Where to spend New Year's Eve in Europe: 9 ideas, from fireworks to snow

First, decide what kind of night you want

New Year's Eve abroad can mean very different things, and picking the wrong one is the easiest way to be disappointed. Before you look at flights, agree on which of these you're after:

Also check your flights home. Flights on 1 January are often cheaper and quieter than 2 January, but nobody wants a 7am flight after midnight in the cold. Most of these places suit three or four nights, arriving on the 30th or 31st.

Madeira: the big fireworks, in the warm

Madeira is the one to pick if fireworks are the point. Funchal's display is fired from dozens of spots around the bay and up the hillsides, so the whole amphitheatre of the city lights up at once. It was recognised by Guinness World Records as the largest fireworks display in 2006, and the midnight show usually lasts around eight minutes.

The big advantage is the weather: average highs are around 20°C in December, so you can stand outside in a light jacket. Because the city climbs the hills, you can watch from all over Funchal, including many hotel balconies, rather than battling for a spot by the water. Cruise ships also gather in the bay for the night.

The catch is price. It's Madeira's busiest week, so hotels and flights go up and the best-located rooms book early. Stay a week and you'll have time for the levadas too.

Vienna: the most elegant New Year's Eve

Vienna does New Year's Eve with a bit of style. The Silvesterpfad, or New Year's Eve Trail, turns the streets and squares of the old centre into a free festival, with stages, food and drink stalls running from mid-afternoon until the early hours. At midnight, the bells ring out and you'll hear the Blue Danube waltz played across the city, and people really do dance in the street.

The next morning brings the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Concert. Tickets are given out by a lottery run by the orchestra early in the year before and are very hard to get, so don't build a trip around it. Plenty of other concerts and balls run around New Year if you want to dress up.

It's cold, with highs of around 4°C, so pack properly. Three or four nights is ideal.

Reykjavik: bonfires and fireworks everywhere

Reykjavik has one of the most unusual New Year's Eves in Europe. In the evening, locals gather at community bonfires around the city, usually lit around 8.30pm. Then most of the country goes home to watch the annual comedy review on TV, before heading out again as midnight approaches, when it feels as if the entire city is setting off fireworks at once.

The best view is from the hill around Hallgrímskirkja church, though it gets packed. Bonfires can be cancelled if it's too windy, so it's worth checking the city's website on the day.

It's dark for most of the day in late December, but that does give you a chance of northern lights on clear nights outside the city. Four or five nights lets you add a Golden Circle day trip.

Berlin: the biggest party

If you want a huge crowd, Berlin is the place. The city's big party is usually held at the Brandenburg Gate, with stages, music and midnight fireworks. For the last New Year, entry was free but you needed a named ticket booked in advance and photo ID on the night, so check the details for this year early.

The rest of the city is just as loud. Germans buy fireworks in huge numbers, and parts of Berlin can feel chaotic after dark, which is exciting for some people and too much for others. If you'd rather keep your distance, book a dinner, a club night or a concert, or watch from a hotel window.

Copenhagen: hygge with a bang

Copenhagen mixes cosy Danish traditions with a lot of fireworks. Danes sit down to a long dinner, many watch the monarch's New Year speech at 6pm, and at midnight there's a tradition of standing on a chair and jumping off into the new year. The crowd in the City Hall Square counts down with the big clock on the town hall.

It's a good choice for a group who want a big dinner and a midnight moment without a giant organised party. Book restaurants well ahead, as plenty close for the night or only offer set menus.

Lisbon and Tenerife: mild nights by the sea

If Madeira is too expensive or booked up, two other places give you a New Year's Eve outdoors without freezing:

Neither has quite the spectacle of Funchal, but both are a lot cheaper and easier to book late.

Amsterdam and Prague: check before you book

These two are famous for New Year's Eve, but things have changed recently, so check what's on before you build a trip around fireworks.

Both are still great places to be at New Year. Just go for the city, not the fireworks.

Lapland or Tromsø: a quiet New Year

If you'd rather skip the crowds entirely, head north. Rovaniemi and Tromsø offer snow, husky rides, reindeer and the chance of northern lights. Rovaniemi averages around -6°C in December and Tromsø about -1°C, and both are in the polar night, so there's little daylight.

There'll still be some fireworks at midnight, but the real draw is a quiet night outside under the stars. It's also a nice alternative to the much busier week before Christmas in Lapland, though prices stay high over New Year too. See our Rovaniemi, Levi or Saariselkä comparison if Lapland appeals.

Which one should you choose?

For more ideas, including long-haul places like Sydney and Rio, see our New Year holiday ideas and where to go in December. If you're planning with a group who all want something different, add a few of these to a shared somewhere.party list and let the points decide.