This week, the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council announced that the island’s capital will boast the largest Christmas tree in Spain. It will be illuminated, cost €100,000 to rent, and stand at a height of 50 metres in the lake at Plaza de España. However, this claim has been surpassed in the last two years by other cities.
The Mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez, emphasised that “Santa Cruz has been investing in a Christmas that is a reference point in the Canaries for years, and that is why we work well in advance to ensure everything is ready on time”. He further highlighted that the lights not only enhance the city’s beauty but also boost commerce, hospitality, and local tourism.
The Councillor for Public Services, Carlos Tarife, went further: “This will be the grand highlight of this festive season, an attraction that will draw in visitors and tourists, so much so that even the Mayor of Vigo will have to come to Santa Cruz to see the best illumination in the country.”
The Race for the Largest Christmas Tree
Every year, cities and towns across Spain compete to boast the largest Christmas tree. This is not just about decorations and lights; these trees serve as significant symbols that attract thousands of visitors and generate substantial tourism and economic impact. Vigo, Granada, and Cartes (Cantabria) have become key players in this festive rivalry.
Cartes (Cantabria): The 65-Metre Giant
The small municipality of Cartes captured national attention in 2023 by installing a 65-metre Christmas tree, considered among the tallest in Europe.
With its structure built from scaffolding and adorned with thousands of metres of LED lights, it attracted tens of thousands of visitors during the last Christmas season. For a town of just 6,000 inhabitants, this project transformed into an unprecedented tourist attraction.
In 2024, the town decided to innovate by replacing the tree with a spectacular flying Santa Claus, but the memory of that towering giant remains as one of the most remarkable highlights of Christmas in Spain.
Granada (Nevada Shopping – Sierra Nevada): 57 Metres of Illumination
In southern Spain, the Nevada Shopping centre located in Armilla, close to Sierra Nevada, hosts another of the country’s most impressive trees. Standing at 57 metres, this illuminated giant has become a popular attraction for locals and tourists alike, who come to enjoy shopping and the festive atmosphere in the capital of Granada.
The installation is notable for its spectacular lighting and is one of the first to directly compete with Vigo in the race for leading Christmas celebrations in Spain.
Last year, the tree in Vigo reached 44 metres, meaning that if it were to be repeated, the Santa Cruz tree would indeed be taller.
