New Year's Eve Getaways in the UK

The Scottish capital's Hogmanay celebrations for New Year's Eve are world-famous. You need tickets for the main event on Princes Street, but the firework display is visible from vantage points around the city. Make sure you also catch the Stoats Loony Dook parade on New Year's Day.

This small village celebrates New Year's Eve with "guisers" in fancy dress roaming the streets. To add to the fun, each guiser carries a barrel containing flaming tar on their head. The barrels end up on a huge bonfire, still known by its medieval term of the "baal".

Another ticketed event, London's annual New Year's Eve firework display over the River Thames centres on the London Eye and Big Ben. Most people watch from either the Victoria Embankment or the South Bank, but you could choose the comfort of a river cruise instead.

Villagers use homemade fireballs to welcome in the New Year, proceeding through the streets with them before tossing them into the harbour. Steel drummers and a traditional Scottish pipe band herald the arrival of the fireballs. A fireworks' display then wraps up the event.

The Welsh capital provides a real variety of New Year's Eve entertainment. As well as fireworks' displays over Cardiff Bay, there is ice skating at the Winter Wonderland and several popular themed dinner dances.