Villa Zorayda Holiday and Candlelight Tours

Each year during the holidays, every room in the ornate Villa Zorayda Museum is adorned with more than 100 candles as well as traditional and Victorian Christmas decorations. A tall, beautifully decorated Christmas tree stands in the "Court of Lions," festooned in Zorayda's red and gold signature colors, providing a spectacular centerpiece for this two-floor display.

Christmas Season Tours

The museum offers two different tours: candlelight tours featuring a tree lighting, and holiday self-guided evening tours. 

Candlelight Tours

• The Candlelight Tours are on select days from Friday, December 4, 2026, through Wednesday, December 30, 2026. These one-hour tours begin at 5:30 and 7:00 p.m., and you must book for a particular time.
• The Candlelight Tours include an audio-guided tour that discusses aspects of the home's fascinating history. At one point during the tour, you are asked to gather around the balconies before the evening's grand event. The museum darkens, and you experience the dramatic lighting of the Christmas tree, floor by floor, until the building is fully and spectacularly lit. Afterward, you are invited to continue with the audio tour to complete the 60-minute experience and enjoy a complimentary cookie and beverage.

Event Details for the Candlelight Tour

• Admission: Candlelight Tours are $26.99 for adults and $14.99 for children ages six to 12. The tour is not recommended for children five and younger. (A 6.5% sales tax will be added to the ticket price.)
• When: Tours start at 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., on select days, from Tuesday, December 2, 2025, through Friday, January 2, 2026. You must book for a particular tour and can make reservations online. Dates for the 2026/27 season: December 4, December 8, December 11, December 14, December 18, December 21, December 28, and December 30.

Holiday Evening Tours

• Holiday Evening Tours are held every Saturday, from November 28, 2026, through January 2, 2027.
• These self-guided audio tours run continuously from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. each Saturday. You may start your tour anytime between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m., and tour at your leisure until 8:00 p.m. No guests will be admitted after 7:00 p.m. The Holiday Evening Tours begin after the normal daytime tour schedule and are audio-guided tours within the beautifully lit and decorated museum. 

Event Details for the Evening Evening Tours

• Admission: Holiday Evening Tours are $18.00 for adults and $11.00 for children ages five to 12. Children four and younger are free. (A 6.5% sales tax will be added to the ticket price.)
• When: Visit between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m., every Saturday evening from November 28, 2026, through January 2, 2027. You can make reservations online. While the museum remains open until 8:00 p.m., you cannot start your tour later than 7:00 p.m.

What to Expect

Touring the museum requires standing and walking for its duration, and there is no elevator available in this historic building. These tours are approximately 60 minutes and include an overview of Villa Zorayda's history, its previous owners, and the art and antique collection found in the museum.

Reservations are strongly suggested. This tour often sells out. The audio guide, included in the ticket, is available in English, Spanish, and French. You may purchase tickets in advance. If you have questions, call the museum at (904)-829-9887.

Where: The Villa Zorayda, 83 King St., St. Augustine, 32084

About the Villa Zorayda Museum

The Villa Zorayda had its heyday as a popular casino in the 1920s. It was built in 1883 by Franklin Smith, utilizing his construction method of poured concrete and crushed coquina shell, as his winter home. The Zorayda sparked the Moorish Spanish revival style of architecture that is seen throughout the city of St. Augustine today. Visiting the Villa Zorayda Museum is like a quick trip to Europe without leaving St. Augustine, as the Villa Zorayda was built as a scaled-down replica of the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain.

Nights of Lights Free Parking and Shuttles for 2026/27

Learn about how the free park-and-ride shuttles, the STAR beach circulator, and the parking garage operate during Nights of Lights.

We don't have all the information for the 2026/27 season

We'll keep adding information as it becomes available.

Free Parking and Free Shuttles

Free parking and free shuttle rides to and from your car are available on select days and nights during Nights of Lights. 

On Anastasia Island, the STAR Beach Shuttle operates for Nights of Lights. That shuttle runs on a loop on Anastasia Island, picking people up and dropping them off on the east side of the bridge.

Parking Lots and Shuttle Rides 

See below for information about the STAR Beach Shuttle for Nights of Lights. That shuttle runs on Anastasia Island and drops people off on the east side of the bridge.

How Does it Work?

Park for free in one of the lots outside of town, take a free bus to the Visitor Information Center, enjoy all Nights of Lights has to offer, and take a free bus back to your car. 

When Does it Operate in 2026/27?

• From 1:00 to 9:00 p.m., on 23 days of Nights of Lights, and on December 5 (the day of the Christmas Parade) from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• November: 21, 27, and 29
• December: 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30
• January: 1 and 2

Where Will You Park? 

Three lots will be open when the shuttles operate on those 23 days:

• Broudy's Lot, 198 West King Street, St. Augustine, off U.S. 1
• North San Marco Lot, 301 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine
• St. Johns County Health Department, 200 San Sebastian View, St. Augustine, off U.S. 1

Why Use the Lots and Shuttle Service?

• It's free.
• It's easy. You avoid the hassle of driving around (and around) the city streets looking for a parking spot.
• Third, Nights of Lights is a walking event and a tour event. Leave your car in a free lot, take a free shuttle to the Visitor Information Center, walk around town, and ride a trolley, a red train, a golf cart, or a pedi-cab.
  • When the shuttles are operating, the parking garage charges $40.00 after 1:00 p.m. Before 1:00 p.m., and on any day the shuttles don't operate, the garage charges $20.00 for the day.
  • This fee does not apply to St. Johns County residents who have registered with ParkStAug. Residents are encouraged to register online or at the city office on Bridge Street before Nights of Lights starts. Having the ParkStAug app does not guarantee you a space in the garage.

STAR Beach Shuttle for Nights of Lights

During the Nights of Lights Season, the STAR bus circulates on an Anastasia Island route, beginning at 5:00 p.m. 

• The shuttle heads from the Bridge of Lions on A1A to The Quality Inn & Suites, 901 A1A Beach Blvd., stopping at several locations on the way. 
• At the Quality Inn, the shuttle turns back toward the Bridge of Lions, stopping at other locations along the way. 
• All passengers disembark near the Bridge of Lions, and the shuttle turns back to make another loop.
• Things to know about the loop:
  • Most stops don't have public parking, but are within walking distance of parking either in a lot or on a street.
  • The stop near the Bridge of Lions is a 5- to 10-minute walk from the bridge. To get downtown, you have to walk across the bridge. It's a great opportunity to view the lights.
  • The bus will not make additional stops. You cannot flag it down and have to get on or off at a designated stop.

The STAR Circulator does not operate on New Year's Eve due to the fireworks on St. Augustine Beach.