Águeda no Natal e o Maior Pai Natal do Mundo

In the last years, Christmas in Águeda has become one of the most famous in the country, due to the streets decorated with umbrellas and lights and, mainly, due to the giant Santa Claus, the largest in the world, which is set up every year and makes it impossible for anyone who passes through Águeda to remain indifferent to him. So, we had to go and meet this famous Santa Claus.

In an investment of almost 300 thousand euros, Águeda decided that in 2020 the lights would be turned on earlier. This measure was taken mainly to support and boost the local business, and to guarantee a large number of visitors.

In 2016 the World's Greatest Santa Claus, with 21 meters high and 250 thousand LED lights was turned on for the first time. Consequently, Águeda raised A Guiness World Record.

Giant Santa Claus is in Jardim do Largo (Square Garden), and is easily detected from a distance. However, and although this is usually the first stop, visiting Águeda at Christmas is much more than just Santa Claus.

This year (2020), and as a novelty, Águeda also has the Smallest Santa Claus in the World. This new addition is at the Águeda Tourist Office, but we couldn't see it since it was already too late in the evening.

Update (2024): Four years after seeing Águeda lit up for Christmas for the first time, we decided to go back and enjoy this light show again. In the years that passed between visits, the entire scenario around Santa Claus changed drastically.

In 2020, you would see Santa Claus, some animals made from light (1 or 2 meter tall), a carousel and that was it. However, in 2024 this area is completely buzzing with activity. There are several carousels, a small Christmas market (where you can, for example, drink ginja or eat hot chestnuts), food trailers and even street shows. We have some photographs of Águeda at Christmas in 2024 at the end of the post, as there is always some change in the decoration.

Regarding parking, we recommend doing as we did this time: go straight to the Mercado Parking Lot ("Estacionamento do Mercado"). It's a huge parking lot, with little confusion in access and exits and, even on the most chaotic days, there are spaces available. From here it's just a few minutes' walk to Santa Claus.

The largest Santa Claus in the world, in Águeda, is 21 meters tall and has 250,000 LED lights

Then we explored the space next to Giant Santa Claus. Here is a small space decorated with trees of different colored lights, making the scenery even more magical. Despite the magic that is this scenario, no one should leave Águeda without walk around the lit streets.

Different streets in the center were decorated in different ways, either with umbrellas or colored ribbons. But not only are the streets lit up, they are also painted - in several places it is possible to identify benches or staircases painted with Christmas themes.

But there is still much more to see. When walking towards the Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Gestão de Águeda (ESTGA) it is possible to find a giant umbrella, all in lights. In this area, in the middle of the streets, a painted staircase leads to a Church and, in front of it, there is a tree illuminated with lights. Update (2024): In 2024 the giant umbrella had been placed in Praça da República.

In addition to the Giant Santa Claus, Águeda is lit with umbrellas, light strips and even a car

You can get to know the entire Christmas program on the Agueda events page (here.)

Returning to one of the main areas, next to the bridge that crosses the river, there is an area of cafés that has been completely decorated. First of all, the umbrellas attached to the buildings stand out, illuminating them. Then the eyes get fixed on the illuminated car, where you can actually enter

Also in this area, a little further away, across the street (near the Tourist Office), there is a sleigh and reindeer lit, which we hardly saw due to being more hidden, so keep that in mind.

Keep in mind that every year there is a slight difference in the decoration, which may change or be moved.

Águeda at Christmas resembles, therefore, a Christmas dream, where we forget the situation currently experienced and we can simply breathe and be infected by the aura of Christmas.

So, and for those who have the chance, be sure to visit this hometown here in our district of Aveiro.