10 Top Cities With The Best New Year’s Eve Celebrations
10 Top Cities With The Best New Year’s Eve Celebrations
New Year’s Eve comes once a year, it is then not surprising people around the world try to plan something special for that night. So, where is the best place to be when the clock strikes midnight on the 31rst of December? Let’s look at the top 10 cities with the best New Year celebrations. From the beaches of Rio de Janeiro to Berlin’s Brandenberg Gate and Sydney’s Harbour Bridge these are the 10 cities that offer epic fireworks and all-night dance parties.
1. Sydney, Australia
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With the iconic, Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House makes for a striking setting. In addition, Sydney is of the first major cities where the clock strikes midnight. More than a million people come together to watch Sydney’s New Year’s Eve waterfront show. Which includes an air and water show featuring aerial acrobatics, an Aboriginal smoking ceremony that is said to cleanse bad spirits, and the Harbour of Light Parade, a flotilla of more than 50 illuminated boats in the harbour.
2. Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is best known for the Carnival renown worldwide. Copacabana beach hosts the world’s wildest New Year’s Eve celebrations. More than two million people hit the sandy beach, dance and party to the celebrations and the magnificent fireworks. Locals dress all in white because they believe it brings good luck and they toss handfuls of flowers into the ocean as a gift to Iemanjá, goddess of the seas.
3. Paris, the city of love
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Paris is indeed the city of love that becomes the city of light during the New Year’s Eve celebrations. If there is a city that is truly magical is Paris on New Year’s Eve. The Effile Tower gets all lit up to amaze and bewilder spectators. If you want to celebrate with the crowds, head to the Champs-Elysees for a thriving street party and fireworks over L’Arc de Triomphe. For a low key celebration go to Montmartre and enjoy the view to the fireworks with a glass of champagne
4. London
Londoner’s ring in the New Year as with chiming of Big Ben at the stroke of midnight. More than 250,000 people crowd the banks of the Thames and its numerous other bridges to see the spectacular ten-minute light-show and fireworks. The fun continues with many after parties around London. And on New Year’s Day, the streets of central London see a parade that features colourful floats, marching bands, costumed dancers, and a procession of the Queen’s horses.
5. Reykjavik, Iceland
Reykjavik, the northernmost capital of the world, hosts some epic celebrations, including bonfires, fireworks and where you can dip in the hot springs in the early morning hours to sooth away your aching muscles from all the partying.
6. Edinburgh
Edinburgh is known for its amazing festivals and arts scene. So, it’s no surprise that Hogmanay and its three-day New Year festival is a wealth of incredible music, art and theatre, as well as a renowned firework display best seen from Princes Street Gardens. This city has the biggest fireworks on show in the world with 4.5 tonnes of fireworks exploding over Edinburgh Castle.
7. Berlin
German’s Capital city, Berlin, is a party town all year round and as expected it doesn’t disappoint on New Year’s Eve. The New Year’s Eve fireworks display in Berlin is one of the most anticipated events in the city every year. The celebrations centre around a two-kilometre stretch of bars, food stalls, laser shows, party tents, music stages, and more between Brandenburg Tor and Victory Column. After the fireworks, the crowds head to the many clubs to party till the wee hours of the morning.
8. Rome
The scene on New Year’s Eve around Rome is breathtaking as this historic city lights up with all its wonderful display of fireworks. What will fascinate visitors is Romans’ tradition of throwing old pots, pans and furniture out of the windows. The significance? It symbolises of letting go of negative and unhappy feelings and preparing the city for the brighter new year ahead. Italians weasr red underwear and eat lentils to bring them good financial luck in the new year.
9. Moscow – Red Square
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In Moscow’s Red Square, the celebration is epic, a true ‘winter wonderland’. There’s snow everywhere which contrast with all the colour of the fireworks. After the fireworks, there’ll be after parties in all the major clubs in Moscow and expect them to be lavish, extravagant and expensive.
10. Lisbon, Portugal
Portugal makes for a great destination to celebrate New Year’s Eve and they have a unique approach. The locals wear blue underwear and traditionally at midnight, they have a ritual of raisin eating. They eat around 12 raisins that signify 12 months and as per the tradition, if you eat them all and keep some cash in your back pocket, good luck and wealth are supposed to ensue. In the Praça do Comércio and Parque das Nações, where hoards of people immerse in revelry and merrymaking. The fireworks by the Tejo River are spectacular.
To all a Happy New Year wherever you are.
