New Year’s Eve: the 5 best destinations in the world

Whether you plan your New Year’s celebrations months in advance or during that weird gap between Christmas and New Year, we hope whatever you do is fun. In case you’re still deciding though, or just dreaming of far-off places, here are some New Year’s destinations just for you.

 

 

Tallinn, Estonia

 

If you’ve never been to Estonia’s capital Tallinn, New Year’s Eve is the perfect excuse. There is still enough of a Christmas vibe if you want to cling on to the very last of the festive season, yet there is more than enough to keep you entertained besides. Especially if you’re a foodie! It is traditional to eat seven, nine, or twelve dishes on New Year’s Eve, the numbers supposedly bringers of good luck. With every meal finished a person is thought to gain more strength in the coming year. It sounds like the perfect way to send us into a food coma but who would pass up the opportunity of trying new things?

 

 

Cornwall, England

 

Possibly for the more adventurous of us, Cornwall is an incredible choice for seeing in the New Year. You have spectacular views of England’s southern coast which could be the perfect backdrop to any get together. Rent yourself some beach lodgings with a hot tub or sauna and truly appreciate the coldness of mid-winter — from inside! Coupled with delicious traditional Cornish food and the opportunity to be cosy with your loved ones, Cornwall offers some truly spectacular coastal walks. And if you’re really feeling the need for that adventure then join in one of the traditional New Year’s Day swims. That’s one way to chase away the last of your hangovers and set a healthy precedent for your new year!

 

 

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Vienna, Austria

 

Looking for something a little high class and cultured? Vienna could be the perfect New Year’s destination for you! Aside from being one of the most beautiful places to visit all year round, Vienna really knows how to host a New Year celebration. The New Years Eve Grand Ball is held at the Hofburg Palace and is attended by Europe’s most important and famous people dressed in their very best. Though if that is a little out of your price range then perhaps soak up the very last of the Christmas markets and follow the Silvesterpfad (New Year Path) through the city. Then head to the Rathaus on New Year’s Day to watch Vienna’s Philharmonic New Year concert on a giant screen to truly put you in the best of moods.

 

 

 

Homigot Sunrise Festival, South Korea

 

If everything we’ve suggested so far feels a little too busy, this next one is a more peaceful way to get your new year started. Join thousands of others from across the world to watch the first sunrise of the new year over a giant hand sculpture on the waterfront where the Homigot Sunrise Festival is held. Tteokguk is a traditional New Year food to sample while you wait, and as you’re waiting also be thinking of some words of wisdom. One of the most important traditions of the Festival is to launch a hope balloon that wishes are attached to for a new start.

 

 

Brazil

 

Our final choice for New Year’s Eve is another more tranquil one. While Brazil might typically be more famous as a place for some of the best parties, New Year’s Eve here is a time for making wishes as we go into the New Year. Brazilians gather along the beaches dressed head to toe in white clothing, and at the stroke of midnight begin to jump the waves. One wave is jumped for each day of the week to honour Yemanja, the Goddess of the Sea, who will grant you a wish for each one. Some will also set out tiny boats filled with flowers, jewellery, or other small gifts at midnight hoping the waves don’t carry them back to shore. If the boats successfully float out to sea it is said that Yemanja will grant you twelve months of good luck.

 

 

Whether you’re heading off to an exotic destination, or spending New Year’s Eve at home with family friends, we wish you the very best for this coming year. Let’s hope it is a great one for us all!