Everyone loves to start a new year in style, some opt to travel to places they have never been, and others prefer to spend the time with their family. To kick-start the new year, I recommend going to Edinburgh for the Hogmanay festival, which is just completely amazing. The people, the food and the party itself left me with a very memorable experience. Hogmanay (last day of the year in Scottish) in Edinburgh is recognized as one of the best places to welcome in the new year. I think it is not only the best in the UK but also around the world.
So what is the origin of this Hogmanay festival I hear you ask? Well some historians say that the Vikings actually invented the Hogmanay celebrations because the actual eve of New Year was an important event to the vikings. So I guess it was only natural that they would want to celebrate with a big shindig on New Year's Eve! What about the word Hogmanay, where is that from? Well some say Flemish, some say Scandinavian, some people even say it is Anglo-Saxon. Well I have got no idea, I just know that it is a wicked party.
Having personally experienced the New Year's Eve celebration of Hogmanay in Scotland, I can confidently say it is a breath-taking event. The fireworks in the night skies, the dancing and the music among others give you everything you are looking for in a New Year's Eve. For a moment it felt like I was on a different planet and just wanted the party to continue. I was particularly surprised with the large number of people who attended. I'm thinking there were over 250,000 partygoers from all around the world. I was there with an American friend, Mike, and you could see the smile and happiness in his face at how awesome the night was.
So have I convinced you yet? You're worried you wont get accommodation? Well you don't need to worry too much, just take my advice and book as early as you can. Even though there are plenty of accommodation options in Edinburgh, particularly affordable hotels and hostels, it is always a good idea to remember to book early as you can to make sure you get the best prices. Mike and I got a wicked deal at this flash 5 Star Hotel, called the Sheraton Grand Hotel. It was really central and located not far from the famous Edinburgh Castle, which is pretty much in the middle of the town. But not everyone can afford 5 star I know, but hey we only got that deal because we planned ahead and booked early for the full 4 nights. So that is more of a recommendation for you to get into and book ASAP. I can highly recommend the Sheraton Grand Hotel, it was just a fantastic place to stay. The services were amazing and the staff super enthusiastic for the New Year. This helped us have an amazing time for the 4 day Hogmanay festival.
Mike and I tried plenty of traditional Scottish foods whilst we were at Hogmanay. The cold night means that the food should be served hot and we even gave the Haggis a run. It wasn't for me, but Mike went back for seconds. Maybe just give it a go for yourself and see what you think. If you like sweets I actually had some of the best shortbread I have ever had. There was plenty of different drinks on offer at Hogmanay, but of course Scotch whisky is the drink of Scotland. You know what they say, "When In Rome"! But hey, Scotch is not only enjoyed in Scotland but across the world. I actually think Scotch is my new favourite drink! I just love really good Scotch, the taste is incredible.
We noticed plenty of tours groups at Hogmanay, so if you're looking at travelling with a whole group of people then you should check out some of these companies that organise Hogmanay tours. Travelling as a group can be the best experience ever if that is you're thing, but Mike and I decided we would just book everything ourselves and go it alone.
There was plenty of things happening at Hogmanay, but there is nothing like singing Auld Lang Syne at midnight in the country where the song originated. It really was an incredible experience.
Hogmanay offers a magic way for you to kick in the New Year in style. You definitely will not regret it.
So what is the origin of this Hogmanay festival I hear you ask? Well some historians say that the Vikings actually invented the Hogmanay celebrations because the actual eve of New Year was an important event to the vikings. So I guess it was only natural that they would want to celebrate with a big shindig on New Year's Eve! What about the word Hogmanay, where is that from? Well some say Flemish, some say Scandinavian, some people even say it is Anglo-Saxon. Well I have got no idea, I just know that it is a wicked party.
Having personally experienced the New Year's Eve celebration of Hogmanay in Scotland, I can confidently say it is a breath-taking event. The fireworks in the night skies, the dancing and the music among others give you everything you are looking for in a New Year's Eve. For a moment it felt like I was on a different planet and just wanted the party to continue. I was particularly surprised with the large number of people who attended. I'm thinking there were over 250,000 partygoers from all around the world. I was there with an American friend, Mike, and you could see the smile and happiness in his face at how awesome the night was.
So have I convinced you yet? You're worried you wont get accommodation? Well you don't need to worry too much, just take my advice and book as early as you can. Even though there are plenty of accommodation options in Edinburgh, particularly affordable hotels and hostels, it is always a good idea to remember to book early as you can to make sure you get the best prices. Mike and I got a wicked deal at this flash 5 Star Hotel, called the Sheraton Grand Hotel. It was really central and located not far from the famous Edinburgh Castle, which is pretty much in the middle of the town. But not everyone can afford 5 star I know, but hey we only got that deal because we planned ahead and booked early for the full 4 nights. So that is more of a recommendation for you to get into and book ASAP. I can highly recommend the Sheraton Grand Hotel, it was just a fantastic place to stay. The services were amazing and the staff super enthusiastic for the New Year. This helped us have an amazing time for the 4 day Hogmanay festival.
Mike and I tried plenty of traditional Scottish foods whilst we were at Hogmanay. The cold night means that the food should be served hot and we even gave the Haggis a run. It wasn't for me, but Mike went back for seconds. Maybe just give it a go for yourself and see what you think. If you like sweets I actually had some of the best shortbread I have ever had. There was plenty of different drinks on offer at Hogmanay, but of course Scotch whisky is the drink of Scotland. You know what they say, "When In Rome"! But hey, Scotch is not only enjoyed in Scotland but across the world. I actually think Scotch is my new favourite drink! I just love really good Scotch, the taste is incredible.
We noticed plenty of tours groups at Hogmanay, so if you're looking at travelling with a whole group of people then you should check out some of these companies that organise Hogmanay tours. Travelling as a group can be the best experience ever if that is you're thing, but Mike and I decided we would just book everything ourselves and go it alone.
There was plenty of things happening at Hogmanay, but there is nothing like singing Auld Lang Syne at midnight in the country where the song originated. It really was an incredible experience.
Hogmanay offers a magic way for you to kick in the New Year in style. You definitely will not regret it.
About the Author:
For an extensive array of information and advice for New Year's Eve in Edinburgh for Hogmanay, including travel options, travel tips, party spots and other activities you should contact the events and festival travel specialists, FOMO Travel.
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