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The countdown to the New Year starts well ahead of the last 10 seconds before midnight on 31 December. Public celebrations are meticulously planned for months, while invitations for house parties get Facebooked weeks in advance.
There are, of course, many great ways to welcome 2015 close to home, whether it’s watching the fireworks in London from the banks of the River Thames (an event that will be ticketed for the first time this year, priced at £10 per person), joining in the extravagant Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh, or simply popping a bottle of bubbly at home.
But hop on a plane and you will find some of the world’s biggest and best parties taking place on 31 December, from concerts on the sand in Rio to blockbuster bonfires in Reykjavik. We’ve picked out some of the top places to celebrate New Year’s Eve, so get your dancing shoes on.
Best places to celebrate New Year'sShow all 9 1 /9Best places to celebrate New Year's Best places to celebrate New Year's Sydney Join Sydneysiders in being among the first to see in 2015. The Aussie city rings in the New Year a full 11 hours before the UK, celebrating with an illuminated flotilla of more than 50 boats and a fireworks display over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House.
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Best places to celebrate New Year's Rio de Janeiro The festivities on 31 December are the second-biggest event in Rio’s calendar, after Carnival, attracting up to two million visitors. Head to Copacabana beach for live music, before the fireworks are let off from barges on the water.
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Best places to celebrate New Year's New York The Times Square ball drop is about much more than watching a giant glittery sphere descend a flagpole. There are also performances from some of the biggest names in pop, which have in the past included Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus. timessquarenyc.org
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Best places to celebrate New Year's Reykjavik In the Icelandic capital New Year means more than just fireworks. Wrap up warm and head to one of the traditional bonfires dotted around the city. Sing along with the locals before taking the party inside. http://www.visitreykjavik.is/
Best places to celebrate New Year's Amsterdam Enjoy celebrations with a nautical flavour in the Dutch capital, where the fireworks take place in front of the National Maritime Museum and the cargo ship The Amsterdam. Iamsterdam.com
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Best places to celebrate New Year's Hong Kong Head to Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour for one of the world’s most extravagant firework and pyrotechnic shows, culminating in a replica of New York’s ball drop. For the best views head to the Avenue of Stars in Kowloon or board a dedicated “countdown cruise”. discoverhongkong.com
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Best places to celebrate New Year's Berlin Join the million-strong crowd in central Berlin for one of Europe's biggest street parties. Taking place between the Brandenburg Gate and Victory Column, the event will have you dancing to the sounds of live bands and DJs until the early hours. visitberlin.de
visitBerlin/ Wolfgang Scholvien
Best places to celebrate New Year's New Orleans If you can’t make it to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, 31 December is a close second for party atmosphere. Fireworks are let off from a steamboat on the Mississippi and the “Fleur de Lis drop” sees a huge version of the city’s symbol descend into Jackson Square. neworleansonline.com
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Best places to celebrate New Year's Niagara Falls Head to the world’s most famous waterfall for Canada’s biggest New Year’s Eve party. Fireworks are set off in Victoria Park, overlooking the falls, and music comes courtesy of country music legend Keith Urban and Nick Jonas, of the Jonas Brothers. niagaraparks.com
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Click here to view the Christmas and New Year Cruise, with Independent Holidays.
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