Parque Envigado in Envigado – a very nice Christmas lights display with a big selection of food.
- Parque Barbosa in Barbosa – an impressive Christmas lights display in a nice Pueblo close to Medellín worth visiting.
- Parque La Estrella in La Estrella – a very nice Christmas lights display with several food options nearby.
The Bottom Line: Aburrá Valley Christmas – 2019 Photos from 10 Municipalities
The bottom line is that it’s worth seeing the Christmas lights in at least a few other municipalities in the Aburrá Valley besides Medellín, if you have time.
Medellín has the largest Christmas lights display. But other municipalities in the Aburrá Valley also have nice Christmas lights displays and several of these are worth seeing. So, if you really want to experience more of the Aburrá Valley Christmas, visit some of the Christmas lights displays in other municipalities in the valley.
In my experience, the busiest Christmas lights displays in the Aburrá Valley in 2019 are in Medellín and in Sabaneta. And if you go to the Christmas lights displays in other municipalities, the crowds will be less.
The Christmas lights in the Aburrá Valley will be on until January 6. So, you still have several days left to see the Aburrá Valley Christmas lights.
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One thought on “Aburrá Valley Christmas Lights: 2019 Photos from 10 Municipalities”
Nice photos and a timely article.. We have only been to see the Christmas lights in Parque Norte this year. Looks like we need to go see more.