Where in Europe should I spend my 2007 X-mas in NYE ?

Question

I'm going backpacking to Europe starting Oct. 1 to Jan 2008. I'm going alone which means i'll be spending x-mas and nye alone for the first time. But i don't mind, since i'll be traveling in europe. For those of you who live there or travelled during the holiday season, where is the most beautiful place to spend your holidays? Should I spend x-mas in Paris and party in amsterdam? What do you guys think?

Answer 1

Well, Europe is a really diverse continent and each of its country has its uniques ways to celebrate christmas and new year.
If you go to Paris/Amesterdam/London for Christmas you sure will find trully amazing sceneries with the city public illuminations, however, bare in mind that this are really cold places at this time of year.
I strongly advise you to spend the New Year somewhere in southern Europe as the weather will be most likely be good to party in the streets all night.
I usually spend both Christmas and New Year in a subtropical island called Madeira. Funchal is known by having the biggest and best Reveillon in the world, with a huge and beautiful firework, that last year entered to Guiness world records book. Bare in mind that NYE in Funchal is not just fireworks, as when it ends, the party has just begun! The city center will have street parties all night long, with both locals and tourists partying together!

This is, therefore, the most special night in Madeira, that is crowded with tourists (both portuguese and foreigns). So, if you were interested I strongly recommend you to book in advance both flight and hotel room.
There are dozens of airline companies flying to Funchal from everywhere in Europe, especially from the UK, Germany and Italy but, of course, the highest number of flights is from mainland Portugal. TAP Portugal usually has, in this time of the year, 5 daily flights from Oporto and up to 14 daily connections from capital Lisbon.
And don't forget that you won't need any winter clothing! Due to its geographical position (1000km southwest from mainland Portugal) southern coast of Madeira has a subtropical weather, which means that, in the Winter, temperature usually ranges from 16-18C minimum to 22-25C maximum, with both litlle rain and sun in the same day, and Atlantic Ocean will be at 19 to 21 degrees.

If you're interested in staying in mainland Europe, well, then, I would advise you to spend New Year in Lisbon or Algarve (Portugal) or even Barcelona (Spain) as they will be the warmest places in New Year with great parties!
Two years ago, for example, I spent NYE in Lisbon and had a lovely time. In downtown Lisbon, Praça do Comércio, there was the biggest Christmas tree in Europe and, for this night, a staged had been constructed in order to receive artists willing to party all night, and the streets were crowded and animated, with thousands of locals and tourists, from younger to eldest people, celebrating in the streets all night long, with cents of discos and pubs openned and thousands in the streets till sunset.
Bare in mind, however, that Lisbon, despite being the most southwestern capital in Europe, is located in mainland continent and, therefore, the temperature won't be as pleasant as in Funchal, though, Lisbon is the warmest and sunniest capital in Europe, and the temperature NEVER falls below zero, and usually stays at 9-12C minimum and 15-19C maximum.

Answer 2

Amsterdam is not the best for Christmas, as most things will close for 25-12 and 26-12, including many of the restaurants, while the rest of the restaurants will be pre-booking only, or very crowded at least.
If a museum closes for 3 days in the year it is 25-12, 26-12 and 1-1.

New years eve is a great party night, often starting at private homes, fireworks on midnight, mostly private people on the public streets, but each town will have an official display too, and many young people go partying in the clubs from say 1 o'clock till the sun is up.
If you want to spend NYE in Amsterdam, make sure you have your hotel or hostel booked before coming, because they often close too.
And check with any museum you want to visit, because many of those will be closed new years day.

Answer 3

Paris is beautiful, especially for Christmas. Florence is also a great place to spend the Holidays. For New Years, I think Amsterdam is fun, as is Prague. You should also check out Majorca, Capri, and Dublin for NYE. See which scene interests you most. London isn't bad for NYE either.

Answer 4

Lisbon is Europe's second-oldest capital and once home to the world's best explorers like Vasco da Gama, Magellan and Prince Henry the Navigator, becoming the first true world town, the capital of an empire distributing overall continents, from South America (Brazil) to Asia (Macao, China; Goa, India) and know you are able to spend a couple of day to know that historical town, with hotelbye is where you must start. Probably the most acknowledged of Lisbon's major attractions is the St. George's Castle. That fortress orders a wonderful place near Alfama on the crown of a hill overlooking the Portuguese capital. This is one of Lisbon's most widely used tourist destinations. Its outstanding battlements, participating museum, and fascinating archaeological site combine to make the castle a gratifying experience for everyone, and children especially will cherish clambering on the durable surfaces and systems that encircle the grounds.

Answer 5

In Amsterdam is a wide spectral range of attractions for recreational and ethnic sightseeing. They range from interesting old structures, just like the Oude Kerk, to oddities such as the Hash