Amsterdam bans creation of new hotels
Another piece in the overall strategy to reduce tourist flows to the city
Agueda is the place where you will find the smallest Santa in the world as well
Águeda, just like any other Portuguese or European town, is busy setting up Christmas stage and decorations in its squares and streets all in that encompassing search for the sense of joy. What sets this locality of less than 50,000 inhabitants apart, however, is that it boasts of having the largest statue of Santa Claus in the world – certified by the Guinness World Book of Records since 2016.
That’s some exemplary Christmas spirit for a town that most likely never, or at least very rarely, sees any snow even during the winter. But if you want to stand out in a Christmas landscape composed of more or less expected symbols anywhere you go, you’d better go big.
And that’s what Águeda has done. The town invites residents and guests to marvel at the 21-metre-tall, seated Santa lit up by more than 250,000 LED bulbs between 18 November and 7 January. The statue, which equals the size of a seven-storey building, has been officially vetted as the largest in the world.
You’ll find the awe-inspiring Santa Claus (Pai Natal) at Largo 1° de Maio on the right bank of the Agueda River. This year, one of the new features is that Santa will be accompanied by a Christmas band, as well as reindeer and some decorations alluding to the season.
What visitors would be perhaps delighted to find out is that if they wanted to feast their eyes on the tiniest Santa in the world (in order to find some inner balance), they would only have to move some 200 metres away from the grand Pai Natal to the local Tourism Office.
During the working hours of the Office, people have the opportunity to look at a micro-sculpture of the jolly old man, created by UK artist Willard Wigan. In order to appreciate its intricate details, you have to look at it under a microscope, as it’s only as big as the period dot on this page. This Santa is small enough to go not only down the chimneys but also through the eye of a needle if needed.
Silesian is spoken by about half a million people in the south of the country
Legislators and magnates have to await a preliminary ruling from the European Court of Justice
The building will then serve as the site for a new museum dedicated to Finnish-Russian relations
The tool helps identify undeclared swimming pools and garden sheds
It will serve as a virtual companion to the municipal network of libraries in the country
In addition, the federal government has launched the National Week of Action against Bicycle Theft to raise awareness of the issue and the new solution
The tests are also experimenting with a charging point that is easier to maintain
Reportedly, the aim of the local government is to curb violence and disorder among the youth
The city thinks that it’s time to update pet-related street cleanliness rules for the 21st century
Yes, you guessed it right, that also includes baguettes and cheeses
Reportedly, the aim of the local government is to curb violence and disorder among the youth
Silesian is spoken by about half a million people in the south of the country
Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment.
Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements.
Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces
Catch up with some recommendations for the 2024 European Capital of Culture programme from the mayor of Tartu
An interview with the ICLEI regional director for Europe аfter the close of COP28
An interview with a member of the No Hate Speech Network team