Claire Bullen is an award-winning food, drinks, and travel writer and editor who has lived and worked in Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Paris, and London. She is the author of The Beer Lover's Table: Seasonal Recipes and Modern Beer Pairings, and the editor at GoodBeerHunting.com. Her writing has also appeared in Time Out New York, The Daily Meal, Pellicle Magazine, and beyond.
Claire Bullen is an award-winning food, drinks, and travel writer and editor who has lived and worked in Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Paris, and London. She is the author of The Beer Lover's Table: Seasonal Recipes and Modern Beer Pairings, and the editor at GoodBeerHunting.com. Her writing has also appeared in Time Out New York, The Daily Meal, Pellicle Magazine, and beyond.
Hi, I'm Claire!Claire Bullen is an award-winning food, drinks, and travel writer and editor who has lived and worked in Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Paris, and London. She is the author of The Beer Lover's Table: Seasonal Recipes and Modern Beer Pairings, and the editor at GoodBeerHunting.com. Her writing has also appeared in Time Out New York, The Daily Meal, Pellicle Magazine, and beyond.
Hi, I'm Claire!Claire Bullen is an award-winning food, drinks, and travel writer and editor who has lived and worked in Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Paris, and London. She is the author of The Beer Lover's Table: Seasonal Recipes and Modern Beer Pairings, and the editor at GoodBeerHunting.com. Her writing has also appeared in Time Out New York, The Daily Meal, Pellicle Magazine, and beyond.
There’s more than just one way to ring in the New Year. Sure, you could pay too much for a flute of lukewarm Champagne at an overcrowded nightclub party. Or, you could celebrate the arrival of 2023 in one of these special destinations, where cultural and distinctive traditions ensure particularly memorable festivities. Whether you head to Sydney Harbour for up-close fireworks views, frolic on Rio de Janeiro’s beaches, celebrate in pagan style in Edinburgh, or watch the ball drop in New York, here are seven traditions you need to know.
Sydney’s location makes it the perfect New Year’s Eve destination. Not only is it one of the world’s first major cities to witness the arrival of the New Year, but down under, the holiday falls in the middle of summer. More than a million visitors attend the celebrations at Sydney Harbour each year, and for good reason: Thanks to a grand fireworks show illuminating the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, it’s a truly larger-than-life spectacle. Book a cruise to beat the crowds (and enjoy some of the best, unimpeded views of the event).
Arguably the most iconic New Year’s Eve celebration in the world, the ball drop in New York City’s Times Square attracts more than a million people in person (and another staggering billion TV viewers around the globe). Revelers begin to arrive by midday and wait for long hours to enjoy New Year’s Rockin’ Eve live musical performances, celebrity appearances, and the coveted descent of the crystal ball at midnight. If you plan to attend in person, get there early to secure your spot (and bundle up in lots of warm layers).
Oceans of mediocre bubbly are served on New Year’s Eve around the world—but not in Paris. Whether you attend a traditional réveillon dinner in Paris complete with all manner of gourmet delicacies (from oysters to foie gras), watch the fireworks over the Champs-Élysées, or even enjoy a risqué night out at one of the city’s storied cabaret theaters, French Champagne is an essential and traditional part of the holiday. Still haven’t quenched your thirst? Book a side trip to the nearby Champagne region to head straight to the source.
As a city in the Southern Hemisphere, Rio de Janeiro marks New Year’s Eve during the height of its sultry, steamy summer. That makes the beach the perfect place to celebrate the occasion, and nowhere else quite rivals the festivities or scale of Copacabana. A fireworks show takes place over the water, and more than 2.5 million visitors hit this sandy stretch to see them in all their glory.
Insider tip: Do like the locals do and wear all white—and get ready to gulp (and spray) Champagne before a celebratory splash in the sea.
For centuries, the primary December holiday in Scotland (it didn’t help that Christmas was long banned) was Hogmanay. And it’s still one of the most celebratory events in the Edinburgh calendar today. Now a 3-day festival that begins on December 30, Hogmanay sees torchlit processions of Viking-dressed revelers parade through the streets, fireworks over Edinburgh Castle on December 31 (followed by rousing renditions of Auld Lang Syne, penned by Scotland’s own Robert Burns), and a New Year’s Day ceilidh (dance). Might we suggest a warming dram for your hair of the dog?
Vienna is a must-visit destination for classical music lovers all year long, but even more so on New Year’s Day. True to form, this cultural hub has hosted classical music performances on the holiday for decades. Traditionally, the Vienna Philharmonic performs a number of beloved works—including Strauss’ Waltz of the Blue Danube—in the Musikverein concert hall. But if you can’t get your hands on a hot-commodity ticket, other orchestral performances are held in atmospheric venues around the city on New Year’s Eve and Day.
Few destinations rival Dubai when it comes to a glitzy, glamorous New Year’s Eve. In terms of newer New Year’s traditions, Dubai is now home to both the world’s largest New Year’s fireworks show and the world’s tallest skyscraper (the Burj Khalifa, from which many of the celebratory fireworks are launched). As a bonus, this year’s event is also slated to host a massive companion laser light show. Take in the action from the water’s edge—and afterward, dance the night away at one of the city’s lavish parties.
