National Geographic Names St Augustine’s “Nights of Lights” One of the Top Ten Holiday Displays in the World.

An 18 year old tradition for the oldest city, Nights of Lights was made possible through private partnerships and a team effort by the city, businesses, and its residents. According to National Geographic (2011), “Once under the Spanish Rule, the 16th century city of Saint Augustine fetes its heritage”. To uphold a tradition of single white lights once flickering from its colonist’s windows, during Nights of Lights the 144 block historic district twinkles with two million bulbs, each white (per the city ordinance). Other cities that made the top ten include: Callaway Gardens Georgia, Vienna, Brussels, Hong Kong, Madrid, Copenhagen, Kobe Japan, Medellin Columbia, and Gothenburg Sweden. Visit National Geographic’s website for a complete slideshow of these cities and their holiday displays.

What an honor to be given this recognition, but it is not surprising as many agree that the city is absolutely beautiful this time of year. This year the city has experienced more visitors than ever! The lines are extremely long as visitors anxiously wait for the holiday tour trolleys so they are able to view the lights in all their essence. After all it is the most wonderful time of the year; especially in Saint Augustine.