Top 10 spots to ring in the new year

By Samuel Smith
Published: Thursday, December 5, 2019

Next New Year’s Eve, trade your humble backyard barbie for a beach party, street parade or festive feast.

While there’s nothing wrong with low-key celebrations at home, there’s something undeniably special about celebrating the year’s end overseas.

Whether you’re in search of the ultimate party or sweet solitude, here are our top 10 places to ring in in the new year abroad.

10. Rome, Italy

Embrace the new year in one of the most romantic cities on Earth. From the Piazza del Popolo to the Colosseum, Rome’s city streets buzz with excitement as the clock counts down.

Chaotic, in the best way possible, Rome’s grand Piazza del Popolo is the epicentre of the action. Warm up with a mix of traditional Italian music and street performers, then watch the winter night sky explode with a kaleidoscope of colours at midnight.

If you’re keen to party, make a beeline for the Via dei Fori Imperiali, and don’t forget the wine. Join a cacophony of spirited locals at an enormous free New Year’s Eve concert, then count down to midnight, when a stunning fireworks display illuminates the night sky.

New Year's Eve in Rome.

9. Taipei, Taiwan

Heading to Taiwan for New Year’s Eve? Choose your own adventure.

If partying is your priority, make your way to the CBD where, come midnight, a barrage of fireworks are hurled from Taipei 101, the city’s tallest building. Farewell the old and welcome the new at a music festival or grab a celebratory drink in the Da’an and Xinyi districts.

Those in need of some R&R should skip the evening festivities and watch the sun rise from the famous arched bridge of Sanxiantai.

Fireworks over Taipei 101.

8. Reykjavik, Iceland

Each New Year’s Eve, over 1000kg of fireworks are set off in Reykjavik – Iceland’s beautiful capital. What many people don’t know is the role Iceland’s national search-and-rescue unit, ICE-SAR, plays in the celebrations.

ICE-SAR earns up to 60% of its annual revenue from New Year’s Eve fireworks sales. That’s right – Reykjavik locals purchase their fireworks directly from the country’s search-and-rescue unit, with revenue going towards keeping Icelanders and tourists safe.

The best places to watch (or set off your own) fireworks are outside the Hallgrímskirkja Church and near the statue of Leifur Eiríksson. Both locations are easy to get to, and close to bars and restaurants if you want to keep the party going.

Note: Iceland experiences an average of just 4 hours of light per day in December, so be prepared! On the plus side, you may be lucky enough to see the incredible northern lights.

New Year's Eve in Reykjavík, Iceland.

7. Vancouver, Canada

Skip the late night celebrations and experience a very different new year celebration in Vancouver.

While, of course, you’ll find fireworks displays throughout the city on New Year’s Eve, we recommend you get an early night in preparation for the morning of 1 January.

As the sun rises and the temperature hovers around freezing, thousands of thick-skinned Vancouverites take an icy plunge into the ocean as part of a tradition called the Polar Bear Swim.

The most popular Polar Bear Swim locations are English Bay, Deep Cove and White Rock. If you’re brave enough to partake, our top pick would be the swim at English Bay, which has inexplicably attracted entrants since 1920.

Luring at least 2000 people per year, it’s one of the biggest swims of its kind in the world.

The English Bay Polar Bear Swim, Vancouver.

6. Beirut, Lebanon

Beirut is a city that knows how to party, especially on New Year’s Eve. Come nightfall, make your way to the Place de l’Etoile’s, where you’ll find a sprawling celebration featuring live bands, DJs and a spectacular laser light show.

When the countdown’s over, sashay over to the super-trendy Mar Mikhael district. Here, you can spend the night exploring colourful alleyways, overflowing with sizzling street food, chic bars and clubs.

Known (unofficially) as Beirut’s culture capital, Mar Mikhael is well worth a visit during the day, too.

Place de l’Etoile, Lebanon.

5. Walt Disney World Orlando, USA

Treat the kids to New Year’s Eve at one of the most magical places on earth – Walt Disney World. Not to be confused with its smaller Floridian sibling, Disneyland, Orlando’s Walt Disney World rings in the new year with a huge range of festivities.

If you’re keen to hit the d-floor, head to Magic Kingdom Park, where 2 lively dance parties will keep you grooving until the jaw-dropping Fantasy in the Sky Fireworks display.

Over at the World Showcase Lagoon, the Epcot Forever fireworks and light show will dazzle audiences, while live music from the America Gardens Theatre spills across the park. You’ll also find New Year’s events at the Animal Kingdom Theme Park and the Hollywood Studios.

New Year's Eve at Walt Disney World. Image: Walt Disney World Communications.

4. Paris, France

There’s nothing like ending the year in the city of love. Unsurprisingly, the Eiffel Tower is the centre of celebrations, with crowds swarming the Champ de Mars.

Starting at 9pm each year, an official street party kicks off along the iconic Avenue des Champs-Élysées. Arrive early to secure your place, then feast your eyes on one of the world’s most spectacular midnight light shows.

Festivities at the beautiful Sacré Coeur plaza in Montmartre are definitely more mellow, but there’s still a lot to do. Spend the evening celebrating at a lively café or cabaret show.

Want to escape the crowds altogether? Embark on a New Year dinner cruise, taking in unparalleled views of Tuileries Gardens, Place de la Concorde and Notre Dame. Board a luxurious riverboat and float along the Seine, dining on Parisian delicacies and sipping champagne under the moonlight. Top picks include Bateaux Parisiens and Yachts de Paris.

New Year's Eve in Montmartre, Paris.

3. Machu Picchu, Peru

You’ve probably heard the saying that how you spend the first day of the new year is a sign of what’s to come. Set yourself up for success by experiencing the first sunrise of the year from atop one of the world’s most sacred sites.

A place of extraordinary beauty, Machu Picchu is a gigantic Incan citadel, built in the 15^th century. Perched high in the Andes Mountains, its original purpose is still unknown. Travellers from across the globe have been enamoured by its intricate stonework, panoramic views and link to astronomy for centuries.

Celebrate New Year’s Eve with local food and wine at one of Machu Picchu’s charming restaurants, spend the night at the Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel, then set out in the early hours of the morning, hiking for 2 hours before reaching the summit.

Spending New Year's Day with the locals at Machu Picchu.

2. Moscow, Russia

In Russia, New Year’s Eve is the biggest event of the year. Why? Because for 75 years, Christmas was banned.

This resulted in a double whammy of celebrations on New Year’s Eve that many Russians still revel in. In fact, for many Russian families, Father Christmas delivers presents on 31 December, and it’s not uncommon to spot new year trees (rather than Christmas trees) adorning local homes and shopping centres.

You’ll find the county’s biggest, and most exciting New Year/Christmas party in Moscow’s Red Square. Thousands gather as midnight approaches, to see a frenzied display of fireworks take flight over St Basil’s Cathedral.

After the fireworks, take a stroll through Moscow’s city streets, which will likely be blanketed in snow. Celebrate in beautiful Gorky Park, dance the night away at Tverskaya Ulitsa or relax in the world-famous Hermitage Garden.

St. Basil's Cathedral, Moscow.

1. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Believe it or not, Rio’s New Year celebrations outshine even the famous Carnival.

Lonely Planet said it best when they described New Year in Rio as “a life affirming experience”. The busiest, and best place to be is the famed Copacabana Beach where pumping tunes, traditional street food and exotic cocktails collide under balmy summer skies.

Leave the sweaty clubs behind and join the locals as they samba the night away on the Copacabana’s stunning sandy shore. Come midnight, Rio puts on an awe-inspiring firework show – and there’s no better place to watch it than the beach.

While the fireworks are in full swing, it’s customary for locals to take a New Year dip. Follow their lead, splashing in the shallows as the night sky comes to life.

Afterwards, stroll down to Ipanema, where Rio’s coolest bars, restaurants and will keep the party going till dawn.

Massive New Year's Eve celebrations at Copacabana Beach.

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