The time is near, when once again the question on everyone’s lips is, “What are we going to do on New Year’s Eve?” So where to go? Eating out on New Year’s Eve is always expensive; a club the same, but without the meal thrown in! You could stay in and watch the same old faces on TV, with the added bonus of some fireworks thrown in the background, or… you could choose to welcome in 2011 with a New Year’s Eve City Break in Europe!
GlobalCityBreak specialise in holiday apartments in Europe’s top city destinations: Paris, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Malaga, Berlin, Dubrovnik and Prague. If you really want a unique experience this New Year’s Eve, which probably wouldn’t cost much more than a set menu at a local restaurant, then a weekend City Break could be just the ticket!
NEW YEAR’S EVE PARIS
Christmas and New Year in Paris, is a picture postcard. Throughout December Paris erects thousands of Christmas Trees around the city and the lights of the Christmas lights along the Champs-Elysees are stunning, and the city’s prestigious boulevard is also a place to head to see in the New Year wishing Bon Annee to your new Parisian friends. From here you get a superb view of the fireworks display that lights up the Eiffel Tower at midnight.
NEW YEARS EVE IN ROME
New Year’s Eve celebrations in Rome take place throughout the city with residents and visitors taking over most of the cities famous piazzas (squares), including the Piazza del Popolo, where you can enjoy some free fireworks, and musical concerts, and the exuberance of the Roman people. If you are taking the family, New Year’s Day concentrates on children’s fun and entertainment. See our holiday apartments in Rome.
NEW YEAR’S EVE BARCELONA
All over Spain on La Nochevieja (New Years Eve), on the twelve chimes of midnight, you have to eat 12 grapes in rapid succession to welcome in the New Year, washed down with a lovely glass of Catalonian Cava!
During the evening residents dress up in brightly coloured costumes and take to the streets and plazas to celebrate in true Barcelona style with music, dancing, fireworks, tapas and Cava wine. Stay awake until dawn and then head to the beach for a breakfast of Churros and Chocolate!
If you happen to be in Barcelona over New Year, then you can also experience the start of the Barcelona World Race, which sets off around the globe on 31st December. Check out our holiday apartments in Barcelona.
NEW YEAR’S EVE MADRID
If you are staying in Madrid, then head to the Puerto del Sol to celebrate the Nochevieja. Most of the city comes out to celebrate in this central square; have your 12 grapes ready as the clock strikes 12 on the Casa de Correos (headquarters of the post office) and if you are still feeling peckish after your grape fest then head to the Chocolateria San Ginés (Pasadizo de San Ginés, 5) for a delicious midnight snack of Churros y Chocolate! Check out our holiday apartments in Madrid close to the Puerto del Sol.
NEW YEAR’S EVE DUBROVNIK
The TV station CNN once ranked Dubrovnik amongst the seven most attractive locations to spend New Year’s Eve and you can expect a truly magical time if you pick Dubrovnik as this year’s location for the New Years celebration, as the city is putting on a very special treat; a free concert will be held in Stradun, the main square and street of the city, by the Dubrovnik Symphonic Orchestra; who will be playing a beautiful New Year’s composition of classical music.
The sky will be lit up with fireworks and moving away from the classics, you can join the city’s residents in the traditional New Year party game of Kolenda, which entails singing from door to door and bidding farewell to the old year.
NEW YEARS EVE IN BERLIN
Silvester, as it is known in Germany, is celebrated with thousands of residents and visitors congregating at the Bradenburg Gate, where they are treated to a stunning fireworks display,live music and champagne.
The Bradenburg Gate marked the separation between the East and the West; since the city is reunited, it became a symbolic location in which to celebrate a future rejoined. Check out our holiday apartments in Berlin, we have apartments to suit all tastes and budget.
NEW YEAR’S EVE MALAGA
One of the best things about New Year in the southern Spanish city of Malaga is that you can normally enjoy New Year’s Day in a sunny, mild climate. It’s traditional to wear red throughout Spain on New Year’s Eve (especially red underwear!) and then there are the grapes…
Aside from grapes you can enjoy a delicious and inexpensive New Year’s Eve dinner of seafood and shellfish: lobster or cigalas (huge red prawns) are a popular celebratory dish and then head to the main square or the port for a night of fun and frolics. If you’re lucky you will be recovering on the beach on New Year’s Day! Check out our wide selection of holiday apartments in Malaga for a sunny New Year’s break.
NEW YEAR’S EVE IN PRAGUE
New Year’s Eve in Prague has been described as ‘Crazy, Momentous and Romantic’; if you can fit all three in the same sentence, and are looking for a crazy, romantic New Year’s Eve, then Prague’s the one.
Here the celebration is known as St Sylvester and the party generally gets going several days before the 31st of December. The majority of the revellers head to Wenceslas Square, the Old Town Square and the streets of Zelezná, Rytírská, Na Mustku, Melantrichoca and Havelská, where you will find music, dancing, champagne stalls and of course the obligatory firework display.
If you want to do something romantic with your partner then we recommend a short cruise on the Vltava.
NEW YEAR’S EVE VALENCIA
OK so the tradition in Spain is to wear red underwear on New Year’s Eve; well in the tiny Valencian village of La Font de Figuera they go one step further, and apparently run through the streets in their red underwear. Locos!
Valencia is another city where if you are lucky you can enjoy a sunny, mild New Year’s break. The city’s Christmas and New Year’s illumination are spectacular and the city is filled with an exuberance and energy that is contagious.
Head to the Plaza de Ayuntamiento for the main party and a huge firework display; also a special lights and fireworks show will take place at the wonderful City of Arts and Sciences complex.
We would love to hear about your New Year’s experiences. Enjoy them wherever you may be !
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