7 Best Places to Spend New Year’s Eve in Europe When Traveling to ETIAS Countries

New Year’s Eve celebrations are on a whole other level when you head to Europe. With people crowding the streets to take part in the community’s NYE traditions, it’s hard not to want to immerse yourself in their festivities.  

Take the chance to spend the end of 2019 this year in a whole new way. Here are 7 of the best places to spend the New Year in ETIAS countries with celebrations like no other.

 

 

7 Best Places to Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Europe

 

Whether you want to stay up past midnight having some New year fun or want to spend the New Year’s with family, these destinations surely have what you’re looking for.

1. Madeira, Portugal

Watch one of the most spectacular fireworks shows on the isolated island of Madeira. The amazing 10-minute pyrotechnical show shoots from the sea, so you can enjoy the show in a boat or witness it from the bay of Funchal or the hills around it.  

2. Madrid, Spain

Nochevieja, or New Year’s Eve, is a giant and lively event with people flocking to Puerta del Sol to watch the countdown, the biggest broadcast event of Spain. The real fun starts after midnight when the pubs open up to locals and tourists looking for some fun.

Try this out: Take part in the fun Spanish NYE tradition to put on lucky red underwear, grab a bottle of cava, and eat 12 grapes of luck that you have to finish at midnight and finish before the bell stops ringing. 

3. Reykjavik, Iceland

Iceland can be pretty cold this time of year, which explains why there are the traditional bonfires around the city on New Year’s Eve. These bonfires aren’t your typical campfires. They’re gigantic and there are 10 of them you can check out around the city! 

Try this out: Watch the enamoring fireworks show from Hallgrímskirkja church, which not only provides a good view but is also relatively close to a lot of bars for a post-new-year celebration.

4. Vienna, Austria

Vienna celebrates the new year in one of the most classy and elegant ways, hosting extravagant gala dinners and grand balls on NYE. But if you’re looking for a less formal (and free) event, the streets are filled with live music of different genres for you to enjoy.  

5. Dresden, Germany

If you’re planning a fun family New Year’s Eve, then skip Berlin and head on over to Dresden, Germany, where there’s live music in the streets to dance to, warm mugs of glühwein for the adults to enjoy, and piping hot sausages served in Theaterplatz Square. 

Try this out: If you’re traveling with young children, go to the square early to watch the kiddie fireworks display, which they’d surely enjoy.

6. Dubrovnik, Croatia

This destination is less crowded at this time of year compared to the famous NYE cities in Europe. Still, the streets are filled with music from Croatian musicians and a taste of great food and wine.

Try this out: Oysters and sparkling wine are on the menu for a Croatian New Year’s celebration, so save some room for this before midnight comes.  

7. Tornio, Finland and Haparanda, Sweden

Experience New Year’s twice in a row by counting down the first NYE in Tornio then crossing the Torne River Railway Bridge to Haparanda to do it all over again! These two countries have slightly different time zones, which makes for a double midnight celebration.

 

What to Expect in a European New Year’s 

 

Different places in Europe have so much to offer. Here is a glimpse of what you could experience this NYE celebration.

Amazing Fireworks Displays

The pyrotechnics in Europe are absolutely insane, filling the night skies with bright colors and impressive forms and movements. When it comes to fireworks, these European countries never fail to put on a really good show.  

Heartfelt Entertainment

The communities in most European countries love to come together with singing and dancing parading in public spaces. You would see the passion that people have for the performing arts just by heading out on the streets. 

Mouth Watering Food

The best European eats come out at New Year’s Eve, which you wouldn’t want to miss out on even if you’d skip the alcohol. But for the love of NYE, try not to miss out on European’s finest alcoholic drinks.

Fun and Inviting Locals

People know how to throw an awesome NYE party in these European countries. There’s never a dull moment here when the clock strikes midnight, so don’t miss out on the celebrations.

Traveling to any European country this year will be something worth your time, no matter where you choose to celebrate it. Just make sure to start off the year right by welcoming it with the right people and the right mindset to prepare yourself for the next decade ahead.

 

ALSO READ: What do I need to Do to Travel to Europe with my Pet?

 

This new year brings things closer to 2021, the year when the European Travel Information and Authorization System or ETIAS will come into effect for non-Schengen visa-exempt countries such as the US. Etiasvisaschengen.com is an independent platform that keeps you updated with the latest information and updates on this visa waiver. We also provide visa assistance on the current travel system to Schengen countries. Contact us now and let us help you get your trip to Europe ready.

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The ETIAS Guide: What You Need to Know About Traveling to the UK After Brexit

Brexit has been quite a heavy subject in British politics, maybe even to the point of interest to other countries as well. With Britain leaving the European Union, a lot of people wonder if it would affect travel to the UK post-Brexit. If that’s an area of concern right now, you would be glad to know that there may be not much that will be different as of now.

This, of course, all depends on the reason for your travel to Britain. Some things have changed in the new system and others have and will probably remain the same. Here is a quick guide on Brexit and what it means for your UK travel plans.

 

A Guide through Traveling to the UK After Brexit

 

Brief Brexit Background 

If you aren’t really sure how Brexit could complicate some travel plans to the UK, then you have to know just the basics of what it is. 

Brexit comes from the two terms “Britain” and “Exit,” which technically explains it all. The back story is that Britain was part of the European Union, or EU, for the longest time until they made the close split decision vote to leave with a 52 percent majority vote. Brexit was originally scheduled to happen last March 29, 2019, but was extended with a new deadline of January 31, 2020. 

Leaving the EU could spell out a lot of changes for UK citizens. It ultimately affects their trading system, which means they will no longer be tariff-free when dealing with EU members. This increases the price of commodities such as food, of which one-third of the supply of the country is imported from EU countries. It could also affect their currency negatively, though much of this is still not certain or can only be proven when the time comes.

 

The Good, the Neutral, and the Unknown: Post-Brexit Effects for Travelers

 

The Good

As of this writing, Brexit claims that it won’t affect travel to the UK as far as vacations are concerned. US citizens can still enter Britain for the holiday seasons and the application process remains the same. If you are a US passport holder, you won’t need a visa for any purpose that you’re there unless you plan to work or study there for the long term. If you’re coming in from the US but aren’t a US passport holder, then you would need a visa. Tourist visas are still granted upon entry and are valid for a six-month stay. 

Pet travels will also still be allowed when you board a plane to the UK. As long as the necessary requirements are filled, then your animal friend would be allowed entry.

The Neutral

As for your travel budget is concerned, the conversion from dollars to pounds is said not to change drastically. You may get just a little bit more squeezed from your dollars compared to 2016, but don’t expect it to bump up your travel budget. 

The Unknown

There are still a couple of things that people are uncertain about in regards to Brexit moving forward. It is not certain what steps EU citizens have to take to visit the UK. 

In fact, little is know if the EU citizens who have settled in Britain have to go back to their countries or if their jobs secure them a place in the UK. This was one of the concerns of many opposing the leave. 

 

ETIAS “Vis-a-Visa” Brexit 

 

Brexit has relatively no direct effect on the implementation of ETIAS. The United Kingdom has never been part of the Schengen agreement, which means it wouldn’t need this requirement.

US citizens who want to both visit the UK and Schengen area have to go through different processes for entry in these places. So if you were planning for a cross-country trip around Europe that had both Schengen areas and the UK in your itinerary in 2021, you’d have to apply for an ETIAS visa waiver online to go to ETIAS countries. 

If you are part of the countries that require UK visas, note that this visa won’t be the same as a Schengen visa.   

Other reasons for travel such as for work and for study longterm do require visas. For these special cases, you may contact the employer/school or embassy to know how it works. It is still not certain if Brexit will directly affect employment or study grants.  

Brexit will take a toll on a lot of different aspects in the UK’s system of government, though there’s no real telltale sign of how it will turn out for travelers. At most, there is some speculation that flights may jack up in price. Of course, things can always change after its implementation, which is set to happen very soon.

ALSO READ: Dual Citizenship

Planning a European vacation by the year 2021? As said earlier, the European Travel Information and Authorization System or ETIAS will come into effect by this time. But until then, entry to Schengen countries for US passport holders remain visa-free. But for non-US passport holders, Schengen visas are still required to go on these trips. 

Etiasvisachengen.com is a visa assistance service that can take care of your travel documents to Europe for you so you can go on your trip hassle-free. And when the implementation of ETIAS comes, part of the company’s service is to assist US nationals in the process as well. Contact us to get started.

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