New Year’s Eve is supposed to be one of the best nights of the year. However, more often than not, it can end up disappointing. Club nights cost a small fortune, the local pubs decide to charge for entry, there are queues for days… sometimes it's best just to stay at home and watch Jools Holland on the telly. Maybe the best way to celebrate the New Year is with new experiences in a new destination. So we’ve chosen our top destinations to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

 

1. Madeira, Portugal

This is a great destination for those who don’t want to stand in the cold on their New Year’s Eve. Madeira is an island belonging to Portugal but it’s actually off the coast of Morocco. It enjoys temperatures of 18 degrees Celsius in the winter! For this festive time of the year the streets of Funchal get ‘dressed up’ with colourful Christmas lights and many holiday-makers flock to the island of Madeira especially for the fireworks which rival those of New York, London and Sydney.

 

2. Amsterdam, Netherlands

The hipster’s choice for New Year’s Eve. The main celebrations take place at Oosterdok where the VOC Ship The Amsterdam and the Scheepvaartmuseum form the backdrop for the spectacular fireworks display.

The lack of cars and easy-to-navigate city centre mean that Amsterdam lends itself particularly well to impromptu street parties. Nieuwmarkt (Chinatown), Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein are the hotspots.

 

3. London, United Kingdom

If you don’t want to stray too far from home, then London is always a great choice for a New Year’s Eve celebration. There are plenty of unique and whacky events to attend. The View from the Shard hosts a New Year’s Eve Party and tickets include a cocktail and a glass of champagne to toast at the stroke of midnight. It’s the classiest place to watch the Mayor of London’s Fireworks. Or you could buy a ticket for £10 and watch the fireworks with your loved ones from Westminster Bridge!

 

4. New York, USA

Where better to see in the New Year than at the big apple, watching the big apple drop?! If you’re keen to join the iconic Times Square celebrations then make sure you get there for around 3pm… it’s a long wait but it’s worth it and there’ll be entertainment from 6pm.

 

5. Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik has the most dramatic of all settings for New Year’s Eve fireworks, but it’s the musical performances that people travel from far and wide for. All day on the 31^st of December festivities take place on Stradun where there will be performances by musicians from Dubrovnik, such as the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra.

 

6. Reykjavik, Iceland

New Year’s celebrations in Reykjavik are extensive! The city’s fireworks tend to go off constantly from 8.30pm when dozens of bonfires are lit. Iceland’s firework laws are relaxed so you can expect to see rockets going off all over the city. The best places for tourists to watch the craziness take place are Hallgrímskirkja and Perlan. Remember to pack your woollies though!

 

7. Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh’s world-famous Hogmanay is a huge festival comprising of Ceilidh dances, a torchlight procession, concerts, street parties and more! Last year the 3-day festival was a complete sell-out with over 148,000 revellers from over 70 countries joining celebrations throughout the capital.

 

8. Goa, India

Goa is India’s coastal ‘party state’ so, as you can imagine, it does New Year’s Eve very well. You could be on Anjuna Beach dancing around a bonfire and watching the fireworks explode over the sea. January is one of the best times to holiday in Goa because the weather is a bit cooler (25°C) and there is barely any rainfall.

9. Bangkok, Thailand 

In Thailand, they know how to throw a party and New Year's Eve is just another reason to enjoy yourself on the streets of Bangkok. Celebrations last long into the night, with a series of events to keep the party going including lighting lanterns and the descent of the Bangkok Ball at midnight. 

Where will you be when the clock strikes midnight?