Reaching the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one always takes us to that verge, that invisible edge of accomplishment that awakens the urge to celebrate. We have made it one more time to the beginning of something new and we should make sure to start it in grand style!
Stockholm offers numerous ways to take on the collective euphoria and celebrate with the masses, but sometimes it’s not so easy to know where to start. That is why we have put together a guide for you to the big fat party of the year – New Year’s Eve in Stockholm!
The celebration in the city centre:
The city of Stockholm itself will not be setting off a large display of fireworks in the same way as previous years. Instead it will invite us to a great pyro-musical New Year celebration at Norrbro and Gustav Adolfs Torg. By focusing on music and by choosing fewer big fireworks the celebration will be more sustainable. This year’s New Year celebration’s changed also means fewer roads closed to traffic. The pyro-musical will be set at Slottskajen, and you can watch it from Norrbro and Gustav Adolf’s square. Music with Swedish artists, ranging from classical to house, pop and rock, synchronised with colourful pyrotechnics will create a breathtaking show. A map over the area and more information about availability and roads closed for traffic can be found here. It starts at 23:30 and entrance is of course free!
The traditional celebration:
The one place in town that offers the most traditional and the most Swedish way to start off the New Year is Skansen, Sweden’s biggest and oldest open-air museum.
They offer music and entertainment on the Solliden stage where the classic Lord Tennyson poem “Ring out wild bells” is recited (in Swedish) every year at midnight to a large audience (not just on location, but broadcast live on TV) and the biggest display of fireworks happens here with an astounding view of Stockholm as the background.
Their bars offer the best seats and champagne to toast the New Year.
You can also book a table at The Solliden restaurant that has a special New Year’s menu. Their café Skansen Terrassen is also open between 20.00 – 01-00.
New Years concert i Seglora Church, 22:00.
Live broadcast from the Solliden stage by Swedish Television, 23:10-00:15.
The entrance fees to Skansen on New Year’s Eve are:
Adults 245 SEK
Senior/student 225 SEK
Children 4-15 years FREE
Fireworks:
People always want to know where is the best place to see fireworks in the city. Although Skansen is a great place for that, perhaps you want to try something different, in fact there are some other prime locations for the display of lights and colours.
Many of the best places for fireworks watching are on Södermalm – Fjällgatan, Katarinaberget or Fåfängan, all facing the Stockholm waters from the opposite side of Skansen.
Also Gamla Stan’s eastern side along the wide water-side pedestrian road is a loved place to appreciate the fireworks. And Skeppsholmen, the small island oposite to Gamal Stan.
Plan your night:
A good piece of advice is to gather at a friend’s house to have dinner or a glass of fine bubbles. Right before midnight it’s time to get well wrapped up in warm clothes, and head out to see the fireworks. Make sure you are there in good time as the streets may get quite crowded in the most popular places.
Then you can either opt to go back to your friend’s place or to hit the clubs with loads of other people.
Another well recommended option is to have dinner at a restaurant, hotel or club. Table reservations need to be made way in advance from the beginning or mid-December to ensure good seating times and a good location. Places like Berns, Grand Hotel, Sturecompagniet, Södra Teatern or Café Opera are great options if you want to have a special New Year’s dinner and something else, such as music, dancing and entertainment also on the menu.
The party:
Dance floors all around Stockholm flood with the cheery spirits of all those who want to spend the first night of the New Year showing off their dance moves in the collective joy and the expectation of a year always better than the ending one. And of course the demand is high, so clubs around Stockholm prepare with selling tickets to their New Year parties from the first days of December and obviously, they’re not cheap. So if you don’t want to stay out of the party, you must buy your tickets at least before Christmas Day. And it is well worth it. You can expect the seconds counted down to midnight, hugging strangers, enjoying bubbly drinks, getting down to dance floor fillers and lots of fun.
Clubs we can recommend are: Södra Teatern, Slakthuset, Berns, Club Backdoor, Debaser, Sthlm Under Sjärnorna, Tak.
Or there’s of course Golden Hits and Wallmans, if you would like to get entertained with a show and then continue the evening in the night club.
And of course you can find all the info to the best New Year’s Eve parties in town on our Events Calendar, where we have hand-picked everything you need to know about where to find them and have included direct links to the ticket purchasing sites, although we have also info about some free parties that will have all you need to start the new year off with style and it’s completely in english. Find our Events Calendar here! And don’t forget to head over to the Events Calendar anytime you want to find out what’s going on in Stockholm, as we have your access to the best events and happenings in town all throughout the year.
Photo credits: David Schmidt Follow him on Instagram @davidschmidt08. Website: www.pixprovider.com
Photo credits: Skansen
