European destinations for New Year's Eve 2007

New Years 2008...in the title...duh!

One of my best friends is coming to Munich for New years and I was trying to gather ideas for where we would go and what we would do.

I had Vienna or Zurich in mind for Silvester.
Either that or someplace in the Tirolian mountains such as Imst or Innsbruck.

So my questions to everyone is

1) Where would a great new year be had?

2) What kind of new year drinking, partying or sightseeing is it?

3) Other suggestions for before New Years trips around this part of Europe.
I'm already planning Berlin and Hamburg but what does everyone think of places such as Copenhagen?

The only caveat for the new years is that it has to be somewhere he can come back from on the 1st as his flight will be on the 2nd.

Thanks everyone! Any suggestions would be great.

Why not go to the home of the new years celebration, Hogmanay in Edinburgh.

Prague is fantastic at New Year!

It's usually snowy and quite cold but lots of fun! When I was there for it, we went out for a really nice meal, about 9pm and you could get in places without reservations etc.. then we did a bit of a bar crawl through the city and ended up at Letna Park, which is a big hill that looks out over the city. Took champagne and bottles of all sorts of things with us, loads of people were there and at midnight they let off loads of fireworks over Chrles bridge and the river and you get a fantastic view from there... then its a case of walking back down through the city, pub crawling again!

Nice place, lots of things to see while you are there, reasonably cheap and great new year celebrations

See Comparing Ski Resorts, although accommodation will now be tough to find, except in Innsbruck.

Vienna and Prague certainly spring to mind as good places if you don't want a ski resort.

I've been to both Innsbruck:

[img]http://www.hutcho.org/93NewYears2006/DSC04513.jpg[/img]

and Berlin:

[img]http://www.hutcho.org/50Berlin/DSC01264.jpg[/img]

for New Years. Both where better than the center of Munich last year. At all places I was really surprised that there was no count down! It's just like people looked at their watches and said "Ahh.. now's about right"..

Wow Innsbruck looks amazing!!

Just found a pic of prague... unfortunately not got mine to hand at work!

Was in Madrid for New Year's Eve a couple of years ago and that was quite good fun...they gather in a central square (bit similar to London's Trafalgar Sq) and have a tradition of eating grapes during the countdown..one for each strike of the clock at midnight - you're supposed to make a wish each time...there is a mad rush to find grapes for the event. They even sell tinned grapes specially for the occasion There were great fireworks too.

I did Madrid years ago, and it was indeed very nice. I've done New Years in Copenhagen too, but I can't remember much of it. I guess that means it was good. I remember all the shops being boarded up in the area I was staying in because of the traditional 'New Years Riots'.

Last year we were in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. It's quite a party, as the traditioanl ski jumping is on 1 Jan. You can go to the qualification round on the 31st for really cheap. We had tickets for the main event, which was not cheap (and cold and wet). The slopes are pretty much a massive piss up starting at about 11:00 am on the 31st. Great time. This has the obvious attraction of being close to Munich. Lodging would be an issue at this point, though.

If you want to ski, you'll have trouble finding lodging now. I'm sure its possible, just not easy.

have booked flights to come back to munich for new year and now found out that my company is making us take first week in january off too. Cant ski cos of an injury so any suggestions of where to go for a few days after new year as well? Thinking about spending 31st/1st in Munich then heading off for a few days. Not exactly city break time of year but also dont fancy a whole week in munich doing nothing.

@Element, I would recommend Vienna over Zurich at New Year´s - the Viennese are known for their great celebrations, beautiful city, and Käsekreiner - cheese filled sausages that everyone gobbles up to feed the post-New Year munchies. Dress warm though.

@Seb, we were down in Tuscany a few years ago at New Year´s and the weather was wonderful. New Year´s day was 18C and sunny