New Year’s Eve 2022: 20 best destinations for celebrations

CNN From world famous cities to lesser known places these are the best places on the planet to ring in the New Year offering everything from impressive fireworks shows and all night parties to breathtaking views and traditional festivals " >(CNN) — From world-famous cities to lesser-known places, these are the best places on the planet to ring in the New Year, offering everything from impressive fireworks shows and all-night parties to breathtaking views and traditional festivals.

For many countries, this year will mark a return to the wild celebrations of the pre-Covid years, so raise a glass and start 2023 with a bang!

dubai

Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, lit up for New Year’s Eve celebrations in 2017.

AFP AFP via Getty Images " >GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP/AFP via Getty Images

Last year, billions of people tuned in to watch the spectacular fireworks and light show at the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, according to its developer Emaar. This year, the organizers plan to break new records and the building will feature the world’s largest laser screen, accompanied by fireworks and a synchronized water show from the nearby Dubai Fountain.

Taiwan " >Taipei, Taiwan

NYE sees Taipei 101 the 10th tallest building in the world lit up with one of the most spectacular fireworks displays on the planet This year s theme is Taipei is the Future and 16 000 fireworks will be displayed over the course of five minutes The show will be supported by laser lights and music with an A list of local celebrities and artists leading up to the countdown " >NYE sees Taipei 101, the 10th tallest building in the world, lit up with one of the most spectacular fireworks displays on the planet. This year’s theme is “Taipei is the Future,” and 16,000 fireworks will be displayed over the course of five minutes. The show will be supported by laser lights and music, with an A-list of local celebrities and artists leading up to the countdown.

Barcelona

Spain on December 31 2016 " >New Year’s Eve fireworks go off in Barcelona, ​​Spain, on December 31, 2016.

PAU BARRENA AFP AFP via Getty Images " >PAU BARRENA/AFP/AFP via Getty Images

A city that boasts some of the best festivals and nightlife in Europe is a sure destination for New Year’s Eve. Crowds gather at Plaça d’Espanya to watch the main fireworks display, and for a taste of a local tradition that’s not for the faint of heart, head to Plaça Catalunya, where people gather to drink Cava before throwing the empty bottles in the middle of the square. .

Cape Town

After two years in which Covid restrictions put a damper on its New Year celebrations, the city’s V&A Waterfront will light up on December 31 with pyrotechnics and partying. Live entertainment begins at 7pm with Table Mountain providing a fantastic backdrop for the festivities. The Cape Malay Choir Parade features music and dance, and begins at 9:30pm on Darling Street in the Grand Parade.

Saudi Arabia " >Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Riyadh’s “winter wonderland” seen in November 2021.

Wang Haizhou/Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images

With its winter entertainment initiative “Riyadh Season”, the Saudi capital is shaping up to be a New Year’s Eve destination. This year, it offers 15 entertainment zones, including the world’s largest artificial lake, multiple fireworks displays and a Winter Wonderland that will last until December 31. Arabic music stars will perform on New Year’s Eve at the Mohammed Abdo Arena Boulevard Riyadh City, and the Noor Riyadh City Art and Light Festival also takes place during the winter.

NY

The quintessential New Year’s Eve venue, Times Square in New York, is packed with people on that day, and the event is even streamed online for anyone to watch. The main event is the traditional Ball Drop. Dating back to 1907, a large glass-covered ball on the roof of One Times Square descends from a flagpole during the last minute of the year, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Kiribati " >Kiribati

An aerial view of Tarawa, the capital of exotic Kiribati.

Raimon Kataotao/EyeEm/Getty Images

UTC 14 Traditional celebrations and events take place all over the islands with the biggest party likely to take place on Kiritimati the largest of the Kiribati islands " >The Pacific island nation of Kiribati is among the first inhabited places in the world to ring in the New Year, because it lies so close to the International Date Line. Some of its islands extend into the longest time zone on Earth: UTC+14. Traditional celebrations and events take place all over the islands, with the biggest party likely to take place on Kiritimati, the largest of the Kiribati islands.

Samoa " >American Samoa

New Zealand is among the last inhabited places on Earth to enter the New Year If you have the energy and find a way to make the trip on January 1 you can first ring in the New Year in Samoa an independent country just over 50 miles 80 kilometers to the west and then travel here and do it all again new the next day " >This unincorporated US territory, about 3,000 miles (4,830 kilometers) northeast of New Zealand, is among the last inhabited places on Earth to enter the New Year. If you have the energy and find a way to make the trip on January 1, you can first ring in the New Year in Samoa, an independent country just over 50 miles (80 kilometers) to the west, and then travel here and do it all again. new. the next day.

Rio de Janeiro

Despite Covide restrictions limiting celebrations, some revelers still watched the fireworks on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro last year.

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It’s hard to imagine a livelier outdoor New Year’s Eve party than the one that takes place annually on Copacabana Beach in Rio. Millions of people, many dressed in white, descend on the 2.5-mile beach to enjoy the summer weather and enjoy the music and food. Then, at midnight, all eyes are raised to witness a huge fireworks display, but in a city famous for partying, that only marks the beginning of the celebrations.

Reykjavik

The Icelandic capital’s fireworks display is truly unique: Instead of the city having an official show, citizens are encouraged to buy their own from local search and rescue teams in their largest ever fundraising effort ever. year. Then, before midnight, the city lights up with thousands of micro-shows, all together quite a spectacle to behold.

Paris

The Arc de Triomphe was lit up with a laser display reading Happy New Year in 2017.

LIONEL BONAVENTURE AFP AFP via Getty Images " >LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/AFP via Getty Images

The central event in the aptly nicknamed “City of Light” takes place on the Champs Elysees. This year’s show returns after a two-year hiatus and will see the Arc de Triomphe once again covered in 3D projections, starting at 11pm.

sydney

Sydney’s New Year’s Eve celebrations are among the most famous in the world, beautifully framed by the harbor and the backdrop of the Opera House. This year, there’s a double dose of fireworks: the first show starts at 9 p.m., inspired by the sea, land, and sky and part of a celebration of indigenous culture, while the main event kicks off around midnight. , with pyrotechnics launched from Sydney. Harbor Bridge, the Opera House and from barges.

Lagos Nigeria " >Lagos, Nigeria

Motorists drive past Victoria Island, Lagos, on New Year’s Eve 2016.

NOK by Alara restaurant you can enjoy a three course dinner followed by celebrations starting at 11pm themed African Opulence " >PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP/AFP via Getty Images

Lagos is the centerpiece of Nigeria’s New Year’s Eve celebrations, which are characterized by various cultural and religious forms. This year’s New Year’s Eve will bring the skies of the city to life with fireworks shows at midnight and all-night parties at venues on the city’s Victoria Island. At the island’s NOK by Alara restaurant, you can enjoy a three-course dinner followed by celebrations starting at 11pm, themed ‘African Opulence’.

Turkey on December 31 2021 " >Istanbul

People celebrate New Year’s Eve in Istanbul, Turkey on December 31, 2021.

Erhan Demirtas/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

On New Year’s Eve, fireworks light up the Bosphorus Strait, Istanbul’s 30-kilometer (19-mile) waterway, and can be seen from an evening river cruise or from the shoreline. However, most people gather in and around the tourist and nightlife hotspot of Taksim Square, and many of the city’s neighborhoods host their own street parties and fireworks.

Edinburgh

Fireworks light up the sky over Edinburgh Castle as part of the Hogmanay celebrations on December 31, 2015.

Ross Gilmore/Getty Images Europe

New Years in the Scottish capital is synonymous with Hogmanay, a three-day event of live music, street parties and, of course, spectacular fireworks. Most events are ticketed, but anyone can watch the fireworks light up Edinburgh Castle and then experience singing “Auld Lang Syne” in the home country of its writer, poet Robert Burns.

London

The iconic fireworks display on the London Eye marks its return this year, after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Only those who managed to get one of the 100,000 tickets will attend, but many more will watch from around the world. The display starts at midnight and will of course be assisted by Big Ben, which chimes to usher in 2023.

Venice

Fireworks explode over the waters and canals of Venice in 2016.

Claudia Manzo/Corbis/Getty Images

The San Marco Basin hosts a charming fireworks display, but if you want to see it, don’t head to Saint Mark’s Square, as they can’t be seen from there, according to the city’s official website. Limited space is a factor here, which is why the main party, complete with music and shows, takes place away from Mestre’s waterfront, the city’s mainland area.

Las Vegas

Thailand " >You’re spoiled for choice if you decide to spend New Year’s Eve on the Las Vegas Strip, with many resorts hosting their own fireworks shows in addition to their regular shows. Some 400,000 revelers are expected on the Strip to watch eight minutes of fireworks, while the Fremont Time of Your Life festival, featuring the likes of The Wailers and DJ Skribble, will take the party to the countdown and beyond.

Koh Phangan, Thailand

For the more relaxed: a relaxing sunset on the beach of Koh Phangan.

LenSoMy/iStockphoto/Getty Images

This island in the Gulf of Thailand is famous for its monthly full moon parties, and New Year’s Eve offers a supercharged version with no holds barred. Hat Rin Beach is lit up with fireworks and traditional fire shows, with music playing non-stop from early evening and well into the next day. But a host of clubs in the area will be more than happy to make the party last even longer.

tokyo

Shibuya’s world-famous crossroads is usually the equivalent of Tokyo’s Times Square on New Year’s Eve, but the 2022 celebrations have been cancelled; Instead, you could opt for a more spiritual approach, visiting a shrine to pray for an auspicious New Year, or participating in a bell-ringing ritual at a temple. And if you want to fit in with the locals, go watch the sunrise on New Year’s Day on the waterfront along Tokyo Bay.

Nimi Princewell contributed to this story.

Top Image: Fireworks go off around the London Eye during New Years celebrations in central London shortly after midnight on January 1, 2020. (Photo by Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images)

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