19 Best Places to Go for New Year's Eve Around the World
As the countdown starts on New Year's Eve, cities around the globe are taking different approaches. In some places, it’s about a quiet reflection and goal-setting, while in others, it’s about going all out, celebrating a new start in the most epic of ways. We’re talking street parties, firework spectaculars, and so much more as everyone joins together to ring in January 1.
Wherever you may find yourself, there's a treasure chest of New Year's Eve traditions to be experienced. All across the world, there are beautiful year-end customs that will only make your experience that much better—for example, in Greece, they smash pomegranates to encourage prosperity in the coming year. But when it comes to actual events and celebrations, whittling down the best of the best can be tough. Just in case you're looking to plan a trip around the annual transition, we pulled together 19 of the most iconic cities to usher in 2024.
This article was originally published in 2013. It has been updated with new information and additional reporting from Emily Price and Lauren Kilberg.
GettySydney
Sydney's summertime New Year's celebrations are among the first in the world. In 2024, they will include a fireworks-fueled show blasted across television screens to an audience of more than 425 million. We're talking colorful pyrotechnics launched off the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House. Take your pick from one of the fun vantage points, like the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney or Barangaroo Reserve, though there are ticketed events that keep huge crowds at bay, like that at the Opera Gala. The festivities kick off at 7:30 p.m. local time with a Smoking Ceremony from the Tribal Warrior Association, followed by pylon projections on the bridge, a “Welcome to Country” from the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, a Calling Country fireworks from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, and a light show as decked out boats glide across the harbor.
GettyQueenstown, New Zealand
Like Sydney, Queenstown hosts another one of the world's "first" NYE celebrations. And though its fireworks aren't quite the eyebrow-singeing, this party city knows how to have a good time. There are some 54 bars to keep up with the demand of locals and visiting adrenaline seekers (en route to a nearby bungee-jumping or heli-skiing adventure), but there's also a family-friendly and free party at Earnslaw Park, with live music from 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. and a fireworks show at midnight.
GettyEdinburgh
The Scottish capital will bid an epic three-day-long farewell to 2023, courtesy of its traditional Hogmanay celebrations. The event kicks off with a torchlight procession on December 29, before a Night Afore Disco Party at West Princess Street Gardens on December 30, and a street party in the city center on New Year's Eve. It all culminates with a midnight fireworks display over Edinburgh Castle.
GettyCape Town
Take a moment to reflect on the past year while catching the final sunset of 2023 from the top of Table Mountain, a must-see landmark in South Africa, whether you ride the 360-degree rotating cable car or hike up Platteklip Gorge. Then head over to Cape Town’s other New Year’s festivities, where there's something for everyone: firework shows, lively clubs and dancing in the Cape Quarter, or family-friendly live music at Kirstenbosch Gardens as part of its summer sunsets concerts (yep, sun seekers, remember it's opposite seasons down here!).
GettyLondon
London icons take center stage come New Year's Eve. Right at midnight, Big Ben will ring out with its trademark “bongs” marking the start of 2024, as fireworks fill the sky near the London Eye and Big Ben. Though official tickets to the viewing area are sold out, limited spots are still available for New Year's cruises on the River Thames. Save some stamina for the New Year's Day Parade, kicking off at noon on January 1 near the Green Park tube stop and ending at Westminster.
GettyParis
It should be no surprise that the City of Light throws an impressive New Year's Eve celebration. There's nothing like a kiss at midnight beneath the Eiffel Tower's sparkling lights show, but the heart of the action is along the Champs-Elysées, where Parisians begin flooding the bars and restaurants around 9 p.m. for dinner, dancing, and loads of champagne. Then at the stroke of midnight, an eight-minute fireworks display takes to the skies, accompanied by a sound-and-light show.
GettyPrague
Give your new year a fairytale start in Prague. Wander the cobblestone streets, cross the storybook Charles Bridge, and soak up all the dreamy sights in this made-for-Instagram capital. Whether you're in Old Town or Lesser Town, browse the stands in the holiday market, and around 6 p.m., head over to Wenceslas Square, where cultural activities and programs run until midnight strikes.
GettyNew York City
The ball drop over Times Square—a tradition that started in 1907—is one of the world's most iconic New Year's Eve celebrations, and it remains a draw for about a million visitors every year. Revelers start filling the Crossroads of the World in the afternoon, fighting for a spot with a view, offered free, but on a first-come, first-served basis. The event actually starts at 6 p.m. with the lighting and raising of the ball, kicking off a full night of programming that runs until 12:15 a.m. If you prefer not to wait hours in the cold NYC air, catch the view from the rooftop of the Knickerbocker hotel, the communal lounge and private terraces of the Renaissance New York Times Square hotel, or the terraces at the Times Square EDITION—complete with food prepared by a Michelin-starred chef and open bar (tickets start at $2,500). For those who prefer to jump-start their New Year's resolutions, the New York Road Runners host the NYRR Midnight Run in Central Park, counting down to a January 1 start as runners set off on a four-mile course accompanied by fireworks.
GettyLas Vegas
In Las Vegas, a city where the party rages on night after night, New Year's Eve calls for taking things to a whole other level. With countless options—celebrity-hosted nightclub parties, world-class dinner shows, and thrilling casinos—there's no excuse not to get decked out and hit the town. If you can't commit to a certain venue for the night, simply head out to The Strip. The normally busy thoroughfare is closed to vehicular traffic for the night, offering excellent vantage points from which you can see an eight-minute fireworks show ignited from eight rooftop casinos.
AlamyNassau, The Bahamas
Head to Nassau to bask in the hoopla of the Bahamas’ most famous Junkanoo Parade, which kicks off officially at 2 a.m. on January 1, and is equal parts party, procession, and carnival. Although its history isn't fully known, the Junkanoo is a long-stranding Bahamian tradition believed to date back to the 16th century, involving a must-see-and-hear whirl of whistles, horns, and drums. You can even take a break and come back in the morning; the blast of music, dancing, and colorful costumes continues well after the sun comes up on New Year's Day.
GettyBerlin
Berlin's Celebrate at the Gate packs some million revelers between the city's iconic Brandenburg Gate and Victory Column. Tickets (10 Euros each) are required at for the open-air fest, fueled by live music and DJs, food stands and bars, laser and fireworks shows, and plenty of Berliners who know how to party.
GettyHong Kong
Hong Kong is planning a massive countdown this year, with a 12-minute musical show entitled “New Year New Legend," depicting the four seasons, at Victoria Harbour. Prior to that, “wish-making” sessions start at 11 p.m. for every 15 minutes with shooting stars. As a special New Year's Eve addition, a giant countdown clock will be displayed on the facade of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The open areas along the waterfront (on both the Kowloon and Hong Kong Island sides) are sure to get extremely crowded, so try to secure a table on one of Victoria Harbour's dinner cruises for the best views.
GettyTokyo
In Japan, hatsumode refers to the first Shinto shrine visit of the year. Several million people typically visit Tokyo's Meiji Shrine during the season, including ringing in the New Year here. While the sake is stacked high in colorfully labeled barrels and sold by the glass from vendors within the shrine, this celebration is a far cry from the raucous parties of other cities. Listen as bells toll 108 times—which represents the number of earthly temptations you must overcome to reach nirvana—and then say a toast to 2023.
GettyDubai
Dubai is a city of superlatives, and its New Year's Eve celebrations are no exception. The city has been known for hosting one of the world's largest fireworks displays—touting hundreds of thousands of Grucci sparks—lighting up the Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab. Come early to get a seat on the waterfront by the Dubai Fountain, which has its own light and water show.
GettyRio de Janeiro
Rio's Copacabana Beach turns monochromatic on New Year's Eve, as more than 2 million revelers, dressed in all-white garb, descend on the beach for Réveillon, a very Brazilian celebration infused with religious, traditional, and superstitious beliefs. Fireworks and live music (including samba, naturally) set the mood, as participants make New Year offerings (via little rafts sent out to sea) to Lemanjá, the goddess of the sea.
Arctic-Images/Getty ImagesReykjavik
The New Year's festivities are truly a community affair in the Icelandic capital. About 500 tons of fireworks go off at midnight—but there's no official celebration. It's all set off by about 200,000 people (pretty much the population of the city) starting at 11:30 p.m. And if it feels like there's a calm before the storm, that's because there is. At 10:30 p.m., about 90 percent of the country sits in front of their television sets to watch the annual New Year’s Eve Ridicule, or Áramótaskaup, a comedy retrospective of the year's highlights (think: a mega Saturday Night Live poking fun at the entire year's events). The communal spirit rings well in the wee hours as clubs and pubs fill up with January 1 revelry.
heino eisnerCopenhagen
Just how enthusiastic are the Danes about the new year? They jump into it—literally! Whether it's from a chair, couch, table, or other raised surface, for the greater part of the last six decades, Danish folks have been taking a midnight leap, with the idea being that they can't slip into the space between the old and new years. That's not the only tradition as the calendar flips—they also make a ton of raucous, believing that noise wards off evil spirits. But whether they're jumping or screaming, the takeaway is that Copenhagen is all about its New Year's traditions, including fireworks. City Hall Square, Copenhagen Lakes, and Dronning Louises Bro are the best viewing spots.
Photography by Adri/Getty ImagesAmsterdam
Amsterdam has gone electric. The city's biggest New Year's Eve is the Electric Fireworks, combining fireworks and a light show, at one of the city's most central parks, Museumplein, at midnight. But for the little ones who can't stay up past their bedtimes, a kid-friendly version takes place starting at 6:30 p.m., as the young ones count down to their own New Year's at 7 p.m. And if there's the scent of something sweet in the air, it's likely fried dough balls called oliebollen. According to an old myth, consuming them helps send away bad spirits this time of year.
Jung-Pang Wu/Getty ImagesTaipei
At 1,666 feet, the Taiwanese capital's fireworks, launched from its bamboo-shaped Taipei 101 skyscraper, is the world's highest fireworks display. This year's celebration, titled “Color World Colorful World,” represents a hopeful future for the island, and will launch 16,000 rounds of fireworks in 300 seconds. Pair the sky-high celebration with dinner at one of the buzziest new restaurants in town, A Joy—the city's highest buffet, which opened in July—on the tower's 86th floor, featuring more than 300 elevated dishes, including Japanese oysters, made-to-order sushi hand rolls, truffle soup dumplings, and flame-grilled duck.