Christmas light show at La Concepción in Malaga: more decorated areas and a route up to the lookout point

Lights and music return to the botanical garden to celebrate Christmas again this year. The show, entitled 'Illusion. The Christmas season has many faces but one single heart', offers a journey of "sensations and emotions" guided by the characters who assist Father Christmas. This year's show presents new features such as the extension of the decorated areas, a climb up to the viewpoint to enjoy the views of Malaga and a renovated restaurant area. It will also offer new light effects, scenery, characters who will interact with visitors, luminous sculptures, audiovisual projections, and music created for the event by composer Alberto Miras and under the artistic direction of Alberto Díaz de la Quintana, who presented the exhibition together with the councillor for environmental sustainability, Penélope Gómez, on Thursday at the municipal heritage museum (Mupam).

The journey through this show will have seven stages: the first stop will be at the abode of the Queen of the Elves, followed by the Polar Express station and the grinch's lair, which will take visitors to the magical forest of the elves to continue to Father Christmas' mansion, the forest of chimneys and end at the lighthouse of illusion. During the tour there will be theatrical and visual elements and information panels to help visitors find their way around each area.

Ilusión can be enjoyed from 29 November to 6 January, except for 24 and 31 December, with different time slots from 6.30pm unitl 9.30pm, with tickets every 30 minutes. The maximum number of people per shift will be 400.

Tickets can be purchased for 15.50 euros for adults and 11.50 euros for children. The councillor pointed out that there are reduced fares on some days: tickets on 2, 10, 12, 25 and 30 December will have a reduction of 50 per cent, as well as reduced prices in the last time slot, with tickets priced at 11.50 euros for adults and 7.50 euros for children. In addition, groups of ten or more get a 30 per cent discount and people with reduced mobility a 20 per cent discount. Children under the age of three have free entry.

The lighting will be LED efficient to reduce energy consumption and with a "respectful" volume of music with the intention of "not causing damage" to the flora and fauna of the botanical garden.

Gómez also pointed to the "improvement" of mobility with shuttle buses from line 2, in the direction of Ciudad Jardín. In addition, the tourist bus will offer a special service from the city centre to the site. The site will have three secure parking areas with capacity for more than 900 vehicles. There will be one adjacent to the site and two others connected by shuttles, with a frequency of 15 minutes, to take visitors to the entrance of the garden.