New Year holidays this year begin on December 30 and end on January 8. On the one hand, it’s a great opportunity to go on a week-long trip and celebrate the New Year in a new interesting place. Only prices for tickets and hotels jump up at this time, but you want to relax yourself and not leave your friends without gifts. Today we have compiled for you a selection of 10 travel options for the New Year that won’t break the bank.
Athens, Greece
January in Greece is considered low season; the islands are really boring at this time, but in the capital there are noisy celebrations for the New Year. Residents and guests of the city gather in the main square, where a large Christmas tree is installed, and together they lead a huge round dance to the rhythm of the traditional Sirtaki dance. Another interesting local tradition that you can join in the center of Athens is breaking a juicy pomegranate against the wall before midnight, it is believed that this will bring good luck in the coming year. At night you will need to dress warmly, the air temperature drops to 6-8°C, but during the day it is warm -14-17°C, and in the sun it can even be 22°C.
Flight + hotel for 7 nights for 1 person: from 21,037 rubles
Tours from locals in Athens
Wroclaw, Poland
Photo: @wroclaw_official/Instagram.com
The already beautiful and cozy Poland dresses up in festive attire for the New Year – ancient town houses glow with multi-colored lights and sparkles, Santa Clauses walk the streets, and smiles never leave people’s faces. Wroclaw is one of the oldest cities in Poland, with memorable architecture and beautiful bridges over numerous canals. The city is considered a student city, there are a lot of young people and relevant entertainment: active nightlife, bars and discos. On New Year’s holidays people here have fun from the heart, make wishes and immediately fulfill them.
Flight + hotel for a week for 1 person: from 24,424 rubles
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Photo: @derocker/@asymmetric_synthesis/Instagram.com
The only place in Uzbekistan where real New Year’s celebrations are held is Tashkent. There is usually no snow in the city itself, but the mountains visible on the horizon dress up in white caps. The streets are decorated with garlands, and a festive fair is held in the central square of Mustakillik, where bright masks, Christmas tree decorations and other memorable souvenirs are sold. A couple of hours before midnight, a show program with dances of the peoples of the world begins. There is a New Year’s tradition in Uzbekistan – for a wish to come true, you need to eat one grape for each chime.
Flight + hotel for a week for 1 person: from 26,146 rubles
Tallinn, Estonia
Holidays in Tallinn are a real European New Year’s fairy tale at a reasonable price. Yes, the city is not as brightly decorated as Paris or London, but its architecture itself creates a magical mood. The houses of the old city are wrapped in the cozy light of lanterns, on snow-dusted tiled roofs there are black chimneys from which silver smoke flows, and the streets are saturated with the smell of pine needles, cinnamon and marzipan. Tallinn hosts one of the largest Christmas markets in Europe, and a huge shining Christmas tree is installed in the center of the town hall square.
Flight + hotel for a week for 1 person: from 27,429 rubles
Tirana, Albania
Photo: @lon.neli/@vagabob_/Instagram.com
The country at the junction of the Adriatic and Ionian seas is surrounded by many speculations and myths. Yes, it is not the most modern, but its inhabitants are kind and hospitable, and its nature is like a picture. Tirana, the capital of Albania, is surrounded by picturesque mountains, and the sea is only 40 kilometers away, which ensures a mild climate in the city. In January it is quite warm here, about +10°C, and it is sunny twice as often as cloudy. For the New Year, a large Christmas tree is installed in the central square, which contrasts funny with the greenery of the parks. In general, the attractions of Tirana are not so diverse, but the nightlife is very interesting, and those who love outdoor recreation can enjoy the special atmosphere on the shores of the winter sea.
Flight + hotel for a week for 1 person: from 29,167 rubles
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
One of the oldest cities in Central Asia, the pearl of the Silk Road, the city with the wonderful name Samarkand, turns out to be not the most popular tourist destination: few people decide to go to celebrate the New Year in Uzbekistan. The air temperature here may not be high, about +5°C, but there are many sunny days, which are pleasant to spend walking around the city: walking around the perimeter of one of the most beautiful squares in the world – Registan and examining the unique patterns of colored glaze that cover the arches, palaces and madrassas. And the New Year itself can be celebrated comfortably and at home at a generous table with traditional, very tasty Uzbek manti.
Flight + hotel for a week for 1 person: from 29,983 rubles
Prague, Czech Republic
Photo: depositphotos.com
Czechs know how and love to have fun, so they start celebrating from the beginning of December! Traditional Christmas holidays include St. Nicholas’s Day on December 6th, followed by St. Lucia’s Day a week later, followed by Christmas and New Year’s Day itself. The city is brightly decorated with garlands, a fair opens on Old Town Square, but the main magic is that it always snows on New Year’s Eve in Prague! On the main square, as the chimes strike, they set off fireworks and drink champagne, and then rush to the Charles Bridge to make a wish.
Flight + hotel for a week for 1 person: from 31,038 rubles
Tours from locals in Prague
Zagreb, Croatia
The capital of Croatia, located in the south of Europe, cannot boast of abundant snow, but the streets are decorated with all their hearts for the holiday. Both Christmas and New Year are celebrated here on a grand scale, so the city shines with lights from mid-December until almost mid-January. In the morning on the eve of the holiday, local residents go to church, and in the late afternoon they go out to street celebrations with firecrackers and fireworks. Midnight is most fun to be found on the central streets or on Josip Jelačić Square. The remaining days of the holidays can be devoted to walks around the old town and the beautiful parks of Zagreb; during the day in January it is usually a comfortable +5°С.
Flight + hotel for a week for 1 person: from 32,571 rubles
Tunisia, Tunisia
Photo: @kasegasanov/Instagram.com
You can celebrate the New Year with a Christmas tree and festive festivities, but in a sunny, warm place in Tunisia. In January the water here is already cool for swimming, but on the shore it is sunny and the air temperature is above 20°C. In large cities, and especially in the capital, the holiday is celebrated on a grand scale: the streets are decorated like in Europe, dances are held in the main squares, and fireworks are launched at midnight.
Flight + hotel for a week for 1 person: from 34,732 rubles
Amman, Jordan
If you want to bask in the sun during the New Year holidays, but without having to fly too far, Jordan is a great option. At the Dead Sea, the season lasts all year round, because it is located in a lowland, which, coupled with salt fumes, creates a greenhouse effect. The temperature of the Red Sea also does not drop below +21°C. Although Jordan is a Muslim country, on January 1, a holiday is held in the capital, Amman: large hotels and restaurants set tables, turn up the music louder and set off fireworks. The calm after the holiday can be devoted to trips to historical places and attractions.
Flight + hotel for a week for 1 person: from 50,171 rubles
* Prices for flight + hotel are indicated at the time of writing. The cost indicated in the material and the final price may differ depending on the time during which the tickets are purchased.
Text: Irina Krokhaleva
