Later this week, the city of Berlin will be hosting the 12th annual Festival of Lights. From 7th till 16th October 2016, many of the city’s most famous buildings will be lit up at night with impressive displays of light designed by teams of artists, digital designers, and technicians from all over Germany and Europe.

Previously, the French street artist Thierry Noir, who is famous for his brightly coloured, cartoonish profiles at the East Side Gallery, was the ambassador for the festival in 2015.

As the leaves on trees turn yellow around the city, nights begin to draw in, and the sun sets around 6pm, it’s the perfect time of year to enjoy an injection of colour into the evenings. The atmosphere at the various sights where there are light displays is also something to enjoy and soak up, with all kinds of people out enjoying the show.

This year, there will be 3D projections on the famous TV tower, something which was only introduced last year at the Brandenburg Gate and which was very well received. As the installations aim to integrate the architecture of the buildings into the projections, some of them can be quite mind-bending: expect the displays on the TV Tower to mess with your senses!

Some of the displays will be political, with previous years projections depicting the history of relations between Germany and Israel, while others will project variations of well-known images onto the most famous landmarks of Berlin. Meanwhile, many more will simply be abstract and often quite mesmerising!

Several landmarks will host various light installations from multiple artists, and you can then vote for your favourite by text or online. From these results, a winner will be announced. This competitive aspect was first introduced last year, and as an audience member, being able to vote for my favourite display can be a lot of fun.

The best thing about the Berlin Festival of Lights is that it is totally free to access for everyone: just wander around between the landmarks that are taking part after dark and enjoy the displays. However, if you wish, there are also guided walking, bus, and boat tours that you can join, starting at around €15 per person.

Visiting Berlin during this unique festival will give you the chance to view many of the city’s most famous buildings illuminated in a way that most people never get to see them. Come check it out!

Have you ever been to Berlin or the Festival of Lights? If so, what’d you think? If not, would you like to visit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Get your hands on our Berlin shirts right here. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest for more.