Think New Year's Eve in London is all parties, pumping music and pyrotechnics? While these can be some of the best ways in which to celebrate the start of the next 12 months, if you peel back the layers of the city, you’ll find some unique options for celebrating the most famous countdown of the year.
Whether your perfect NYE night is counting down the seconds in the hottest central nightclubs, housed in the most famous landmarks of the city or floating on the River Thames, we’re here to help you find the ideal celebrations for you. Here is our pick of the best ways in which to welcome in the new year in England’s capital.
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Watch the fireworks go off at Embankment
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Welcome in the new year with an eye-catching fireworks display right in the heart of the city. You haven’t celebrated NYE in London until you’ve watched this pyrotechnic presence in all its glory, stretching out along Victoria Embankment all the way to Westminster Bridge. Check the Mayor of London's website for ticket releases and information on the big night itself.
Mapphoto by Andrea Sartorati (CC BY 2.0) modified
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Read moreCelebrating the new year with your favourite humans is one thing, but why not mix it up a little by getting up close and personal with the unique animals of the Natural History Museum? Check out the selected galleries, from jungle cats to dinosaurs. These galleries will be opening their doors for cocktail sipping and champagne swigging, enabling you to celebrate New Year's Eve channelling your favourite creature of the night.
Grab an adult early bird ticket for about £90 and enjoy a whole bunch of activities, including Massaoke. Then embrace your wild side as you dance the night away in the main Hintze Hall with South Kensington’s finest bunch of party animals.
Location: Cromwell Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 5BD, UK
Open: Daily from 10 am to 5.50 am
Phone: +44 (0)20 7942 5000
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Sip cocktails at a rooftop bar
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Climb your way to the top of Bar Elba – Waterloo’s only rooftop bar – for views of St Paul's and all-inclusive cocktails to cheers your way into the New Year. For a night of top tunes and signature tapas dishes, step foot into the exclusive express lift of the Radio Rooftop Bar on The Strand for your very own NYE hideaway.
If an oasis in the middle of the city sounds like your kind of thing, get sky-high at the city’s notorious SkyGarden rooftop bar on Fenchurch Street. Set among lush tropical greenery, this bar boasts the best views of the city. Perfect for taking in the fireworks and staying up until 2am.
photo by Martin Pettitt (CC BY 2.0) modified
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Welcome in the New Year as one of London’s top clubs
- Nightlife
Put on your best ‘90s glad rags for a night out at energetic hotspot Bounce and take part in ping pong tournaments before dancing the night away to classic club tunes. For something a little fancier, its ball gowns and stylish décor at the Mews of Mayfair Masquerade, which will see you welcome in the new year in the most elegant of ways.
And if you can’t decide which club to count down in, tag along with the NYE Pub Crawl and celebrate all your parties in one big event. Join the 1 Big Night Out crew on a tour of the West End. With a free shot at each celebratory spot, you’ll finish your night on a proper high.
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Live the high life with a dazzling river cruise
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Feel like spending your glittering New Year’s Eve cruising the length of the Thames? Settle down to some fine dining and watch the fireworks explode in the night sky as you set foot onto the deck of a sophisticated Thames cruise for a NYE with a difference.
Whichever package you choose to indulge in, take in the city sights from the calming depths of your river liner, pop some celebratory champagne and melt all your stresses away as you glide down the glistening water with your loved ones in tow.