Happy New Year Celebration Archives

November 24, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

7 Best Happy New Year’s Eve Destinations In 2020

New Year’s Eve is easily the most glamorous holidays of the year, and there’s nothing like a glittering city for ringing in the new year. Book a stay at one of these best New Year’s Eve destinations.

From Sydney to Gstaad, you’ll find an incredible location to celebrate.

Best New Year’s Eve Destinations

1. Paris, France

Naturally, The City of Lights is an incredibly stylish and romantic place for kissing at midnight–whether you have a special someone or find someone for the night. Plan and book an early dinner at a fabulous Parisian restaurant then pick one or two bars to settle into. Remember, the hotel bar is always a great last stop for a nightcap.

2. Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

For warm weather to break up the winter months, there’s no place better than Grand Cayman. It’s an easy hop from the world’s busiest airport, Atlanta, and the Ritz-Carlton organises a beautiful time on Seven Mile Beach.

Pick up a glass of champagne and cheers to the new year while dancing the night away on the beach surrounded by friends and shimmering lights against the ocean.

3. Gstaad, Switzerland

Those who love winter sports can embrace them from the top of some of Europe’s best peaks in Gstaad, Switzerland. The luxurious resorts through posh parties and have beautiful spas to soak and melt away all of the sore muscles and hangovers the next day.

4. Sydney, Australia

Be among the first cities to welcome the following year by physically getting there first. Make sure to book or stake out a place to watch the beautiful fireworks show light up the sky above the Opera House.

5. San Diego, California

For another fair-weather night out, head to San Diego. You’ll find the crowds are nothing compared to Los Angeles, and the restaurant and bar scene holds up. Make a reservation and settle in at a table to ring-in midnight before moving on to a bar.

6. Budapest, Hungary

Budapest has become one of the most popular hotspots of Eastern Europe over the past few years. The young crowd makes it a great nightlife destination for celebrating. Get a group of friends together and head out to bar hop.

7. Kyoto, Japan

This snowy winter sports destination also makes for a beautiful New Years Eve destination in Japan. So, order a Toguchi, the equivalent of a hot toddy, but with eggnog and saki. It’s a significant warming drink to toast with as opposed to champagne.

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November 23, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

Happy New Year Celebration In Australia

Many Australians annually celebrate New Year’s Eve with parties, music, and other forms of entertainment on December 31. New Year’s Eve is the day before New Year’s Day in the Gregorian calendar, which is used by many Australians.

New Year’s Eve events in Australia include masquerade balls or parties.

What Do People Do?

Major Australian cities have special New Year’s Eve events that include parades, music, and entertainment. Celebrities are often invited as guests of honor or hosts for significant New Year’s Eve events. New Year’s Eve balls are popular and have various themes such as masquerade, black-tie and formal wear, tropical, or gangster and glamour. Prizes for most intriguing or best-dressed outfits are awarded at these events. Many people also prepare their New Year’s resolutions for the next day.

Many Australians celebrate New Year’s Eve on boat cruises, urban parklands, or beaches. Others hold private parties or barbecues at their own homes. Public countdowns to New Year’s Day are made at significant events in major cities, such as Sydney, and are often televised so those at home can join in the celebrations. As the clock strikes midnight to mark New Year’s Day, fireworks are launched to farewell the old year and to welcome the new year. People often hug, shake hands, or kiss each other on the cheek to show their joy and appreciation for the old and new years. Many people also toast their glasses and drink champagne or wine to commemorate this occasion.

Public Life

New Year’s Eve is not a public holiday in Australia. However, schools and educational institutions are closed on this day as it is in the school holiday period. Some government offices may be closed or have limited staff as many public servants get time off during this period.

Background

New Year’s Eve is the last day of the year and the day before New Year’s Day, which marks the start of a new year according to the Gregorian calendar, which was introduced to Australia by European settlers. Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian calendar in 1582. It was adopted immediately in some areas of Europe, but it was not used in Great Britain until 1752.

It is important to note that not all cultures in Australia follow the Gregorian calendar in observing New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. For example, the New Year in the Hindu, Chinese, Coptic, Jewish, Islamic calendars differ from that of the Gregorian calendar. Moreover, Australia’s financial or fiscal year ends on June 30, and the new tax year begins on July 1.

Symbols

Fireworks symbolize the crossover from New Year’s Eve, which marks the end of the old year, to New Year’s Day, which marks the beginning of the New Year. The most massive and most elaborate fireworks occur at midnight between these two days as a way of saying goodbye to the past and welcoming the future. The Sydney Harbour is an iconic Australian landmark that is a unique symbol of New Year’s Eve celebrations in Australia. On this night, the harbor is lit with spectacular fireworks, where hundreds of cultures unite for the Harbour of Light parade.

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November 23, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

9 Happy New Year’s Festivities in Italy

Italians are known for their love of celebrations, of festive gatherings full of food, friends, fun, and even fireworks. New Year’s is an especially exciting time to find a party in Italy—they have some fascinating traditions and customs.

It probably isn’t surprising that Italians use food to symbolize their hopes and dreams for the New Year, but did you know that lentils are a traditional menu item because they represent wealth and longevity? Or that sausage is served to symbolize abundance?

And don’t forget grapes, because they signify self-control and frugality—from a time when it required great willpower to save one’s vines from the spring harvest to enjoy on the New Year.

Of course, don’t forget your red undies if you’re partying in Italy—many Italians believe that red undergarments protect you from evil spirits, encourage fertility, and bring you happiness in the coming year. Don’t be surprised to see red underwear in shop windows or hanging in the streets in the weeks before the New Year.

Italian New Year’s celebrations aren’t for the faint at heart. If you plan to party here, be prepared to dance till dawn. There are no lame parties that fizzle out at midnight in Italy!

Intrigued? Then get ready to try something completely new and exciting this New Year’s season at one of these awesome celebrations. Whether you land in Rome, Florence, Venice, or one of the more off-the-beaten-path destinations, you’ll have a blast celebrating the season in Italy.

1. Enjoy prosecco, performers, and eye-popping fireworks at the Piazza del Popolo in Rome.

If an all-night party with plenty of bubbly in one of the world’s most fascinating cities sounds like your idea of a perfect New Year’s celebration, then you won’t want to miss the bash at the Piazza del Popolo. Watch for the fireworks show at midnight to welcome the new year.

You’ll find plenty of partying all over the city; New Year’s in Rome is famous for its huge New Year’s dinners, free outdoor concerts, and performances (think acrobats and the like). If you love Italian food, you’ll get your fill of regional specialities and uniquely Roman cuisine.

2. Experience the most extended New Year’s Eve celebration in the world in Rimini.

Piazzale Fellini is the site of a huge New Year’s Eve festival—it’s so over-the-top, it’s usually televised throughout Italy for all the unfortunate people who aren’t actually in this fabulous coastal town to enjoy it in person.

Rimini loves New Year’s so much, and the holiday is celebrated from December 1 through January 8 each year, the most extended New Year’s celebration in the world. Spend your holiday dancing, ice skating, or sipping Prosecco at an incredible outdoor concert.

3. Incurable romantic? Join the New Year’s Eve “kiss-in” at St. Mark’s Square in Venice.

Everyone knows Venice is a city for lovers, but did you know the city holds the record for the world’s largest kiss-in in 2008? The kiss-in is a favourite tradition—it even won an international award for the best New Year’s Eve event!

You can find lots of fascinating things to do on New Year’s in Venice before and after your kiss—fireworks, a romantic boat dinner, or even an opera if that’s your passion. If Venice is on your travel bucket list this year, why not start it off right with New Year’s in this magical city?

4. Do New Year’s Renaissance-style in Florence with fireworks and free music at the Piazzale Michelangelo.

If you’re looking for a more cultured celebration, you want to ring in the New Year in Florence. Start with some fine dining at one of the city’s exquisite restaurants before taking in the free concert in the shadow of Michelangelo’s majestic David, and end your celebration at one of Florence’s famous nightclubs (some venues require tickets, so plan and get your tickets early).

If you’re celebrating the Christmas season in Italy, you’ll love the magical Christmas markets around the city. It’s one of the most beautiful places to get in the Christmas spirit.

5. Witness the ancient tradition of Rogo del Vecchione, literally “burning off the old one,” at Piazza Maggiore in Bologna.

Picture the scene: At precisely midnight, a puppet of the Old Year, designed each year by a different local artist, is wheeled into the piazza and chucked into a massive bonfire, symbolizing the burning off of all of last year’s bad luck, and welcoming the possibilities of the new. It’s a tradition that dates to pre-Christian times, and unlike anything else, you’ll find in Italy.

And you definitely won’t want to miss the Fiera del Bue Grasso, or Fat Ox Fair, where a flower-bedecked ox is feted and celebrated and eventually raffled off in a lottery for the lucky winner to take home. New Year’s in Bologna is an event to remember.

6. Celebrate like a duke with fireworks and feasting at Estense Castle in Ferrara.

Ferrara might not top your Italy destination list, but it’s definitely worth visiting on New Year’s Eve if you’re into unusual, and some might even say “peculiar,” celebrations. Start your evening with the Banquet of the Duke d’Este, a ducal feast that takes place inside the castle itself, a meal that faithfully recreates its Renaissance heritage in food and music.

Then while away the hours until midnight at the free outdoor concert at the Piazza Castello, culminating in the dramatic burning of the castle, created with advanced fireworks and pyrotechnics. If a cultural tour of Italy is just your style, you’ll love Ferrara—it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site famed for its Renaissance architecture.

7. Jazz up your New Year with the Umbria Jazz Festival in Orvieto.

Orvieto is one of Tuscany’s hidden gems, its eponymous Orvieto wine among the most popular of all the Umbrian varietals. But the city is famous for much more than its lovely wines: During the winter, the entire town takes on a festival atmosphere and comes alive with the loud sounds of jazz. Restaurants, shops, public squares, even churches become makeshift jazz stages for life exhibitions throughout the entire month of December.

On New Year’s Eve, the Umbria Jazz Festival concludes with a “Last Supper of Jazz” at the Duomo of Orvieto, an hours-long open-air concert with plenty of Prosecco. It’s the highlight of this sleepy little mountaintop town, and definitely worth a trip, if you want to experience something truly one-of-a-kind for your New Year’s celebration.

8. Fireworks with a view of Vesuvius? Celebrate at the Lungomare in Naples.

Naples is a bustling, gritty, authentic slice of Italian life. Still, the Lungomare is an exquisite pedestrian-only seafront strip with fabulous views of Mt. Vesuvius and the island of Capri—a charming and romantic respite from the city itself.

The Lungomare is also the perfect place to enjoy the massive fireworks display at the Castel dell’ Ovo. Stroll the waterfront and partake of the New Year’s festivities before heading to Piazza del Plebiscito for the free concert and party atmosphere.

9. Dance until dawn at the Piazzetta in Capri.

If you want to party like a rockstar (or a movie star, for that matter), Capri is the place to be. Capri is a well-known destination for the international elite, a place to rub elbows with the truly rich and famous.

And it is New Year’s celebration lives up to its reputation, with an all-night dance party at the Piazzetta. The CapriHollywood Film Festival takes place over New Year’s, so be sure to bring your camera in case you spot a few film celebrities getting their groove on to the disco music.

Start the celebrations

Are you ready to spend New Year’s in Italy this year? Have your heart set on one of these fantastic celebrations? Get in touch today to find out how easy it is to plan a holiday tour in Italy—and if you’re not quite ready to have a chat, sign up for our free email course to help you plan your ultimate Italian vacation.

Cocktails for Adventurous Palates

While you wait for your Limoncello to be ready to enjoy in tiny glasses after your favourite Italian meal, Saveur magazine gives simple how-to instructions for other popular Italian cocktails.

There’s the classic Negroni, created in Florence nearly a century ago, which is a glorious pink, a slightly sweet cocktail made with equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. Close your eyes as you sip this and imagine you’re relaxing after an afternoon shopping on the historic Ponte Vecchio in Florence. (The below shot shows Santo Spirito Square in fabulous Florence.)

Along with the delectable flavours of icy gelato that made our top 10 reasons to enjoy summer in Italy you’ll find a delicious Venetian summer cocktail called the Bellini. All you need to cool down with a Bellini is peach puree and sparkling wine (ideally from the spectacular Prosecco wine region of course!), though some bartenders get creative and add peach brandy or mulled cider syrup for variety.

We found it interesting that the UK’s House and Garden magazine calls an Italian cocktail the drink for summer. Their quick and easy-to-follow guide for creating an Aperol Spritz will have you sipping a light, a sweet beverage made from just a few ingredients (Prosecco, Aperol and soda water garnished with a slice of orange). This drink’s low alcohol content is ideal for warm summer days and nights, perfect for enjoying before or after you indulge in your favourite dish from Italy’s diverse culinary traditions.

Below, a group of happy Tours Italy travellers enjoy a glass of Prosecco during their Avventure Bellissime Wine Region Tour!

You might also want to check out celebrated Italian-American chef Mario Batali’s Italian-inspired version of a Sea Breeze cocktail on his website. To make his highball a little more Italiano he mixes grappa with the Amaro Averna, lime, grapefruit and cranberry juice. Enjoy grappa Mario’s way until you can make Venice your next Italy vacation to try sipping some in the foothills of the spectacular Dolomite Mountains.

Do all these mouth-watering Italian summer drinks make you want to book an Italian summer holiday? A little strategic planning can help you stay calm during a hot Italian summer.

Our Italy tour specialists can’t wait to help you discover the best of summer in Italy. Browse our Italy vacation packages or create a custom itinerary now by visiting Avventure Bellissime online to build your very own Italy vacation.

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