Usually, you’re good at making New Year’s Eve plans. But you slipped this year, yeah? Well, that happens all the time – it was statistically likely to happen to you too. Can you still salvage the occasion? Yes, we believe you can! Just read this Skycop’s list of the best last-minute NYE destinations!
1. Lausanne
How many Swiss resort cities do you know? Yeah, I thought so. This makes Lausanne, the Swiss resort on the shore of Lake Geneva, a good destination for New Year’s Eve. You will not only enjoy the picturesque surroundings of a Medieval-ish town on the shore of the like but also partake in time-honored traditions.
December 31 is the final day of Lausanne Lumières, the annual festival of lights. It culminates with a dramatic light display called “the burning of the cathedral.” Hosted since 1904, it remembers two medieval fires that devastated the city. There is a concert in the cathedral before the “fire” and there will be fireworks over the lake to boot.
2. Marrakech
Marrakech is a warmer choice when it comes to celebrating New Years as December temperatures are at around the 14°C mark. It may not have the bombastic firework displays of Europe, but it’s still an electrifying experience in Jemaa el-Fnaa square. And yes, you can find some cocktails at hotels and restaurants if you’re so inclined.
If you want an even more touristy take on the occasion, you can opt to meet 2020 in the desert. It won’t be too hard to find an organizer that will ensure that your first trip of the new year is carried out on a camel. I mean, it can’t smell worse than a taxi on the morning of January 1, right?
3. Copenhagen
We’ve already recommended you visit Denmark, The Land Of The Plastic Brick, for Christmas, so might as well go the whole way and suggest you greet the New Year in Copenhagen! Behold the best of modern Scandinavian convenience married with an impressive medieval downtown!
Tivoli Gardens are still good when it comes to the festive mood. It even hosts a firework show at 23:00 (11 PM for Americans). Afterward, you can go watch the other fireworks that will crown the city. You may also join the Danes in the city hall square – they’ll be there to hear the clock strike midnight.
4. Palma de Mallorca
You can bet that Palma is packed with tourists during the summertime. However, Palma de Mallorca and the other Balearic Islands are somewhat less popular in winter, which makes them a good destination for your last-minute New Year’s trip.
The Spanish New Year in Palma is warmer than those in the mainland, yet the crowds are thinner and the parties a bit less wild. Enjoy the tapas, visit the markets, admire the lights in the trees, and then go to the town hall where the crowd gathers to greet the New Year. As the clock strikes midnight, it’s traditional to eat a grape for each stroke of luck.
5. Belgrade
Belgrade isn’t your typical New Year’s Eve destination, which means that you have great odds of landing both a plane ticket and a place to stay. You can expect all the bells and whistles of celebrating NYE in a European capital, that is, crowds in the central square at midnight and a great effort to kill the sky via fireworks.
For an extra twist, why not try one of Belgrade’s famous splavs? That’s how they call many of the city’s floating restaurants, bars, and clubs anchored to the shore of Sava river. Many of them only work in the summer, but there will be those open for NYE as well!
Not sure where you’ll go? Well, time is running out, so make your decision fast! We just hope that you’re not forced to enter 2020 while stranded at an airport due to delayed flights, flight cancellations or overbooking. But you should know that you can claim up to €600 in flight compensation! Do it via Skycop and our specialists will handle all of the work while you draw up your New Year’s resolution list.