Celebrations in December are endless. Now that Christmas has passed, we’re all excitedly waiting for the New Year to arrive, because we’re close to having another 365 days of new adventures, challenges, opportunities and happiness. Oftentimes, New Year’s celebrations are over the top, with crazy parties, loud music and a kind of joy that you don’t see for the rest of the year. Usually, it contrasts with the peacefulness of Christmas and the coziness of gathering with your family and opening presents underneath the Christmas tree. But then again, December 31st is the day when you get the chance to start all over and begin again on January 1st.
In order for us to be ready for New Year’s celebrations, we thought it would be great to go over some of the most incredible places where you can spend the last day of 2023 and the first one of 2024. We thought about the loudest parties, most extravagant firework shows and most popular places, but we also thought about quiet and relaxing places, because we know that there’s always someone who would like to welcome the new year peacefully. We’ll leave it up to you to decide which destination and event you prefer, and if you’re thinking about spending the New Year somewhere else next year… maybe you can start brainstorming some ideas right now!
Edinburgh, Scotland:
Edinburgh is a gem throughout the year. Undoubtedly, its architecture, nature and history makes it a wonderful and breathtaking place regardless of the season. However, when New Year approaches, Edinburgh transforms itself for Hogmanay, a extravagant, buzzing and electric event which originated as a celebration of the winter solstice by Vikings and now has turned into the city’s traditional party to celebrate the arrival of the new year. If you think it is reserved exclusively for December 31st, think again. In fact, it is a nearly week-long festival where locals and tourists alike gather in the streets to dance, sing and have fun saying goodbye to the year that’s ending. Of course, the main and biggest events begin on December 30th with a torchlight procession along the Royal Mile that will leave you wondering if you’ve gone back in time to the Vikings reign, as well as some of the best Scottish musicians and a marvelous fireworks show over Edinburgh Castle. For December 31st, there’s a tradition of dipping into the freezing Firth of Forth wearing fancy dresses. Simply enjoy the live music performances, dances and street parties that form during this time in the city. Pay close attention to midnight, just when the New Year begins… you’ll hear thousands of people singing Auld Lang Syne, an centuries-old folk song that helps preserve the Scottish language and maintain a deep connection with their roots. As you can see, experiencing Hogmanay is nothing short of magical.
Hogmanay is Edinburgh’s celebration for the New Year and one of the most extravagant and vibrant ways to welcome the year that’s to come.
Sydney, Australia:
We all know that Australia is one of the first places on Earth that welcomes the New Year. Don’t you think it would be absolutely thrilling to live this event before so many millions of people around the world? While everyone else is eagerly awaiting for the clock to hit 12 o’clock, you’re already living in 2024! As if that wasn’t interesting enough, Sydney has one of the most mesmerizing New Year spectacles, so it is truly a win-win situation spending the New Year there. Obviously, what steals the show every year is the incredible firework show put out at Sydney’s Harbour. It is watched by more than one million people gathered at the foreshore and plenty more that are glued to their screens watching the colors explode and fade away in the backdrop of Sydney’s Opera House. Whether it is on a boat or at one of the fancy waterfront restaurants by Sydney Harbour Bridge, you have lots of places to choose to have the perfect spot to watch the spectacle. If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, you can spend the day at Cockatoo Island and when the sun falls, set up a picnic to have a (pretty) far front-row seat of the fireworks, albeit without the masses of people and chaos.
The sight of a spectacular firework show with Sydney’s backdrop is something that you won’t want to miss.
Reykjavik, Iceland:
The pattern that we’re starting to see is that firework shows are a crucial part of New Year’s celebrations around the world. And it is no different in Reykjavik. There isn’t an official spectacle, it is more of a community effort, in which virtually every inhabitant buys fireworks from the ICE-SAR, the national search-and-rescue unit. This serves as the best fundraiser for the department, and an incredible way to incorporate everyone into the celebration. So, when midnight arrives and the New Year begins, you’ll know that the hundreds of fireworks that you see in the sky are the result of a huge community coming together! But, in Reykjavik the New Year celebrations aren’t just a feast for the eyes… If you listen closely, among the cheers and laughter of people, you’ll hear the fire engines and ships docked in the harbor ring their bells and blow their horns. Lastly, if you want to feel like a local, you can join 90% of Iceland’s population into watching Áramótaskaup, an annual New Year’s Eve Ridicule, a comedy retrospective of the most important events of the year.
If you want to feel a true community spirit during the New Year, Reykjavik is the place to go.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates:
We wanted to include Dubai in our list not just because it has one of the world’s largest fireworks displays, but because it also gives you the opportunity to spend a magical New Year in the depths of Dubai desert. First off, as we all know, everything in Dubai is done exquisitely and magnificently, and fireworks are no exception! Some of the landmarks that will light up during the New Year’s Eve celebrations are the Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab, and if you want to secure a great spot to witness the show, there are several options: the waterfront by the Dubai Fountain, Bluewaters Island or Dubai Festival City Mall, among others. On the other hand, for those eager to escape the city with all of its hustle and bustle, Dubai’s desert offers a beautiful opportunity to spend a quiet and natural New Year with lots of entertainment too. Being surrounded by dunes and celebrating under a starry sky is not something that you can usually do, so don’t let the opportunity pass.
As with everything related to Dubai, its New Year Eve’s firework display is one of the largest and most mesmerizing in the world.
Bern, Switzerland:
Finally, we know that not everyone is up for grand celebrations, so we thought about including a place where New Year’s are calmer but still pretty meaningful and fun. And what better city to mention than Bern, Switzerland’s capital? As we said, there are of course plenty of activities to entertain yourself; for example, the Kunstmuseum Bern is open for limited hours the 30th and 31st of December, and you’ll have the opportunity to spend some time admiring one of the oldest art museums of the country and the works of Cézanne, Dali, etc. For nature lovers, you can also visit Gurten mountain to spend some outdoor time in the marvelous winter landscapes of Bern. For New Year’s Eve, there are numerous bars and restaurants that offer special New Year’s menus, so you can have a delicious meal while you wait for 2024 to arrive. Bern’s heart is its Old Town, with historical buildings and cobblestone streets that create the most beautiful and charming scenery with its wintery magic. Now picture this postcard-like scene with a wonderful fireworks show in full display… It seems like a perfect way to spend New Year’s Eve, don’t you think?
The New Year’s celebrations in Bern are calm and peaceful, but that doesn’t take away from its joyfulness and beauty.
Well, that’s all for today, our journey across the world learning about some of the most wonderful places to celebrate the arrival of the new year has ended. Which city catches your attention? Where do you want to celebrate the next New Year? Of course, if you’re surrounded by your loved ones and are ready to welcome another year with gratitude and expectation, that’s all we can really ask for. But combining it all with a dreamy destination? It’s safe to say that it would be an absolute delight.
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