Polaroid Of The Week: Berlin’s dazzling Festival Of Lights

Last Updated on February 15, 2021

The transition from summery Tel Aviv to chilly Germany wasn’t easy, but what helped was the prospect of finally experiencing the Festival Of Lights in Berlin, a festival I’d been wanting to visit ever since I first saw pictures of it online.

Every year in October, Berlin’s main landmarks are transformed into a spectacular light art installation for about ten days. Historic buildings like the cathedral, the opera house, the city palace and landmarks such as the TV tower or Brandenburg Gate become the canvas for stunning light projections ranging from abstract paintings to remarkable, innovative video installations.

This year I was finally able to plan a trip to Berlin around the festival! The cool October air made for a chilly walk, but I truly enjoyed my lightseeing tour with Sam and Zab, allowing me to see Berlin’s majestic sights in a completely different light (quite literally) – most of the light and video installations were so impressive that they made me forget about my cold fingers.

Even though I spent quite some time in Berlin in the past couple of years, I never spend much time in the historic center of the city – the Festival Of Lights was a good reminder how majestic the city actually is, far away from the grittier, street art covered neighborhoods like Kreuzberg and Neukölln where I tend to spend most of my time. More on what I’ve been up to in Berlin next week – and if you’re interested to see more of the Festival Of Lights, check out more of my pictures on Facebook.