MoneyBelt

Hi,

Has anyone got any suggestions on a city to celebrate new year in? I'm thinking maybe eatern europe somewhere like Budapest.

P_M

I kicked off 2004 in Lisbon. I was in the main square of the town where they had bands playing, and of course, a great fireworks and laser light show at midnight. The crowd was a bit unruly and the guy behind us sprayed everyone w/champagne at midinight, but it was all part of the fun.

Mucky

Our New Year started in Sydney Australia, a little bit warmer than Cardiff Wales.

Muck

MoneyBelt

thanks, for responses..
my best new year was in Sydney too. Spent the whole day in the botanical gardens overlooking the opera house and bridge. This year it's got to be Europe though, i'll research Lisbon.........

sheila

My best one was in Ardtornish, Argyllshire, but that won't help you.

They say Edinburgh is fantastic. Have a look at edinburghshogmanay.com

m_kingdom2

I've had so many new years my dear, one loses track and they've all become old and faded. Last year I was in Athens, it was different because of the sense of community, fellowship, and friendship which you rarely see in the colder European countries - i.e. not the Med.

Eastern Europe would be my last choice.

TrendGirl

I had a super New Years in Barcelona, that was tons of fun and totally different.
People all go to the Plaza de Catalunya and eat "grapes" for the New Year, there is a tradition behind that, but I had too much wind to remember what the tradition was. There were fireworks and the weather was beautiful.
We hooked up with some fabulous people from London, and then went out to dinner. All very spontaneous.

Fairhope

Hong Kong---warm, great food,great shopping, reasonable prices, huge celebration that had good police and medical support.

LayingBlames

I had the best time in Edinburgh several years back. They instituted wristbands to get into the main party area, and we were lucky enough to get a couple from the B&B owner that we were staying with. My friend and I had a fantastic evening, and had a blast with everyone we met that night.

Mischka

I think my best was right here in Cape Town, on the beach at Blaauberg, with family and friends and a couple of bottles of good bubbly. The beach is always full of people and across the bay the fireworks go off at midnight, wonderful.

We were also in St. Johann, Austria one year, in the ski resort, and that was absolutely wonderful. There was plenty of snow and fireworks, and it seemed the whole town came out to watch. We'll be back in Austria this New Year, can't wait.

caroline_edinburgh

You don't say what age bracket you are in & what you like to do ?

We stayed in Budapest for New Year about 3 years ago (last minute booking following cancellation of a trip to Cuba, but that's another story). During the daytime on NYE there was a street market which was quite fun. For the evening it looked as though a crowd was going to congregate in one of squares & there were going to be fireworks. However, it was cold & intermittently snowing so we didn't fancy it, so we just spent the evening at our hotel where they had a special meal followed by a cabaret and dancing, rounded off with a traditional bowl of soup in the early hours.

Having said that, I've lived in Edinburgh for 11 years & have never gone to Prince's St for Hogmanay : being trapped in a huge crowd of people in freezing weather doesn't appeal to me, but maybe it appeals to you.

We did enjoy our stay in Budapest on the whole, especially the wonderful hearty food, and would go back.

KK2

My husband and I try to spend a NYE in a different country every year. Our second best so far has been Prague - standing outside in the square with thousands of other people, sharing wine, singing, being crazy. It was cold but fun. Our most favorite so far is Vienna - we went to the NYE ball, dressed in our best - had a great dinner, waltzed all night long, took a horse drawn carriage home at 4:00 am as snow was gently falling. We first stoped to Sacher Torte along the way - really great. This year is Quebec City -- I am not hoping for too much but look forward to it anyway.