The Best Places to Spend New Year's Eve in the Middle East
The Western New Year’s Eve (31 Dec) has recently been widely celebrated throughout the Middle East, with all night parties, glitzy bars, traditional desert barbecues, and so much more! From the breezy bridges of Istanbul to the world’s tallest building in Dubai, here are the best ways to spend New Year’s Eve in the Middle East!
The Burj Khalifa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The Burj Khalifa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
One of the most famous places for an extravagant New Year’s Eve, the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, displays an awe-inspiring explosion of fireworks at midnight. Thousands of people gather at Dubai Mall located right next to the Burj Khalifa, or around the surrounding bars or cafes for an up-close look at probably the biggest New Year’s celebration in the Middle East.
1 Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Blvd – Dubai – United Arab Emirates
The Emirates Palace Hotel, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Suite Hotel, Hotel
Another one of the best displays of fireworks at midnight in the UAE, the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, already glittering with its gold cafes and bejeweled ceilings, sets off a sparkling party of fireworks. They can be seen from the nearby corniche or the main boulevard as well, for those of who would rather be outside to welcome in the New Year.
Martyrs Square, Beirut, Lebanon
Memorial
Le Gray Hotel, Beirut, Lebanon
Hotel
Bhosphorous Bridge, Istanbul, Turkey
Bridge
Taksim Square, Istanbul, Turkey
Taksim Square, Istanbul, Turkey
For a more public celebration of the New Year in Istanbul, zip over to Taksim Square for an experience like no other. From singing to dancing to general merrymaking in the public square, you’ll fall in love with the Turkish spirit as you step into the New Year in tune with the blasting of Turkish music and laughter.
Taksim Meydanı, Gümüşsuyu Mahallesi, 34437 Beyoğlu/Istanbul, Turkey
Ibero Star Founty Beach, Adagir, Morocco
Hotel
Ibero Star Founty Beach, Adagir, Morocco
Adagir is one of the most beautiful places in Morocco to celebrate the New Year, with its colorful firework display and intimate Moroccan culture to experience. Head to the Ibero Star Founty Beach for a relaxing night on the sand or in the water, while falling in love with the reflections of the fireworks in the sea.
The Great Pyramids of Giza, Giza, Egypt
The Great Pyramids of Giza, Giza, Egypt
Besides the fact that you’ll be celebrating in the shadows of one of the world’s greatest Wonders, New Year’s Eve at the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt will definitely not disappoint you. From its wild fireworks to the cool desert night, this is one of the most special ways to celebrate the New Year in the Middle East.
Al Haram, Nazlet El-Semman, Al Haram, Giza Governorate, Egypt
Festival City, Cairo, Egypt
Cairo, the magical capital of Egypt, is also another colorful place to welcome in the New Year no matter where you are in this bustling city. A favorite place for the New Year however is in Festival City, a newer and more up-town part of Cairo, where you can experience fireworks, light shows, and a loud and joyful public celebration whether in a restaurant or bar when the clock strikes midnight.
The Boulevard, Amman, Jordan
If in Amman for New Year, then the Boulevard is the brightest place to be (besides stuffing yourself full of delicious kunafa at the nearby sweet shops). With its large stage and ear-smashing Arabic music, firework displays, and the crowded and noisy streets that you would expect on a New Year’s Eve, this is where everyone goes to (loudly) give their goodbyes to the old year.
The Sahara Desert, North Africa
For a more quiet and intimate farewell to the old year in the midst of one of Nature’s grandest creations, why not celebrate New Year’s Eve in the Sahara Desert? Tours (mostly from Morocco) will take you on meaningful excursions and sleepovers in the Desert for New Year’s Eve, where you can ponder the depths of the Universe in the starry skies and wake up to a brilliant desert sunrise.
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