If you’re unsure of how you’d like to celebrate New Year’s Eve, don’t panic; there’s still plenty of time to decide. And what’s more, with New Year’s Eve falling in the middle of the week this year, it’s an ideal opportunity to take a few days holiday and enjoy a mini break.
From bustling cities to ancient welsh customs, from rolling countryside to festive coastal towns, there’s plenty of places and events to choose from.
St Ives
St Ives is a pretty Cornish town on the north coast of Cornwall and is a well-known holiday destination for the summer and has over the years now also become a traditional town to celebrate New Year’s Eve. From 6pm the town starts coming alive where people are actively encouraged to come in fancy dress and take to the streets. You can mingle in the towns many pubs and bars and enjoy the festive party atmosphere. At midnight everyone heads to the beachfront to welcome in the New Year with a fantastic firework display.
London
For an unforgettable experience head to London for the Mayor of London’s New Year’s Eve Fireworks display. The famous chimes of Big Ben will countdown the seconds to New Year, after which a magnificent firework display will be launched from the London Eye and barges moored up along the banks of the Thames. If you have managed to get a ticket, make sure you plan your journey bearing in mind there will be road and subway closures throughout the day leading up to midnight. You can find out more by following this link: https://www.london.gov.uk/get-involved/london-new-years-eve-fireworks-2019-0
Llangynwyd, Wales
If you’d like to experience something a little more unusual head to the welsh town of LLangynwyd, which is situated just a stone’s throw away from Port Talbot. An ancient tradition has been revived where locals re-enact a welsh custom called Mari Lwyd, which literally translated means ‘Ghost Horse’. Residents dress up in large horse skulls, decorative bells and whistles which can look very spooky and eerie! A torchlit parade starts from about 10.30pm with partying going on well into the night.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh certainly knows how to celebrate all year round, but New Year’s Eve is the one that counts! As many as 75,000 people take to the streets to celebrate and party together. From the torchlight procession, to dancing under the Edinburgh Castle, from live bands to fireworks, Edinburgh really does have New Year’s Eve covered. To find out more, visit the website: https://www.edinburghshogmanay.com/
Cotswolds
If you fancy something a little quieter, why not treat yourself to a mini-break in a 5 star hotel in the Cotswolds? It’s the perfect base to discover the rolling countryside and visit the beautiful town of Cheltenham. After a day on your feet, you can unwind in the luxurious spa and look forward to an evening filled with champagne, canapes and fine dining. On New Year’s Eve, there’ll also be live music and fireworks to see 2020 in.