Where to fly to for New Year: 10 travel ideas

Where to fly to on New Year's Eve to feel the atmosphere of the holiday, relax and be inspired, find out in this material.

Budapest, Hungary

Beautiful, delicious, close, inexpensive. Do you need more reasons to go to the capital of Hungary for New Year's Eve?

Accommodation and entertainment there is also much cheaper than in other European capitals. But that doesn't mean that Budapest is inferior in the scale of celebrations. The city is drenched in lights and decorations, the aromas of mulled wine, chocolate and sweets waft from the fairs on the main streets, festive concerts are held in the squares... In general, a real fairy tale!

Where to celebrate New Year's Eve in Budapest

Budapest offers several options for a memorable New Year's Eve. The brightest and most cheerful is, of course, in the city center, with spectacular fireworks in Heroes' Square, with champagne, which traditionally flows around the river, with songs and dancing.

You can also celebrate the New Year on a cruise, admiring the festive Budapest. Just imagine: you are in the company of loved ones, wine is served, delicious dinner, decorated ships are passing by, at midnight you make a wish and enjoy the panorama of the city.

If this scenario is too peaceful for you, go to a restaurant to celebrate. It's sure to be a lot of fun. Book a place in advance, the cost starts from €100 per person.

• After the holidays you can go to Szechenyi - the largest thermal complex in Europe. Baths, baths, swimming pools, one of which is in the open air, are just what you need to renew your strength.
• If you are on vacation with children, go to the skating rink in the city center, the circus or the zoo. Little tourists will surely appreciate it.

Berlin, Germany

New Year's Eve in Berlin will definitely not be boring! The main thing is to take with you people dear to your heart, the right mood and go to the "Winter World" on Potsdamer Platz. It's a real winter realm - with an ice rink, ice and snow slides, Bavarian curling, carousels, alpine restaurants and festive treats and entertainment.

And if you love sports, you'll appreciate the New Year's Eve carnival run in Berlin one hundred percent. The fact is that before the celebration the locals prefer to stretch themselves thoroughly. On December 31, thousands of people in New Year's costumes and masks run through the streets of the city, creating a mood for themselves and others. You can not only watch, but also participate in the race.

What to do on New Year's Eve in Berlin

New Year's Eve in Berlin is rightfully called the Party of the Year, because such a large-scale action, as at the Brandenburg Gate, you are unlikely to see anywhere else. Not even tens of thousands, but about a million people gather here - imagine! Fireworks and fireworks do not die down all night, guests are entertained by famous bands and world-famous DJs, rivers of mulled wine, champagne and beer flow. Large-scale festivities stop only in the morning.

Yes, New Year's Eve parties in Berlin are famous for their scale. Silvester Club Berlin, Spreepalais Alexanderplatz, Haus Ungarn, for example, offer visitors several floors for entertainment, and each floor has its own musical direction and a great view of the city center. The fun starts a few hours before New Year's Eve and admission costs from €80.

• If you're here to celebrate New Year's Eve with the kids, be sure to take them to one of Germany's most famous holiday shows, The Nutcracker. Performances take place the week before and after the holiday, with tickets starting at €50.
• Winter Berlin is a shopper's paradise. In addition to the fact that there are dozens of fairs and Christmas markets scattered throughout the city, all shopping centers, hypermarkets, and outlet stores open the season of winter sales with impressive discounts.

Madrid, Spain

The main winter holiday in Madrid is Christmas, but Spaniards are not used to missing parties, so they celebrate New Year's Eve with a bang.

The city shines with colorful lights, everywhere is full of traditional Spanish sweets and sparkling wine. By the way, if we usually drink champagne and make a wish on New Year's Eve, in Spain with every beat of the clock eat a grape - a total of 12 pieces to be happy in each month of the coming year. If you have time to eat all the berries, your wish will come true. By the way, during the holidays good luck grapes are sold already packed 12 pieces.

Where to go for New Year's Eve in Madrid

The main Christmas trees in Madrid are installed in Puerta del Sol, Red de San Luis, Colón (at the intersection with Henova Street), Plaza de Callao, San Juan de la Cruz, Plaza de España and Fuencarral Street.

Plaza de Jacinto Benavente and Santa Cruz squares usually have holiday fairs. And in the squares Colón and Cibeles - ice skating rinks.

• Right after New Year's Eve, Madrid has a very generous winter sale. So if shopping is your passion, go for it.
• What about the weather in December? During the day the temperature stays around +10°C, at night it can drop to -2°C.

Barcelona, Spain

New Year vacations in Barcelona are a sea of events and colorful shows. Be sure to check out the city fairs at the Cathedral or Sagrada Familia, taste festive sweets, drinks, buy souvenirs and gifts for your loved ones.

Where to celebrate New Year in Barcelona

Are you looking for colorful emotions? Don't miss the New Year's Eve show on Montjuïc Mountain, by the singing fountains. There, water, music, lights and colorful fireworks turn into one exciting action. And it begins exactly with the New Year, when thousands of Spaniards around the joyful congratulate their friends and loved ones.

You can also celebrate the New Year in Plaza Catalunya, where large-scale festivities also take place. And exactly at midnight, with 12 beats, a spectacular light show is projected on the Agbar Tower (a modern skyscraper).

The next day, extreme athletes go to San Sebastian Beach, where the First Bathing of the New Year traditionally takes place. Every year on January 1 at 12:00 the residents of Barcelona make the first sea swim. The water temperature is between +12-14°C, but it's a great way for daredevils to cheer up after a stormy night.

• New Year's Eve is of course beautiful and fun, but you should see what happens in Barcelona on January 5, the traditional Day of the Three Kings. In the evening starts an incredible carnival procession through the central part of the city, in which hundreds of actors, dancers, musicians, acrobats delight costumes and treat tons of candy to all guests and spectators.
• In Barcelona during the New Year period, it is usually warmer than in many other European cities. The temperature usually stays around +10-14°C.

Vienna, Austria

Vienna is nice at any time of year, but it is especially cozy in the light of holiday lights. Fly in and see for yourself.

Where to celebrate New Year's Eve in Vienna

From the evening of December 31, thousands of people gather at the City Hall and other central squares and streets. They come with their families and friends, listen to concerts by local artists, dance, keep warm, light up Bengal lights and wait for the colorful New Year's fireworks.

You can also celebrate New Year's Eve in Vienna at the City Hall, the Historical Museum, Ferstel Palace and many other iconic places in the city. Restaurants and nightclubs are of course also welcome.

You can also celebrate New Year's Eve in Vienna "on the move". For example, in a luxury carriage of the Imperial Express, which stops exactly at midnight on the bridge over the Danube so that all passengers can see the fireworks. Some people prefer to celebrate on a ship, on a cruise along the Danube and all night admire the elegant Vienna.

Also lovers of classics in the New Year holidays should definitely visit the Viennese Opera. Traditionally, in the evening of December 31 in the People's and State Opera Houses "give" the famous "Bat" by Johann Strauss, also organize concerts of classical music in other theaters and philharmonics of the city. Tickets cost from €250 and must be purchased in advance.

• When going to Vienna for New Year's Eve, be sure to take warm clothes. Due to high humidity and strong winds, temperatures of +1°C feel like minus.

Milan, Italy

For New Year's dolce vita we recommend to go to Milan - the world capital of fashion. At the end of December, the city starts winter sales in local stores and shopping centers. So you can stock up on gifts. Even if you're not interested in shopping, take a stroll through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II: the amazing architecture, Christmas lights, and originally decorated windows will put you in the festive mood.

Where to celebrate New Year's Eve in Milan

People usually gather at Piazza Duomo, Piazza Castello and Piazza del Cannone. However, you don't have to choose one of them. All three squares are within a 15-20 minute walk from each other, so if you want, you can always move from one place to another. On Piazza Duomo the main party starts at 20.00.

Hot Italians know how to celebrate from the heart, that's why on New Year's Eve entertainment program and festive menu are offered by the majority of establishments, the choice depends only on your preferences.

By the way, in Italy it is customary to get acquainted with everyone on the streets on New Year's Eve: locals believe that in the coming year it will bring good luck.

• The weather in Milan in December is quite capricious. During the holidays you can get snow, rain or rain with snow. In general, the sky demonstrates the full range of its possibilities. During the day the air temperature is about +5...+7 °С, at night frosts are possible.

Paris, France

It's not hard to guess that the epicenter of Parisian mass celebrations is located at the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysees. That's where the full-scale festivities and light shows usually take place. But if the mainstream isn't for you, head to Montmartre. From there, you'll have an excellent view of the fireworks over the city, and there are significantly fewer people than in the center. Another alternative for those who prefer an outdoor celebration is the Champ de Mars. For lovers of romance, a cruise on the Seine is an excellent solution, but it must be booked in advance.

If you need to dance to be happy, Parisian clubs are at your disposal. Connoisseurs recommend paying attention to Wanderlust and RexClub.

In general, enjoy the magical atmosphere of the city, do not hurry, savor every moment and do not stop believing in miracles.

• Don't count on snow. Paris in winter rarely spoils with real snowfalls. Most oftenNew Year's Eve days are warm and sunny, but in the evening the temperature can drop to zero.

Rovaniemi, Finland

New Year in Finland is certainly a great idea, because winter vacation in Helsinki can be combined with a visit to fabulous Lapland (from Helsinki to Rovaniemi is 825 km, you can get there by train, car or plane).

Where to go on New Year's Eve in Helsinki

First of all, check out Christmas Street (Aleksanterinkatu, Aleksi) - one of the most atmospheric places in the city, captivating with its illuminations, festive windows and Christmas old streetcar. For fun and treats, head to Christmas World (Joulumaailma Square), a large fair in the heart of Helsinki. And if you want to go ice skating, you'll find the Ice Park (on the square by the train station) with cozy cafes nearby.

If restaurants make you sad, go to a nightclub. The entrance ticket costs from €60-80.

And, of course, be sure to visit the magical Lapland - it is a whole amusement park with many workshops: elf school, gingerbread bakery, calligraphy school. There is a railroad, an ice gallery with fascinating statues, Santa Claus' post office and, of course, his office, where kids can tell Santa about their wishes. A visit to the reindeer farms will also give you a lot of positive impressions, where you can feed the animals and ride in a reindeer sled through the snowy forests.

• In winter, the temperature drops to -50 °C, but this does not prevent thousands of tourists from enjoying their vacations in the homeland of Santa Claus.

Phuket, Thailand

Thailand has long won fame as one of the most favorable places in the world for a vacation in winter, and Phuket is the best of its resorts. Vacation here and families with children, and youth companies, and lovers of exotics or all kinds of water sports.

How to celebrate New Year's Eve in Phuket

Phuket on New Year's Eve is imbued with light emotions. Many hotels organize festive dinners with performances, Thai dances, live music and fireworks. Entertainment program usually starts at 21:00 and ends closer to an hour, then the guests go to their rooms or continue the party on the beach.

New Year's Eve dinner in Phuket hotels is often mandatory and included in the price of accommodation. In any case, you can choose a cheap hotel without dinner or book an apartment.

New Year's Eve at a Thai restaurant will also be heartwarming. If you are planning a luxurious celebration, choose one of the beachfront restaurants: Baan Rim Pa or Acqua on Kalim Beach, KEE Sky Lounge on Patong, On the Rock on Karon, Boathouse Wine & Grill, Foto Hotel or Mom Tri's Kitchen on Katha, where you will be able to see the festive fireworks. Remember, reservations must be made in advance.

New Year's Eve on the Beach

The simplest and at the same time exotic option for New Year's Eve in Phuket is to take a plaid, fruit, champagne, chocolate and go to the beach. Keep in mind that you should leave the hotel before dark to avoid traffic jams (many people like the scenario of the holiday by the water). Tourists often prefer Karon Beach. On New Year's Eve, an open stage is set up there for musicians and dancers in revealing outfits. Usually the concert starts at 20.00 and ends at about 2 am.

You can also celebrate New Year's Eve on Patong Beach. Thai performers and dance groups will perform on an open stage opposite Bangla Road, glowing lanterns fly into the sky from the beach, and at midnight the whole beach glows with fireworks.

• Fantastic beauty is guaranteed and the weather will surely not let you down. On New Year's Eve, temperatures are above +30°C.

Bali, Indonesia

We bet you will never forget New Year's Eve in the resort town of Kuta in Bali. This is a paradise for those who want to admire the Indian Ocean and dream of finally learning to surf. The flat, wide coastline and calm, low waves are just what you need for those who have always wanted, but were afraid to try to conquer a wave.

How to celebrate New Year's Eve in Bali

Locals in Bali celebrate New Year's Eve in late March or early April. Therefore, January 1 is not a big holiday for them. But for tourists they try very hard. In expensive hotels usually organize a gala dinner with dress code and invited stars. In budget hotels, vacationers are most often waiting for a generous buffet. Celebrate in hotels, approximately, until one o'clock in the morning, and then go to their rooms, continue on the beach or in a nightclub.

In Kuta on December 31, they even close off traffic so that holidaymakers can party, exchange greetings and view the festive fireworks from anywhere.

The weather in Bali at the end of December is hot and rainy, but the rains are most often short-lived and come at night. The air warms up to +29 °С during the day, and water - to +26 °С. In general, beauty.