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

(CNN) — From world-famous cities to lesser-known destinations, these are the best places on the planet to welcome the New Year, offering everything from breathtaking fireworks displays and all-night parties to breathtaking views and traditional festivals.

For many countries, this year will be a return to the frenzied celebrations of the pre-Covid years — so raise a glass and kickstart 2023!

Dubai

According to its developer, Emaar, billions of people watched last year to watch the spectacular fireworks and light show on the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. Organizers plan to set new records this year and the building will feature the world’s largest laser display, accompanied by fireworks and a synchronized water show from the nearby Dubai Fountain.

Taipei Taiwan

NYE sees Taipei 101, the 10th tallest building in the world, lit up with one of the planet’s most spectacular fireworks displays. This year’s theme is “Future Taipei” and 16,000 fireworks will go off for five minutes. The show will be powered by laser lights and music, and there will be an A-list of local celebrities and artists counting down.

Barcelona

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

Cape Town

After two years as Covid restrictions have clouded NYE celebrations, the city’s V&A Waterfront will light up with pyrotechnics and parties on December 31. The live entertainment starts at 7 pm and Table Mountain provides a great backdrop to the festivities. The Cape Malay Choirs Parade includes music and dance and starts at 9:30 PM on Darling Street in the Grand Parade.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

New York City

New York’s Times Square, the original New Year’s Eve venue, is seriously bustling with people that day, and the event is even streamed online for all to watch. The main event is the traditional Ball Drop. Standing on the roof of One Times Square since 1907, a large crystal-encrusted ball descends from a flagpole at the last minute of the year, driving the crowds wild.

Kiribati

The Pacific island country of Kiribati is among the first settlements to be seen in the New Year in the world, as it is very close to the International Date Line. Some of its islands stretch to the longest time zone on Earth: UTC+14. Traditional celebrations and events are held on the islands, and the biggest party will probably be held in Kiritimati, the largest of Kiribati’s islands.

American Samoa

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

Rio de Janeiro

It’s hard to imagine a more lively outdoor New Year’s Eve party than the one held each year on Copacabana Beach in Rio. Millions of people, mostly dressed in white, descend the 2.5-mile coastline to soak up the summer air and enjoy the music and food. Then, at midnight, all eyes are lifted to witness a massive fireworks display – but in a city famous for its parties, this just marks the start of the celebrations.

Reykjavik

The Icelandic capital’s fireworks display is truly one-of-a-kind: instead of the city putting on an official fireworks display, citizens are encouraged to purchase their own fireworks from local search and rescue teams in their biggest fundraising effort of the year. Thus, before midnight, the city lights up with thousands of micro shows – a sight to be seen en masse.

Paris

Aptly dubbed the “City of Light,” the city’s most important event takes place on the Champs-Élysées. This year’s show returns after a two-year hiatus and will once again cover the Arc de Triomphe with 3D projections from 11pm.

Sydney

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

Lagos, Nigeria

Lagos is the centerpiece of Nigeria’s New Year’s Eve celebrations, which are celebrated in culturally and religiously diverse ways. This year New Year’s Eve will see the city sky come alive with midnight fireworks displays and all-night parties at venues on Victoria Island. You can enjoy a three-course dinner at the island’s NOK by Alara restaurant, followed by “African Wealth”-themed celebrations from 23:00.

Istanbul

On New Year’s Eve, the fireworks that illuminate the Bosphorus, Istanbul’s 30-kilometer waterway, can be watched late at night from the river cruise or from the shore. However, most people gather in and around Taksim Square’s tourism and nightlife spot, and many neighborhoods of the city host their own street parties and fireworks.

Edinburgh

London

The iconic fireworks display at the London Eye is returning this year after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Only those who manage to win one of the 100,000 tickets will participate, but many more from all over the world will watch. The show kicks off at midnight and will of course be powered by Big Ben, which marks the start of 2023.

Venice

Las Vegas

Koh Phangan, Thailand

This island in the Gulf of Thailand is famous for its monthly Full Moon Parties, and New Year’s Eve offers an unlimited, supercharged version. Hat Rin beach is illuminated with fireworks and traditional fire displays, the music continues non-stop from the early afternoon and continues until the next day. But many clubs in the area would be more than happy to prolong the party even further.

Tokyo

Shibuya’s world-famous street parade is often the equivalent of Tokyo’s New Year’s Eve Times Square, but the 2022 celebrations have been cancelled; Instead, you can opt for a more spiritual approach by visiting a temple to pray for an auspicious New Year or by participating in a temple bell-ringing ritual. And if you want to mingle with the locals, watch the sunrise on New Year’s Day on the beach by Tokyo Bay.