It’s the night of the year that lovebirds head out in their thousands to dance, drink and be dazzled by festive New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Picture scenes of fireworks, confetti and partygoers toasting to 2024 when it hits midnight and the sky lights up.
The famous Times Square glitter ball wows in New York, Prague’s market food promises unapologetic indulgence and dipping your toes into some winter sun in Cancun guarantees a topped-up tan for dreary January.
Whether counting down with the crowds or enjoying some alone time you might want to think ahead to New Year’s Day too – be it taking an icy plunge in the sea, recovering poolside with a “hair of the dog” cocktail or pledging Dry January for the fifth year in a row.
From city breaks with big New Year’s Eve bashes to rural romance on a staycation with your beloved, here are the best holidays from around the globe to greet the new year with a kiss.
Read more on couples travel:
- The 10 best honeymoon destinations for a romantic getaway
- 10 best couples’ holiday destinations for a city break, romantic retreat or luxury honeymoon
- The world’s most romantic hotels and luxury rooms
New York, USA
The Times Square ball drops in front of thousands at midnight on 31 December— (Getty Images)
Best for: Party partners
New York is world-class at delivering a dimly lit speakeasy, date night dining spot and of course an out-of-this-world New Year’s Eve celebration. It’s all eyes on Times Square in Midtown Manhattan at midnight on 31 December for the iconic ball drop if you’re up for braving the crowds and the cold and, in the “city that never sleeps”, after parties, Hudson River cruises and open bars guarantee you’ll be popping magnums of champagne well into the early hours.
How to do it
Virgin Holidays features a five-night city break in a luxe king room, room only, at Kixby Hotel in Midtown New York from £1,925pp including return flights from London Heathrow. Located a short walk from the Empire State Building, Macy’s and a 12-minute walk from Times Square, the Kixby’s moody lobby bar and rooftop terrace make an ideal backdrop to some spectacular celebrations come New Year’s Eve.
Departing 28 December 2023.
Rome, Italy
Catch a classical concert or the Colosseum aglow with fireworks in Rome— (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Best for: Cosy city breaks
The Italian capital, Rome, is the picture of a city built for lovers, with ambient trattorias, flirty rooftop bars and masterpiece museums best perused hand in hand. Toast to 2024 at tables for two over decadent carbonaras that beg to be shared before heading to catch a classical opera or catching the fireworks light up the Colosseum on the Via dei Fori Imperiali.
How to do it
Citalia is offering a five-night stay at the Starhotels Michelangelo in Rome from £987pp this December. Think elegant interiors within walking distance of The Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica. The Italian city break includes return flights from London Gatwick, private airport transfers, 20kg luggage per person and buffet breakfasts.
Departing 28 December 2023.
Cancun, Mexico
Forget Spring Break, Cancun parties hard with 28C days come NYE— (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Best for: Winter sun
If your vision of romance involves parasol-peppered white sands, honeymoon-quality accommodation and buzzing nightlife, best-of-both-worlds Cancun is the one for you. Couples lusting for adventure can get active in the great Mexican outdoors and on Caribbean Sea scuba excursions by day, and with temperature highs of 28C well into December, beach clubs and boat parties at the popular “Spring Break” resort come back to life for the 31 December festivities.
How to do it
Love Holidays provides a seven-night all-inclusive package to the four-star Flamingo Cancun Resort from £2,349pp. Couples will stay in terraced double rooms with ocean views and enjoy the sands of Playa Blanca. Price includes return flights from London Heathrow, hand luggage, dining at Albatross à la carte restaurant and evenings of live music.
Departing 28 December 2023.
Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Rural Aberdeenshire is a romantic backdrop to toast the New Year— (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Best for: Charming staycations
Make the most of the final weekend of the year with one-on-one time closer to home on Scotland’s rugged northeast coast. From secluded log cabins amid frosty woodland to firelit cosy seafront cottages, Abdeerdeenshire’s mysterious standing stones, fairytale castles and dramatic mountain backdrop are ideal for a remote romantic getaway. There’s even a rare chance to catch the colourful dance of nature’s own fireworks display, the aurora borealis, overhead in dark skies ideal for stargazing – a magical way to ring in the New Year.
How to do it
Couples can embark on a two-night stay in their very own shepherd’s hut complete with a wood-fired hot tub at Airbnb’s The Shepherd’s Hut in Killiecrankie. For £250 per night, the romantic woodland location with sprawling Cairngorms views and a private tub makes for the ideal setting to raise a glass to 2024.
Arriving 30 December 2023.
Sydney, Australia
Sydney’s harbourside NYE celebrations go off with a bang— (Getty Images)
Best for: Cruising celebrations
If finishing December Down Under is a bucket list dream for you and your significant other, then Sydney Harbour’s annual celebrations are enough to give NYC a run for its money. Not one but two fireworks spectacles, one an earlier display for families and the other at midnight, soar into Australia’s summer sky and, with 49 different vantage points to count down with the crowds, you're sure to find a spot to be dazzled. And of course, after travelling to the other side of the world a tied-on island hopping cruise of the South Pacific wouldn’t be the worst way to end the year.
How to do it
Royal Caribbean features an all-inclusive 11-night cruise from Sydney Harbour to the South Pacific and Fiji Islands from £2,019pp, including interior accommodation, innovative meals and nightly entertainment. The luxe cruise returns to Sydney on 30 December 2023: just in time to carry on the party at the harbourside fireworks extravaganza the next day.
Departing 19 December 2023.
Prague, Czech Republic
Prague’s traditional Christmas market illuminates the Old Town Square until 6 January 2024— (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Best for: Festive fun
A drizzling of snow, gothic medieval architecture and the winding Vltava River cement Prague’s place as one of Europe’s most loved-up cities. Better still, the Czech capital hosts the creme de la creme of Christmas markets on the cobbled streets of the Old Town Square, with local delicacies of roasted pork and spicy mulled wines a recipe for romance. Couples can celebrate the New Year by weaving between the aromatic stalls, hop on an elegant river cruise or start the year with a bang by watching the midnight fireworks from the historic Charles Bridge.
How to do it
Thomas Cook offers a three-night stay at Iron Gate Hotel by BHG from £415pp, B&B, including return flights from Stanstead, hand luggage and a superior double room. The central hotel, minutes from the cobbled Old Town Square, features a cosy onsite restaurant, ornate bar and terraced rooms for al fresco morning coffees.
Departing 30 December 2023.
Read more of the best romantic breaks in Europe
