Wondering what to book for the best New Year’s Eve in Europe? This post is for you!
The holiday season is about to start. With that, the year is coming to an end faster than expected. Whether you have had a great year or not, the end of the current year and the start of the new year deserves a celebration in style.
If you live in Europe or are traveling to Europe for New Year’s Eve, here are some of the top events in iconic European cities that you can book. These events are for literally every budget – the concerts or cabaret shows are more expensive and the pub crawls are affordable. So pick the option that works for you.
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Amsterdam NYE Parties
Amsterdam Nightlife Guide – best nightclubs and bars
I have discussed Amsterdam over and over on my website because I’m absolutely in love with this city. For me, Amsterdam isn’t just a pretty destination but it is always a fun city to visit.
We all know that Amsterdam’s canals, romantic bridges, narrow buildings, and a liberal atmosphere set the perfect place to celebrate just about anything. So why not New Year’s Eve? Bonus points if you arrive a week before December 31st to enjoy the Christmas Markets.
Christmas outdoor ice skate rink in Amsterdam Rijksmuseum CC0 Unsplash
If you’re in luck and it snows, then the entire area in front of the Rijksmuseum in the Museumplein is turned into an ice skating rink.
Anyway, here are two amazing parties that you can consider in Amsterdam to celebrate New Year’s Eve.
Q-Factory in Amsterdam
Does a NYE party and an indoor festival in Amsterdam sound good to you? In that case, you will enjoy Q-Factory’s event which has enough place for 1250 people. Below is a skip-the-line entry ticket. Get it and walk in like a VIP. Note that VIP access costs more.
Both the events are priced similarly so it is completely up to you which kind jumps out to you. Make sure you read all the terms and conditions before you buy tickets for any of the above-mentioned parties.
I have visited Portugal 5 times and I was pleasantly surprised when I experienced nightlife in Lisbon. Portugal is actually one of the best New Year’s Eve destinations because it isn’t as cold like the others. Moreover, Portugal’s historical capital city Lisbon lights up during the festive season, so you won’t regret traveling here. Be sure to see my quick 4 day Portugal itinerary.
This city has an interesting mix of locals and ex-pats, so expect an evening with a multi-lingual crowd.
New Year’s Eve Pub Crawl in Lisbon
How does a pub crawl on New Year’s Eve sound to you? To make things better, it also includes limitless beer and sangria, and champagne at midnight – so you can get wasted in style.
If you have read any of my posts about Lisbon, you would have noticed that I mention the lovely Tagus River pretty often. Here’s a river cruise on the Tagus River that you can book for yourself to enjoy NYE. You will also get an opportunity to see spectacular fireworks.
I absolutely fell in Prague when I visited it. It is beautiful, medieval, and super fun. Along with its beauty Prague’s nightlife is famous as well. Prague City is divided into the Old Town, Lesser Town, New Town, Holešovice, Vinohrady, and Vršovice. The entire city is pretty and it gets lit up with holiday lights.
Normally I’d suggest you spend 2 days in Prague but if you are going for New Year’s Eve, then spend at least a few days after to recover from the experience.
NYE Pub Crawl in Prague
Enjoy an unlimited bar for 2 hours at Drunken Monkey Bar and then VIP entry at Sazazu Club and watch fireworks to welcome the new year in style.
Expect a multilingual crowd because Prague is an international city.
Berlin New Year’s Eve
Berlin is the party capital of Europe with its underground techno clubs and is a good idea to visit for those who like to party hard. It is actually the best city in Europe to experience a massive New Year’s Eve party.
To be honest, Berlin is a hit or miss for me because I sometimes hate it and the other times love it. If you are prepared to love or hate Berlin, then I have a ledendary New Year’s Eve celebration option for you:
The New Year’s party at Brandenburg Gate is a huge open-air party and is often said to be one of the biggest New Year’s Eve parties in the world. For New Year’s Eve, there is a 2.5-kilometer-long party mile between Brandenburger Tor and the Victory Column (Siegessäule).
Many artists from Germany and all over the world are set to perform in this New Year’s Party. Moreover, there will also be fireworks displays like every single year.
This party at Brandenburg Gate was once free but not anymore from 2023. The presale tickets will be on sale in November, and then I will add a link here for you to buy them.
If a big celebration isn’t your thing, then I have another suggestion for something you can do in Germany for New Year’s Eve.
Hamburg NYE Boat Cruise
Hamburg night boat tour – sitting on the deck
Hamburg is my favorite city in Germany and it never disappoints me. It is also one of the cities that I have visited often, have experienced amazing sights, and Hamburg’s fun nightlife. and I do suggest you spend a minimum of 3 days in Hamburg.
NYE Boat Cruise in Hamburg
A night boat cruise is one of the best things to do in Hamburg. Having this cruise already with my family, I highly recommend this because this stunning city looks even better from the boat.
New Year’s Even in German is called “Silvester” and you can expect to see the New Year’s Eve fireworks and light shows from the water.
This NYE boat cruise starts from St. Pauli’s Landungsbrücken station, from there you can also see the iconic Elbphilharmonie, which lights up at night and makes Hamburg’s skyline even more beautiful than it already is.
Edinburgh in Scotland is a perfect destination for Dark Academia aesthetics lovers and it is a great place to spend New Year’s Eve because it has one of the biggest parties in the world – Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. If you decide to participate in this celebration, spend a few more days in this lovely city afterward to see Edinburgh Castle.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay
Edinburgh is such a small city but somehow it hosts one of the greatest outdoor celebrations of New Year’s Eve in the world. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay began in 1993 and has evolved into a 3-day festival. It is is a big deal and it was also featured on Discovery Channel’s Top 25 World Travel Experiences.
There is a torchlight procession, open-air concerts, an outdoor street party, and smaller entertainment options for families on January 1st. There’s also the world’s biggest rendition of Auld Lang Syne at midnight.
Turkey is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and its hospitality wowed me during my visit. I fell in love with Istanbul, Turkey’s historical capital city. Believe it or not, Istanbul is the second largest city in Europe, the first being Moscow. Do read my post about spending 3 days in Istanbul so that you can enjoy your time here.
New Year’s Party on the Bosphorus
When I was in Istanbul, I did a cruise on the Bosphorus and highly enjoyed the sights because on one side is the East, and on the other is the West. So truly, this is the only experience where you will celebrate New Year’s Eve on two continents.
This party includes food, drinks, champagne, and even a pick-up from the hotel. Carry a jacket along with you because it does get very cold at night when you are on the open deck of the boat.
If celebrating New Year’s Eve on a boat doesn’t sound interesting to you then you can walk around in Galata neighborhood, Taksim, or Sultanahmet Square to see some fun street parties.
Italy is a nice NYE destination in Europe because it is warmer than most of the other places on the continent. Rome is Italy’s historical city that is said to be one of the most beautiful cities on the planet. (and the oldest!)
If you want to save money and not buy tickets for a concert, then you can just walk around the Piazza Del Popolo to see the celebration on the street for a unique experience.
New Year’s Concert at Palazzo Doria Pamphilj
If you visit Rome for NYE, then consider attending a concert at Palazzo Doria Pamphilj where you get a chance to enjoy live music performed on period instruments. You can actually pretend that you’ve stepped into a different time period and party like it is 1699.
The venue for this concert is a secret apartment of the Princess at Palazzo Doria Pamphilj where food is available for purchase.
New Year’s Concert at St Paul
Enjoy a traditional New Year’s concert in the Church of St Paul within the Walls that’s performed by the ensemble of the Orchestra of I Virtuosi dell’opera di Roma.
The above concert only includes the entry, so you will have to buy your own food and drinks.
Budapest NYE Cruise
Things to do in Budapest
Hungry’s Budapest is an amazing party destination and the city lights up on New Year’s Eve. I have an amazing option for a cruise on the River Danube to welcome the New Year.
If you don’t want to do a boat party or a cruise to celebrate the New Year, you can hang around in the city centre to enjoy the atmosphere with the locals and celebrate on the streets.
NYE Unlimited Booze Cruise
Does unlimited booze sound like a good idea to celebrate New Year’s Eve? If yes, then you will enjoy this cruise that’s on Budapest’s Danube.
If I’m visiting Budapest with my partner, I’d pick the above cruise and enjoy the warmly lit riversides of Buda and Pest as I enjoy my cocktails. Personally, I’d prefer a cocktail cruise over dinner cruise on any given day.
Paris NYE Events
Fireworks near the Eiffel Tower in Paris via Pixabay
They say the city of lights Paris is the most romantic city on earth so prepare to fall in love when you see the Christmas lights here, which linger on till the New Year.
If you go to Paris, you definitely need to get extra outrageous with your celebration if you are bringing your partner here with you to celebrate. Here are a few ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Paris:
New Year’s Eve Dinner, Cabaret Show, & Dance Party
Indulge in a gala French dinner signed by Guy Savoy with wine and champagne. Enjoy a cabaret show and after midnight, dance the night away. There’s unlimited champagne during the dance party.
This event has it all – good food, a cabaret show, and a dance party so you are guaranteed to spend a romantic evening if you have good company.
New Year’s Eve Seine River Cruise, Dinner & Dance in Paris
Paris is unbelievably romantic and is even more so when you’re cruising on the Seine. Enjoy a dinner with champagne on a boat while you cruise on the water. There will also be a DJ on the boat so you can dance and celebrate.
The above cruise includes a multi-course meal, cheese plate, and sparkling wine. To see the entire menu for the night, click on the above button.
If the above two options don’t sound interesting to you then you can party on the streets of Paris and walk around the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower.
Austria’s capital city Vienna is known for its classical music scene, cultural institutions, and lively nightlife. If you decide to spend the New Year’s Eve in Vienna, below is one of the options:
Strauss & Mozart New Year’s Concert
Did you know that Vienna was once the residential city for Beethoven, Johann Strauss II, and Mozart? Enjoy a concert with Salon Orchestra Alt Wien where you will listen to the music of Johann Strauss II, and Mozart and watch ballet dancers.
Krakow city in Poland is pretty with a medieval square and remains of the old city walls. Arrive here a few days before New Year’s Eve, enjoy the Chrismarkets, and see the bejeweled city center of this beautiful city.
Krakow is known for its epic drinking nights because of the high alcohol capacity of the locals due to Poland being a cold country. Drinking is a nice way to warm up the body in cold weather when one is outdoors. Krakow is one of the best European cities to party in and is yet underrated.
If you decide to spend the New Year in Poland, I have found the perfect celebration:
NYE Pub Crawl in Krakow with 2 Hours Unlimited Drinks
C’mon, there’s no better way to celebrate New Year’s Eve than doing a pub crawl with a group of people where you can make new friends. Moreover, the guide will take you to Krakow’s best pubs, and karaoke bars, and you will get a welcome shot in every new place.
Moreover, with 2 hours of unlimited drinks and a few drinking games, this sounds like the best way to celebrate New Year’s Eve. The total duration of the tour is 7.5 hours but you can obviously leave early if you’re done because you aren’t partying on a boat.
London New Year’s Eve
Fireworks and London eye, New Year’s Eve
How can this list be complete without London? It is the epic party hotspot in Europe and yet is super romantic. I have a lavish celebration suggestion for you in case you decide to visit London for New Year’s Eve:
New Year’s Eve Dinner at Traitors Gate & Cruise
Enjoy a lavish 3-course dinner and then get on a cruise on the river Thames to see the fireworks from the water.
The entry price for this also includes wine, and then bubbly wine or champagne to celebrate the New Year.
Closing Thoughts on Spending New Year’s Eve in Europe
New Year’s Eve in Europe – River cruises, boat parties, DJ nights and more via Unsplash
Since 2017, I have been spending New Year’s Eve in Europe and I love how the fireworks light up the sky at night and the festivities continue on the streets.
If you do plan to spend this celebratory time at the end of the year in Europe, then make it work by booking a special night for yourself and your partner/family/friends.
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Namaste, Guten Tag!
I'm Sonal from India, living in Germany and exploring Europe. I've been writing about my travels since 2015. I often travel alone (and sometimes with family of 3).
I love European city breaks, nature, adventure, hiking to viewpoints, Yoga, and road trips. I have a think for creating the most amazing travel itineraries and in-depth destination guides which will help you make the most of your trip.
