by Nina Vaclavikova
A new choreography of holiday lights is set to illuminate Trieste beginning Friday, Nov. 28, introducing a blend of traditional motifs and contemporary design across the city. From nineteenth-century dancers and a gleaming horse-drawn carriage outside the Verdi Theater to illuminated stars drifting above the Canal Grande, the installations will remain on view through the Orthodox Epiphany.
The city outlined the project on Thursday during a press conference at the Civic Museum of Oriental Art. Councillors Giorgio Rossi, responsible for Culture and Tourism, and Everest Bertoli, responsible for Financial Policies, presented the plans together with Andrea Brunetta of the Project Financing Service and representatives from Edison Next Government, the company partnering with the municipality on the initiative. The installations were designed in collaboration with Studio Tecnico Flego.
Mr. Rossi described the upcoming season as “majestic,” noting that the lighting project reflects Trieste’s effort to present itself as a growing urban destination. The city has budgeted €1.38 million for the displays — a 54 percent increase from the previous year — as part of what he said is a responsibility to enhance a city that records 1.5 million overnight stays annually.
Mr. Bertoli emphasized the cultural value of maintaining holiday traditions while improving the city’s appearance for both residents and visitors. “The magic of Christmas returns each year with the same emotion,” he said.
The 2025–26 decorations will include about 700 light installations and 100 Christmas trees sourced from Križevci, a town in northern Croatia near the Hungarian border. New features this year include expanded lighting along the Hortis–Joyce corridor, additional installations on the Rive waterfront and in several semiperipheral neighborhoods, and a series of newly designed special-effect lights.
A scenic route connecting Piazza Hortis to the Joyce Bridge will pass through Piazza Cavana, Piazza Borsa and Via Cassa di Risparmio, an area that will host the largest concentration of illuminated figures. These will include both two- and three-dimensional silhouettes such as dancers, musical instruments and the carriage, positioned to avoid disrupting pedestrian flow, particularly during New Year’s events. Additional large figures will appear in Piazza Goldoni and Largo Barriera.
Warm-white stars will be suspended above the Canal Grande, attached to existing fixtures on the waterfront, adding to the lights installed for the 2024–25 season. In Piazza Hortis, Via Carducci and Viale XX Settembre, tree trunks will be wrapped in LED strands forming a canopy of light over pedestrian areas. San Giusto Castle will feature new large-scale projections.
Elsewhere across the city, waves, snowflakes and star-shaped cones will be positioned on lampposts along the Rive, Viale Miramare and Corso Italia. Additional elements — including warm-white stars, spheres in varying light tones, nativity scenes and shooting stars — will complement the decorations introduced last year.
The city’s expanded program aims to create a cohesive, immersive atmosphere during the holiday season while marking a continued investment in Trieste’s visual identity.
