Having exciting plans for New Year’s Eve is an important part of the Holiday Season for many people. However, the idea of finding or throwing a good party can be exhausting, especially if you have had a busy year and just need a break! Instead of having a wild New Year’s Eve, why not have a memorable one? Get away with the ones you love to spend the big night and some days either side of it enjoying a getaway in a scenic location – sounds like a good plan to us! Ring in the new year in a new place with great food and wine and some even better people. Check out our favourite destinations for a New Year's trip and start 2025 off in comfort and style.
Italy
There are several ways to go when it comes to a vacation in Italy at this time of the year – a mountain escape in the scenic Winter Wonderland of the Alps, a city break to celebrate with the locals and soak up famous destinations while the atmosphere is festive, or heading way south for milder weather and maybe even a little bit of winter sun – it really depends on what you are after!
Toast 2025 with hot drinks and snowy views and blow the cobwebs away by hitting the slopes or exploring scenic towns and pretty traditional Christmas markets (many of which remain open for the first few days of January and are proper bucket list material) with one of our holiday rentals in the Italian Alps.
If you prefer the opposite, and milder weather, you can expect temperatures of between around 14 and 17 degrees Celsius if you book a villa in Sicily at this time of the year. Of course, those are not quite tropical conditions and you likely won’t be planning long days at the beach but you can still enjoy some sun, pleasant strolls on the coast (and maybe even a dip), unique Sicilian Christmas traditions, incredible scenery, and much more besides.
Of course, if you really want to celebrate, a vacation rental in Rome or a holiday rental in Florence or a stay in any of the other large and famous Italian cities is a great way to go. Expect markets, music, fireworks, famous landmarks all lit up for the season, and even more to see and do than usual in these grand cities at this time of the year!
Croatia
Croatia is another destination that boasts milder winter conditions throughout much of the country and will appeal to those who don’t love the cold. Not only that but, increasingly, the Christmas markets and festive celebrations of Croatia are becoming famous worldwide. A villa in Zadar, for example is a great idea as the city tends to go all out for the holidays. Those who like to get active will also find that a vacation rental in Croatia at this time of the year ensures great conditions for all sorts of outdoor adventures from hiking, to discovering national parks, to exploring gorges, to skiing. In particular, a holiday rental in Primorje-gorski Kotar, the so-called, “Green Heart of Croatia,” affords ample opportunities to get out and take in the incredible beauty of the country. And, again, while you may not be able to lay out on the beach all day at this time of the year, the famously beautiful coastline of Croatia in Istria and beyond can still be enjoyed and admired at this time of the year – without the tourist crowds.
Lapland
Going the polar (ahem) opposite way completely, if you are dreaming, not only of a white Christmas but a true adventure over the Holidays and into the New Year, then why not head to Santa’s turf? Meet the man himself with your kids, go on sleigh rides, feed some reindeer, and then ring in the new year in a cosy cabin while the snow floats down past your windows. For those with kids who want to do something really special and make memories that will last a lifetime but who also want to escape to a perfectly atmospheric and scenic Winter Wonderland as they see out the end of one year and welcome another, this is a dream option! Browse our array of vacation rentals in Lapland and have the most magical Holiday Season ever!
Canary Islands
If, once again, you have an absolute horror of the cold and you would prefer to spend your festive period warm and dry at all times instead, then a villa in the Canary Islands is far more suitable. With average temperatures in the islands at this time of the year staying between a delightful 18 and 24 degrees Celsius, this is really the one destination in all of Europe where you can truly expect to beat the cold. Spend New Year’s Eve sipping wine on the terrace and then go for a swim and a day by the beach the next day. Soak up the sun, warm your bones, and enjoy a properly relaxing winter sun getaway – the ideal way to start off 2025 on the right note!
So, don’t wait around for great New Year’s Eve plans to come your way, make them for yourself instead! No matter your preferences, you will find a perfect getaway with us but if you need a little help finding exactly what you’re after, just contact us and our team of seasoned villa experts will be more than glad to help you plan a dream escape.
