This year’s New Years holidays start on December 30th and end on January 8th. On the one hand, it is a great opportunity to go on a week-long trip and celebrate the New Year in a new interesting place. Only now the prices for tickets and hotels jump up at this time, and 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 will not hit your pocket hard.
Athens, Greece
January in Greece is considered a low season, on the islands at this time it is really boring, but in the capital for the New Year they arrange noisy festivities. 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 to smash a juicy pomegranate against the wall before midnight, it is believed that this will bring happiness in the coming year. At night you will need to dress warmer, the air temperature drops to 6-8 ° C, but during the day it is -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
Guided tours by locals in Athens
Wroclaw, Poland
Photo: @wroclaw_official / Instagram.com
The already beautiful and cozy Poland is dressing in a festive outfit for the New Year – the old houses of the cities glow with multi-colored lights and sparkles, Santa Claus walk the streets, and smiles never leave the faces of people. Wroclaw is one of the oldest cities in Poland, with memorable architecture and beautiful bridges across numerous canals. The city is considered a student city, there are a lot of young people and related entertainment: an active nightlife, bars and discos. On New Year’s holidays here they have fun with all 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 festivities 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 on the central Mustakillik square, where bright masks, Christmas tree decorations and other 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, pipes are blackened on the tiled roofs powdered with snow, 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 being erected 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 conjectures and myths. Yes, it is not the most modern, but its inhabitants are kind and hospitable, and 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 ° С, and it is sunny twice as often as cloudy. For the New Year, a large Christmas tree is erected on the central square, which amusingly contrasts with the greenery of the parks. In general, the attractions of Tirana are not so diverse, but the nightlife is very boring, and those who like outdoor recreation can enjoy the special atmosphere on the coast 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 beautiful name Samarkand is not the most popular tourist destination: few people decide to go to celebrate the New Year in Uzbekistan. The air temperature here, albeit not high, about + 5 ° C, but there are many sunny days, which are pleasant to spend walking around the city: walk around one of the most beautiful squares in the world – Registan and look at the unique patterns of colored glaze that cover the arches, palaces and madrasahs. And the New Year itself can be celebrated comfortably and at home at a generous table with traditional, delicious 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 right from the beginning of December! Traditional Christmas holidays include St. Nicholas Day on December 6, followed by St. Lucius Day a week later, and then Christmas and New Year itself. The city is brightly decorated with garlands, a fair opens on the Old Town Square, but the main magic is that it always snows on New Year’s Eve in Prague! Fireworks and champagne are fired on the main square to the chimes, and then they rush to the Charles Bridge to make a wish.
Flight + hotel for a week for 1 person: from 31,038 rubles
Excursions from locals in Prague
Zagreb, Croatia
The capital of Croatia, located in the south of Europe, cannot boast of abundant snow, but it decorates the streets for the holiday with all its heart. Both Christmas and New Year are celebrated here on a grand scale, so the city shines with lights from mid-December to almost mid-January. In the morning on the eve of the holiday, locals go to church, and in the evening they go out to street festivities with firecrackers and fireworks. Midnight is most fun to meet on the main streets or on Josip Jelačić Square. The rest of the vacation days can be devoted to walks in the old town and in 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
Celebrate the New Year with a Christmas tree and festive festivities, but in a sunny, warm place, you can in Tunisia. The water in January is already cool here for swimming, but it is sunny on the shore, and the air temperature is above 20 ° C. In large cities, and especially in the capital, the holiday is celebrated on a grand scale: streets are decorated like in Europe, dances are arranged 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 on New Year’s holidays you want to bask in the sun, but so as not to fly too far, Jordan is a great option. On the Dead Sea, the season lasts all year round, because it is located in a lowland, which, together 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 music and launch fireworks. The calm after the holiday can be devoted to trips to historical places and sights.
Flight + hotel for a week for 1 person: from 50 171 rubles
* Flight + hotel prices 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 tickets are purchased.
Text: Irina Krokhaleva