Search icon

News

01st Jan 2022

The best New Year’s Eve celebrations from around the world

Simon Bland

There were some dazzling spectacles.

Omicron may have made New Year’s Eve 2022 a slightly subdued affair but that didn’t stop the sky from lighting up in celebration of 2021 coming to a much welcome end.

Around the globe, spectacular displays marked the arrival of a fresh new year where everything will totally be back to normal and nothing bad will happen at all.

Probably.

If you missed these dazzling spectacles, don’t worry. We’ve pulled together a little gallery featuring some of the night’s biggest and best light displays.

London

Despite additional Covid measures looming over the UK capital, London still managed to celebrate with fireworks and a drone show over multiple locations including the Old Royal Navy College in Greenwich and St Paul’s Cathedral.

Australia

The final day of 2021 saw New South Wales record 21,151 cases of Covid-19 – which sadly set a new record – but when the clock passed midnight, the sky over Sydney Harbour lit up with this glorious display.

Madrid

Madrid is currently battling its sixth wave of Covid outbreaks but during last night’s celebrations at Puerta del Sol Square, social distancing, masks and extra precautions were in place to help viewers ring in the new year as safely as possible.

Athens

Europe is currently in the grips of an Omicron surge – but you wouldn’t be able to tell looking at the picturesque firework display above the Acropolis last night.

Rio De Janeiro

Rio De Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes was forced to cancel Brazil’s traditional celebration on the beach of Copacabana known as Reveillon, with New Year’s Eve being welcomed by a firework display that lasted just 16 minutes. It didn’t stop folks from taking a dip though.

Berlin

Berlin’s New Year’s Eve celebrations near the Brandenburg Gate were certainly colourful – but sadly they were only able to be enjoyed by television audiences, with in-person attendees unable to attend due to – you guessed it – Covid restrictions.

United Arab Emirates

While other nations may have had to hold back on celebrating in style, Ras Al Khaimah’s New Year’s Eve party not only dazzled – but broke two Guinness World Records. Impressive stuff.

LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Conor Sketches | Tiger Woods loves Ger Loughnane and cosplaying as Charles LeClerc