Five Reasons to spend New Year abroad

Inflated pub and restaurant prices, cold, dreary weather and a battle for an extortionate taxi home. It’s no wonder the question “What are you doing for New Year?” is frequently met with a groan and distinct lack of enthusiasm.

Despite its best efforts, New Year’s Eve has a tough job competing with its more upbeat and generally more sparkly and favoured Christmas counterpart. Whether you plan to go out or stay in, there’s always the underlying pressure to do something notable to celebrate the passing of another 365 days.

So why not make that something seeing out the new year abroad? With plenty of European cities and other sunnier spots accessible within a few hours’ flight on budget airlines, you can be there and back in time for work. And with a bank holiday at your disposal you needn’t take too much of a chunk out of your annual leave.

Here’s why the tail end of the year is a great time to escape and refresh your mind:

You’ll learn about new traditions

Toasting the turn of the year with drink clinks and champagne flutes aloft is customary in lots of places, but there are plenty of unusual traditions to experience too. In Spain, prosperity and good luck is encouraged by eating twelve grapes, one for each strike of the midnight clock, on New Year’s Eve. In Portugal, twelve raisins offer the same good fortune but lend themselves to speedier consumption.

The weather is better

An obvious one, but kick-starting a fresh twelve months with a blast of sunshine can only be positive. With Palma, Mallorca clocking up an extremely pleasant daytime temperature of around 20 degrees, alfresco seafront drinking and dining is very much an option.

You can extend the festive feeling

Christmas might be done and dusted back at home, but in a new country, you get to experience it all over again. Festive markets and decorations often linger until the new year celebrations are over, so take a wander around the stalls and lights with a mulled wine, and rewind and relive the seasonal cheer in a brand new environment.

Beat the crowds

Like many other public places, airports appear considerably less stressful during the weird and wonderful period between Christmas and New Year. Summertime queues and chaos are a distant memory, and there’s a general mood of good cheer. The same goes for tourist attractions - considerably less crowded than in the busy warmer months when official holiday season is in full flow.

You’re forced to press on through a hangover

Finally, if you overindulge on New Year’s Eve, it’s easy to write off the first day of a brand new year festering on the sofa, entertainment ℅ Netflix when at home. On a short break however, lying in a darkened room is a waste. Pop a painkiller, pack a bottle of water and power through your hangover with some fresh air and tasty local delicacies.