Swarovski Festival of Lights

Welcome to the magical and fantastic Swarovski Crystal Worlds, where giants are not only real, but they dream BIG! But, I’m not here to just talk about the Swarovski Crystal Worlds, that is already a staple for many tourists visiting Tyrol, I want to talk to you about the stunning Festival of Light which takes place every year. This year from January 19 to February 18, Swarovski Crystal Worlds just a stone’s throw from Innsbruck in Wattens are putting on a light show and it is definitely a must-see!

Step Inside A Dream

Enter the magical world of a giants dream, it’s stunning!

Swarovski Crystal Worlds is known for its magic and story-telling, so prepare to be amazed as light shows tell a three-part story scattered around a sprawling seven-hectare garden. Starting every 15 minutes and on display daily from 17.00pm until 21.00pm they tell the story of Swarovski’s legendary giant, and his dreams. The light show is accompanied by the narration of animals guiding you through the dreams in a story mixing English and German. Even when the ‘giant is not dreaming’ the lights and music continue sporadically, there are also large, red, sparkly buttons in front of each dream that you can push for a small show in between ‘dreams’ providing constant entertainment. It was fun navigating the park on the dream tour, I often found myself, mouth open, staring at the show.

Crystals, Crystals Everywhere!

Stand in awe of the crystal dome, at the exhibition inside the giants head.

If you arrive before it’s dark, or if you need to warm up a bit, you can pop into the exhibition inside the giants head. Inside there are several rooms designed as a kind of art exhibition, showing crystals in various artistic configurations. You’ll find a crystal Christmas tree, crystal buildings, a reflective forest and much, much more. Another way to warm up is to stop by Daniels Kristallwelten for a quick bite to eat, coffee or maybe a piece of cake!

Off to New Heights!

Hop on the 33m high ferris wheel for a view of the whole garden!

Included in the price of your ticket is also a ride on the beautifully illuminated ferris wheel. Just to get a feel for it, this ferris wheel is tall… 33 meters tall… and lights up the night sky with 400,000 LED lights! I could see it from the highway it was so big! It was absolutely spectacular to get on, just opposite of the giant, and be lifted over the entire garden, watching as the show started and lit up the night sky. They even had blankets on the seats to stay toasty warm on the ride.

#LightUpTheGiant

#LightUpTheGiant and enter a chance to win!

Make sure to show your creative side, there’s a competition going on! Tag your photos with #LightUpTheGiant or email in your snapshots and you could win! Just as a tip! It’s worth it for a chance at one of the prizes, we are talking Swarovski jewelry, binoculars or even tickets to visit again. Well worth the hashtag!

Take the path up the hill to the children’s play tower, or move on to the third dream. Fun for the whole family!

If you’ve visited Tyrol without the luxury of a car, don’t fear, there is a shuttle bus which departs from the Innsbruck main railway station several times a day, and it’s free with the Innsbruck Card!

I highly recommend you stop by, so bundle up, stay warm and step inside the giant’s dreams!

All Photos : @Edith Hamberger