Barcelona voted best place for New Year party, reveals Skyscanner

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Barcelona, Edinburgh and Iceland are the places to head for the best New Year parties, say Skyscanner users

Barcelona has been voted the best party city for New Year and Iceland is also popular, the latest poll from flights comparison site Skyscanner can reveal.

Over 1000 people voted in the poll which asked which city people would most like to spend New Year. With 12% of the vote, Barcelona topped the chart. The Spanish city is well known for its lively New Year celebrations and the ‘eating of the grapes’ tradition; when the clock strikes midnight, locals eat one grape per chime, each one symbolising a month of good luck. With direct flights to Barcelona offered from fourteen airports across the UK, it’s also one of the most accessible cities to see in 2011.

Iceland’s Reykjavik was a surprise entry, being voted fourth most desirable place to spend New Year, winning 9% of the votes. The Icelandic capital has long been known as a party town and New Year is no different. The evening begins with locals meeting in their neighbourhoods around large bonfires to watch the numerous firework displays over the city, before heading downtown to party till at least 5am. The other bonus of visiting Reykjavik is the chance to see the stunning Northern Lights.

However, Reykjavik was beaten by Edinburgh which came in second with 11.5% of the votes and London which came in third with 9.5%. The Scottish capital is famed for its Hogmanay celebrations which include a street party, live music and an extravagant fireworks display. Offering one of the biggest New Year parties in the UK, the city will be packed with revellers who jump on trains and flights to Edinburgh to join the fun.

London hosts thousands of New Year parties in bars and pubs but the highlight is the London Eye fireworks which light up the sky and can be viewed from rooftops and high balconies across the city.

In fifth place with 8% was Paris; regarded as one of the most colourful and exciting places to say “Bonne Annee!”, the Champs-Elysees is the place where Parisians flock, and offers great views of the Eiffel Tower which explodes with a firework display at the stroke of midnight.

Most Popular New Year Party Places

1. Barcelona
2. Edinburgh
3. London
4. Reykjavik
5. Paris
6. Amsterdam
7. Berlin
8. Venice
9. Prague
10. Rome

About Skyscanner
Skyscanner is a leading travel search site providing instant online comparisons on flight prices for over 670,000 routes and on over 600 airlines, including flights to New York as well car hire, deals and holidays.