Forget Christmas villages, Christmas markets and Christmas lights in big cities: now the big Christmas attractions are the private homes of neighbors who decide to turn the facade of their house into a branch of the North Pole in the American delirium style.
That is the case of the house of Francisco García,a neighbor of Premià de Mar who has converted the facade of his home (and that of his neighbors) with 300,000 LED bulbs, making it a Christmas attraction in its own right in the municipality.
Since last Friday and until Epiphany, his house, on Carrer Martí Casas in Premià de Mar, is a Christmas fantasy that attracts, for the eighth consecutive year, neighbors and visitors to this quiet town in the Maresme region.
A street of Christmas lights (and an electric train) is getting bigger and bigger.
As he explains to the news channel 324, it all started eight years ago, when Francisco Garcia, a neighbor passionate about Christmas decorations, decided to transform his house with lights and decorations. Inspired by the light shows in Plaça Catalunya and the windows of the Corte Inglés he saw when he arrived in Barcelona at the age of 14.
Garcia not only turned his home into an attraction, but also spread his enthusiasm to other neighbors. Today, five houses participate in this tradition, and Francisco hopes to add two more next year.
The show is not limited to lights. Thanks to another neighbor, Jordi Valero, a former railwayman, visitors can also enjoy an electric train that runs down the street. This detail adds a touch of nostalgia and fun for the little ones, who can’t help but marvel at the Christmas atmosphere.
The success of this fantasy has grown so much that the Local Police is already forced to close the traffic to ensure the safety of the attendees, who grow every year.
In this way, this street of Premià de Mar joins other municipalities around Barcelona as Gavà or El Prat, which have been installing their own Christmas lights for some years.
How to get to the Christmas house of Premià de Mar?
There are several ways to get to this Christmas street from Barcelona.
By train, with Line R1 of Rodalies (Renfe) to Premià de Mar station, which leaves us a few minutes walk from the street.
By bus, Line 804 of Moventis, leaves from the intersection of Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes and Passeig de Gràcia and takes half an hour to get there.
By car, take the C-31 or N-II towards Mataró and exit at Premià de Mar.