Swarovski Kristallwelten presents new winter programme
Christmas and New Year – a very special time of year at Swarovski Kristallwelten (Swarovski Crystal Worlds) in Wattens (Austria), where thousands of gleaming lights combine with millions of sparkling crystals to create an enchanting atmosphere in the garden of the Giant and the Chambers of Wonder. It is the perfect place to warm up for a wonderful festive season with family and friends, and experience the spirit of Christmas all around you. From November 29 onwards, this year’s Light Festival brings the magical brilliance of the holiday season to Swarovski Crystal Worlds.
Interactive light installations guide visitors through the realm of the Giant, with plenty of opportunities for hands-on fun. Christmas messengers from all over the world send seasonal greetings and shining figures from the animal kingdom tell the most glittering winter fairy tale in the Alps. In the weeks before Christmas and New Year, a sophisticated lighting concept transforms Swarovski Crystal Worlds and its millions of crystals into a magical light-filled landscape. “The Light Festival at Swarovski Crystal Worlds is a celebration of the fascinating partnership of light and crystal. The special magic of the festive season comes from spending time with family and friends, and here we can all enjoy that without any hint of stress or fuss,” explains Stefan Isser, Managing Director of D. Swarovski Tourism Services GmbH. At the Light Festival 2019, it won’t be just the interactive installations that will light up at Swarovski Crystal Worlds – visitors’ eyes will be sparkling and shining too, whatever their age.
A brilliant winter fairy tale full of the magic of Christmas
In the beautifully lit garden, countless interactive displays ensure that even in this dark season of the year there is always light. During last year’s Light Festival, the idea of the “red button,” allowing visitors to set off their own light show, was such a success that it has been expanded for this year. This year the Crystal Cloud will light up in time to a virtual cello played by visitors. And since Christmas is also a time for wishes and dreams, at the playtower visitors of all ages can turn their wishes into coded light messages and send them up to the heavens. These are just two of the many stops along the adventure trail through the Giant and the garden, where countless radiant lights create a sensational experience for visitors. The new Carousel, opened just this summer, is snow-proof and will keep turning even when the temperature drops below zero, explains Carla Rumler, Curator of Swarovski Crystal Worlds and Cultural Director Swarovski. “Jaime Hayon’s fantastically elegant design is dazzlingly decorated with 15 million crystals. The Carousel will look wonderfully romantic against the alpine winter landscape.”
Fine cuisine and special events make every visit memorable
The sparkling winter fairy tale at Swarovski Crystal Worlds will be the theme for the restaurants and various magical events too. Refreshments of mulled wine and punch will be available from the two “food trucks” in the garden, with “Bauernkrapfen” to snack on too, while at Daniels Kristallwelten, Daniels Music Club is open as usual every Thursday. As usual there will be Christmas treats from the restaurant’s in-house patisserie too.
New this year: the Pre-New Year’s Eve Gala! For something really special, connoisseurs can extend their New Year’s celebrations by starting on December 30 with champagne and an exquisite multi- course feast. Younger visitors can get as creative as they like in one of the many weekend Advent workshops, or dance to Christmas hits at the black light disco on Saturdays, and enjoy valuable quality time with the whole family together on our family Sundays. At Swarovski Crystal Worlds you can rediscover the pleasure of spending time together and enjoy unforgettable moments, which you can capture forever in perfect light conditions at one of the many selfie points, to share with everyone else back home.
The atmospheric concept of light and crystal also extends to the other two D. Swarovski Tourism Services GmbH locations: For the displays and windows of the Stores in Vienna, Wattens, and Innsbruck, Swarovski called in the celebrated British set designer Rhea Thierstein, whose creative expertise has resulted in a series of festive installations entitled “Radiant Light,” telling stories that tug at the heartstrings, and shining a special light on the emotional appeal of crystal in this darkest season of the year.
Visitor information
Light Festival 2019 – The most sparkling winter fairy tale of the Alps at Swarovski Crystal Worlds From November 29, 2019 to January 6, 2020
Extended opening hours:
8:30–21:00 (last entry: 19:00, Daniels Kristallwelten until 22:00)
December 24, 2019: 8:30–13:00 (last entry: 12:00 noon)
December 31, 2019: 8:30–16:00 (last entry: 15:00)
Dates and times: Children’s workshops: every Saturday from 14:00 to 16:00 (workshop I) or 17:00 (workshop II), November 30 to December 21, 2019
Family Sundays: all four Sundays in Advent, December 1 to 22, 2019
Black light disco in the playtower: every Saturday from 17:00 to 20:00, November 29, 2019 to January 3, 2020
Daniels Music Club: December 5, 12, 19, 2019 and January 2, 2020 Pre-New Year’s Eve Gala Menu: December 30, 2019
Swarovski crystal has delighted people all over the world for over 120 years. To mark Swarovski’s centennial celebrations in 1995, a special place opened that turned crystal into a living experience: Swarovski Kristallwelten (Swarovski Crystal Worlds). Together with the Swarovski Kristallwelten Stores Innsbruck and Wien, they collectively form D. Swarovski Tourism Services GmbH. Swarovski’s three crystal-experience destinations combine art, lifestyle, and Austrian traditions with an internationally successful model for tourism. Led by Managing Director Stefan Isser, a team of 380 employees devote themselves to ensuring that visitors experience crystal in a unique way with each and every visit. Thanks to continuing development and enhancements, D. Swarovski Tourism Services GmbH maintains an excitingly fresh and up-to-date profile that makes it a trustworthy partner for the tourism industry and a dependable attraction for visitors to Austria. One of the most frequently visited attractions in Austria, Swarovski Crystal Worlds has delighted more than 15 million visitors since 1995.
Swarovski Kristallwelten (Swarovski Crystal Worlds) in Wattens turns Swarovski crystal into a living experience that is constantly changing and being reimagined for its visitors: in the Chambers of Wonder and the expansive garden, internationally and nationally recognized artists, designers, and architects have interpreted crystal in their own unique ways. Spread out over 7.5 hectares, the fantastical realm of the iconic Giant offers a one-of-a-kind blend of contemporary art, past centuries, captivating nature, and a year-round program of events for all ages. Since opening in 1995, Swarovski Crystal Worlds has delighted more than 15 million visitors and is thus one of the most frequently visited attractions in Austria.
Swarovski sparks delight and delivers a diverse portfolio of unmatched quality, craftsmanship, and creativity. Founded in 1895 in Austria, the company designs, manufactures and sells the world’s highest quality crystal, genuine gemstones, Swarovski Created Diamonds and zirconia, finished products such as jewelry and accessories, as well as interior design and lighting solutions. The Swarovski Crystal Business is run by the fifth generation of family members and has a global reach with approximately 3000 stores in around 170 countries, more than 29000 employees, and revenue of about EUR 2.7 billion in 2018. Together with its sister companies Swarovski Optik (optical devices) and Tyrolit (abrasives), Swarovski Crystal Business forms the Swarovski Group. In 2018, the Group generated revenue of about 3.5 billion euros and employed more than 34500 people. A responsible relationship with people and the planet has always been an integral part of Swarovski’s heritage, and is embedded today in the company’s well-established sustainability agenda. In addition, the global Swarovski Waterschool education program has reached 500000 children on the world’s greatest rivers. The Swarovski Foundation was set up in 2013 to honour the philanthropic spirit of Daniel Swarovski, and works to support culture and creativity, promote human empowerment and conserve natural resources to achieve positive social impact.