Ferrero Rocher’s annual Christmas lights competition returns to showcase the breadth of traditions, landscapes and local talent across Spain. Vote for the Spanish village with the best Christmas lights in 2025, and you've got a great excuse for a trip to the country.
Ferrero Rocher's annual contest explained
This year's Juntos Brillamos Más (Together We Shine Brighter) featured one representative town per region, meaning all 17 communities were in the mix and acting as ambassadors for their local heritage.
The competition has grown into a high‑impact social and media initiative that goes beyond local pride and genuinely shifts tourism and visibility for small places. This year, the campaign runs through four eliminatory phases and a final, and the winner is announced on 15th December with an official light switch‑on ceremony and national coverage.
Shortlist 2025: five semifinalists for the Spanish village with the best Christmas lights
This week, these five Spanish villages made it through the early stage, and the list will trim to three on Sunday, 30th November, once votes are cast.
A Guarda (Galicia)
A Guarda sits where mountain, sea and the Miño estuary meet. Celtic legends are threaded through the landscape, and the silhouette of Monte Santa Trega watches over the harbour.
Look for the harbourfront and central plaza to take centre stage, with choirs and small markets rounding things off. From Vigo, a city also known for its epic Christmas lights, it’s an easy run by road or bus.
Bullas (Murcia)
Bullas is wine country wrapped by low mountains, known for centenary wineries and more than two millennia of local history. Its compact heart around the Plaza de España lends itself to a canopy of lights and a festive circuit that nods to vineyards and craft traditions.
Expect winery tie‑ins and stalls, with music around the main square. Buses link from Murcia city, and parking tends to be manageable near the centre outside peak hours.
Cudillero (Asturias)
Cudillero is an amphitheatre by the sea, a cascade of colourful houses cupping the harbour. It’s the sort of place where simple LEDs turn the bay into a bowl of reflections, with viewpoints cut into the hillside.
You’ll likely see choreography along the seafront and layered façades used as a backdrop. Rail and bus options get you close, with a short hop to the port.
Fuente del Maestre (Extremadura)
In Fuente del Maestre, Extremadura, calm blooms between olive groves and a tidy historic centre. The town highlights its archaeological and monumental heritage, which suits arches, nativity scenes and a spacious light route through whitewashed streets.
Regional buses connect from Badajoz and Mérida, and it’s simple to park on the ring and stroll into the main square for a family‑friendly atmosphere.
Tejeda (Gran Canaria)
Tejeda brings volcanic drama high in the Gran Canaria mountains. Clear nights, traditional architecture and starry skies give the lights a crisp, alpine feel with dramatic silhouettes all around.
The church square and nearby viewpoints will be focal points, with local sweet treats like bienmesabe to keep the chill off. Island buses reach the village, but roads are winding, and parking gets tight, so allow extra time.
How to vote in the 2025 Ferrero Rocher's contest
Voting is open on the official Ferrero Rocher website and closes on 30th November, when the shortlist drops from five to three ahead of the grand finale.
What the winning Christmas village receives and why it matters
The prize goes beyond bragging rights and being home to some of the best Christmas lights in Spain. The winning town gets technical support for a showpiece illumination and an official switch‑on, plus national media exposure through the campaign.
That translates into more visitors for cafés and family‑run shops, fuller guesthouses and a gentle halo that can last beyond December if places keep the momentum.
Other must-see Christmas light displays in Spain
If you’re building a wider December trip, the village vote pairs neatly with bigger city shows and regional routes. Most cities light up in late November and keep going into early January, with midweek evenings usually calmer than weekends. In Madrid, the capital’s lights display sets the tone with wide avenues and playful installations.
Over in Barcelona, the sweep of avenues and modernist façades gives the city a different glow, and the Barcelona Christmas lights 2025 give you some great routes and festive events. Down south, Málaga's festive lights turn Calle Larios into a nightly performance with music and light tunnels.
Spending Christmas in rural Spain
Spending Christmas in the Spanish countryside means more than lights. Christmas markets pop up in most cities, with craft stalls and regional sweets like turrón and polvorones. The season stretches into early January with Three Kings parades and post‑New Year sales, so a long weekend can run later than you might expect.
Choosing where to celebrate Christmas in Spain is tricky, as there are so many options to choose from. If rural life is for you, visiting one of Spain's most beautiful villages could do the trick. Or, ride the tourism train and pop into one of the two Spanish villages that made it on the UN's Best Tourism Villages list while soaking up the festive feel.
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