Best Places to Spend New Years Eve in Europe
Are you fed up of seeing the same views, the same faces on New Years Eve? Do you fancy a change? Discover the best destinations in Europe to say goodbye to the current year and celebrate the new year.
There are many places around Europe where spectactular fireworks light up the sky around beautiful architecture and where people sing and dance in ancient squares to bring in the new year. Each place has their own long standing traditions that are wonderful to be a part of.
Book your flights, accomodation and your tours and activities for your unique New Years Eve experience in Europe.
Munich, Germany
New Year’s Eve in Germany is known as ‘Silvester’ and pretty much the whole of Germany is one big beer hall party. Around Munich you have the famous landmarks of the English Garden, Olympic Park, Old Town Square and Marienplatz.
If you’re in the mood for a party you should head to Tollwood on the Theresienwiese. This winter festival has long been the place to party in Munich. Guests ring in the New Year with a dinner and artists at the gala event, featuring live music and the sounds of a DJ
If you can’t decide quite where to go to celebrate new year you can party through the city by tram. Hop on the N 19 (Pasing - St.-Veit-Strasse), the city's most beautiful tram line. The highlight of the west-east crossing through Munich is the section between Nationaltheater (National Theatre) and the Maximillianeum.
There are several iconic places to view the midnight fireworks.
Some of the best are:
Schwanthalerhöhe, as close as you can to the foot of the Bavaria statue, or at the Friedensengel statue
You can climb a small hill to view the brightly lit city skyline from Olympiaberg (Olympic Mountain)
Monopteros in the English Garden is a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle.
Get your Munich trip staying by booking your flights, accommodation, activities and tours now.
Reykjavik, Iceland
Iceland is a wonderful destination any time of the year but there’s something a little more magical about it during the holiday season.
Fireworks in Iceland are banned the majority of the year but they are legal for the week around New Year’s Eve as the profits go to the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue which is an independent organisation of volunteers who man search and rescue missons aross Iceland.
The firewords in Reykjavik are a unique Icelandic tradtion that make New Years Eve in Iceland a night to remember.
Icelanders around the country tend to follow this routine on New Years Eve:
Meet up with family or friends to have dinner around 6/7pm
Following dinner, around 8pm they gather at the nearest bonfire to meet more friends and set off some fireworks. To find bonfire locations check the local newspaper to join in with the locals.
Following the bonfire, the streets empty as Icelanders go home to watch a comedy TV show that chronicles the year at 10:30pm
Just before midnight, people flock back to the streets to shoot more fireworks.
Around 1am it's time to go partying. Most locals go to house parties, although bars and clubs are also open until the early hours that you can take your pick from as a tourist.
The neighbourhood at Vesturbær along the beach is a great option for a fun new year Eve celebration.
One of the best places to stay in Reykjavik is the Kvosin Downtown Guesthouse and Freyja Guesthouse as they are situated right in the centre and close to the Hallgrimskirkja church.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
This charming European city is known for its cobblestone streets, whimsical canals and narrow gabled houses. During the holiday period, the city is lit up by the colours of the Amsterdam Light Festival which you can see from 5-11pm each night.
It can get pretty crazy around the streets of Amsterdam and if you’re feeling brave you could soak up some of this madness around the streets and canals. The reason for the madness is that fireworks are only on sale for a few days a year in the Netherlands so the locals tend to get a little carried away and create their own displays on every bridge or open space around the city. As soon as it goes dark expect to see and hear fireworks going off all around you.
If you’re out on the streets head to the heart of the city to spots like Dam Square (with beer tents and free live music), Leidseplein, The Nieuwmarkt, and Rembrandtplein, where you’ll find locals and visitors alike ringing in the New Year.
You’ll find many stands selling oleibollen and appel beignets which are both traditional, delicious deep-fried dough treats. It’s tradition to enjoy these treats with a glass of champagne on New Years Eve.
If you fancy a party instead of the madness on the streets there are many to choose from including the popular silent disco at HUSH.
Vienna, Austria
There is so much going on in the Austrian capital on New Years Eve and to be a part of it is a magical experience. There are events going on at different places all over the city.
There are markets stalls everywhere serving delicious snacks and mulled wine and as with the Christmas Markets you can purchase a souvenir cup to sip your warming spiced drink from.
New Year is traditionally all about the Silvesterpfad, which translates literally as the “New Year’s Eve trail”.
The name covers a series of events and activities put on by the city around the centre. The fun typically begins at 2pm on December 31st and runs through to 2am the next day.
It is an event that hundreds of thousands of people take part in each year.
A typical Silvesterpfad sees temporary stages around Vienna host live performers, bands, orchestras, and DJs to entertain everyone until midnight and beyond.
The Viennese ballroom dancing schools commonly offer free waltz courses on the Graben (the pedestrianised zone that leads away from St Stephen’s Cathedral).
The State Opera House has a big screen outside with opera highlights to enjoy.
At midnight everyone is welcome in front of the town hall as the streets become a dance floor as crowds dance to the Blue Danube waltz which is a typical Viennese classical song.
Dublin, Ireland
Dublin is one of the friendliest cities in the world and enjoying New Years Eve here is a fantastic experience. The welcoming locals celebrate in style and they definitely know how to party with fun evenings in the pubs.
There are so many historical sites in Dublin such as St Patricks Cathedral, Dublin Castle, Trinity College and the Book of Kells.
On New Years Eve there is the New Years Festival which takes place over two days and attracts people from all over the world. It has it all with events, music, light shows, fireworks.
Some of the main events are the Liffey Lights show, the Countdown Concert and the final fireworks which all take place at the beautiful Custom House, only a few minutes walk from Dublin’s famous Temple Bar District. It’s worth arriving early at the quays with crowds turning up hours in advance.
The Clayton Hotel is a great place to stay near Custom House for the festivities.
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