New Year’s Eve in Europe: the 8 best cities to celebrate

23.11.2023 - 16:53 / lonelyplanet.com

From classical concerts in regal palaces to can-can dancers in cabaret halls, Europe knows how to party in style on New Year's Eve.

So whether you want to hit up Berlin's techno clubs or sup pints of Guinness in Dublin's Temple Bar, we've rounded up the best cities to ring in 2024. Get ready for some fireworks!

As the party capital of Europe, Berlin doesn't let New Year's Eve slope off for an early night. Grab tickets for the party at Brandenburg Gate where thousands line up for live music, light shows and banging DJ sets ahead of the boom and cackle of fireworks explode above The Quadriga statue at midnight.

Or check out Kulturbrauerei for Berlin’s biggest indoor New Year’s Eve party. For 2023, it will host 13 different dance floors, 30 DJs, and live music. All on a single ticket – and that's just one party. Then there are Berlin's techno clubs, histroical river boat cruises, classical music galas at some of the city's palaces. the list goes on and on... much like the New Year's Eve celebrations themselves.

Fireworks are integral to most NYE experiences and in Lisbon, you have several amazing vantage points to watch them. Thousands will head into the city itself or line the Tagus River. However, the seven hills that surround the capital are best. Portugal’s biggest square, Praça do Comércio is a popular gathering point for celebrations, as is the 16th-century tower Torre de Belem. Expect live music, parties and plenty of espumante (Portuguese sparkling wine) to accompany those views over the Atlantic.

The city is also a foodie heaven, boasting several Michelin-starred addresses, and many hotels and restaurants offer special NYE dinners. Alternatively, you could opt for a private river tour; take in Portuguese traditional music at a live fado folk music show, or embark on a bar crawl. Bairro Alto is the best area in which to experience Lisbon’s vibrant nightlife, with its wide range of hopping clubs and cool bars. If you want to celebrate the dawning of a New Year in the traditional Portuguese style, it’s customary to eat 12 raisins, one by one at midnight, accompanied by a glass of espumante.

A trip to Paris is always magical – and on New Year’s Eve, it lives up to its nickname, the City of Lights. Revelers can head to the Champs-Élysées, the site of the city’s official street party, for fireworks above the Arc De Triomphe, or to the Sacré Coeur plaza in Montmartre, which offers an incredible view of the Paris skyline for the midnight display. Paris and gastronomy go hand in hand, so dinner in one of its celebrated restaurants should prove to be as memorable as any fireworks display. Book well in advance.

Enjoying a show is another great option for NYE whether it's at the dazzling Moulin Rouge in Pigalle,