1. Edinburgh, Scotland
Forget New Year’s Eve, and think Hogmanay – the traditional Scottish name for the last day of the year. The city has concerts and street festivals galore, a ceilidh (folk music and singing, traditional dancing, and storytelling) at the base of the castle, and festivities in the humblest of pubs to the most sophisticated of restaurants, where you’re guaranteed to be serenaded with Auld Lang Syne as you greet the new year (and your partner!) with a smooch.
2. Paris, France
No list of romantic destinations would be complete without the city of love. Admire the Eiffel Tower from afar, but ditch its tourist-trappy restaurant and find an offbeat little French bistro where the locals hang out for your final dinner of the year. Then take a slow boat ride down the Seine and ring in the new year in pure Parisian style.
3. Venice, Italy
Venice is extraordinarily beautiful in December, and local traditions such as the San Silvestro dinner (named after St Sylvester, whose feast falls on the 31st) are the perfect opportunity for a slice of Venetian life. Grab a gondola and enjoy the views over the city from the lagoon, while enjoying a glass of tasty Italian wine. Finally, join thousands of couples in Piazza San Marco, all carrying out the tradition of the lovers’ kiss.
4. Prague, Czech Republic
Prague is the perfect place to clink glasses with your beloved as the year draws to an end. On New Year’s Eve, as midnight crawls closer, crowds gather in different parts of this gorgeous city to watch the fireworks, which are usually launched from Letna Parks. The river cruises, restaurants and clubs time their entertainment programmes to allow guests to see the fireworks, and many venues include champagne to celebrate with in the price of the ticket!
5. Bratislava, Slovakia
Picture-perfect Bratislava is a lovely place to celebrate New Year’s Eve with your dearest one. The medieval town is full of pretty nooks where you can enjoy a romantic evening for two. It’s also good if you’re bringing the kids with you – the streets turn into one giant party as events suited for families get the celebrations going, including lots of dancing and singing.
6. Reykjavik, Iceland
Brilliantly icy yet somehow incredibly warm, Reykjavik is a very special place to ring in the new year with your significant other. At precisely 23:35 a brilliant display of fireworks is unleashed as nearly the entire population of Reykjavik – around 200,000 people – set off around 500 tonnes of fireworks. Naturally, clubs and pubs remain open all night long, and the celebrations continue well into the morning.
7. Madeira, Portugal
The island of Madeira is a natural paradise, and you could do a lot worse than spend the last few days of the year here. On the big night, the city of Funchal is decked out with lights and flowers, making for a truly enchanting experience. The best views of the island’s breath-taking New Year’s Eve fireworks display are to be had during a romantic boat trip.
8. Madrid, Spain
Where else can you feed your beloved the traditional 12 lucky grapes to make sure you both have a prosperous year ahead? During Nochevieja (old night), thousands of people gather at the Puerto del Sol to see in the New Year, eating the grapes on each strike before joining in the party atmosphere. The whole square comes to life as the firework display ends, with music, colourful streamers, and revellers in fancy dress.