Have you booked that trip for New Year's Eve yet? Please don't tell me you're just going to do the standard hanging out with family and friends at home? Why don't you just bite the bullet and travel to some place you have never been?. I know of a brilliant place for a New Year's Eve celebration. That place is Edinburgh in Scotland. So what happens there I hear you ask? It is home of the annual Scottish New Year's festival, Hogmanay. I am hear to tell you that Hogmanay is a fantastic experience and a must-do for everyone on New Year's Eve. Whether it is the people, the food or the party itself, if you just get off your butt and book a trip there you will have a brilliant time. Did I tell you that the word Hogmanay means the "last day of the year" in Scottish? Well I guess not, but anyway, Edinburgh is easily one of the best places to welcome in the New Year. Personally I think it is not only the best in the UK but easily the best in the world.
So what is the origin of Hogmanay celebrations? Historians believe that the Hogmanay celebrations are deep-rooted from the Vikings who treated the eve of the New Year with special interest. There are plenty of theories to explain the origin of the word "Hogmanay". The most notable ones reckon that the word is either Flemish, Scandinavian, or even Anglo-Saxon in origin.
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.
But hey, you have to sleep somewhere sometime after New Year's Eve has finished and Edinburgh has some great places to stay. If you are travelling to Hogmanay there are plenty of accommodation options, whether hotel or hostel, but remember to book early to get the best prices. Mike and I got a fantastic deal at the 5 Star Sheraton Grand Hotel located near to the Edinburgh Centre and the famous Edinburgh Castle. However, we only got that deal because we planned ahead and booked early for the full 4 nights. I can highly recommend the Sheraton Grand Hotel, it was just amazing. The service was always first rate and the staff were extremely knowledgeable. This helped us have an amazing time for the 4 day Hogmanay festival.
We tried plenty of traditional Scottish foods whilst we were at Hogmanay. I actually had some of the best shortbread I have ever had. The cold night means that the food should be served hot though and we tried the Haggis and, well, we're not real sure. You will just have to try it for yourself! There was plenty of different drinks on offer at Hogmanay, but of course Scotch whisky is a drink you will never miss out on in Scotland. Scotch is not only enjoyed in Scotland but across the world. We did a bit of a tour around Scotland after Hogmanay and visited a few distilleries. I think Scotch is my new favourite liquor! The taste of great Scotch is indescribable.
There are so many tour groups out there that organise Hogmanay tours as well. So if you aren't the type to book stuff yourself, and if you want to go with a tour group, then do a search on the net and Im sure you will find one that will suit your budget and needs. Also, if you're looking at travelling with a whole group of people then you should definitely hook up with a Hogmanay tour group. Travelling as a group can be the best experience.
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 a wicked 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 Hogmanay celebrations? Historians believe that the Hogmanay celebrations are deep-rooted from the Vikings who treated the eve of the New Year with special interest. There are plenty of theories to explain the origin of the word "Hogmanay". The most notable ones reckon that the word is either Flemish, Scandinavian, or even Anglo-Saxon in origin.
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.
But hey, you have to sleep somewhere sometime after New Year's Eve has finished and Edinburgh has some great places to stay. If you are travelling to Hogmanay there are plenty of accommodation options, whether hotel or hostel, but remember to book early to get the best prices. Mike and I got a fantastic deal at the 5 Star Sheraton Grand Hotel located near to the Edinburgh Centre and the famous Edinburgh Castle. However, we only got that deal because we planned ahead and booked early for the full 4 nights. I can highly recommend the Sheraton Grand Hotel, it was just amazing. The service was always first rate and the staff were extremely knowledgeable. This helped us have an amazing time for the 4 day Hogmanay festival.
We tried plenty of traditional Scottish foods whilst we were at Hogmanay. I actually had some of the best shortbread I have ever had. The cold night means that the food should be served hot though and we tried the Haggis and, well, we're not real sure. You will just have to try it for yourself! There was plenty of different drinks on offer at Hogmanay, but of course Scotch whisky is a drink you will never miss out on in Scotland. Scotch is not only enjoyed in Scotland but across the world. We did a bit of a tour around Scotland after Hogmanay and visited a few distilleries. I think Scotch is my new favourite liquor! The taste of great Scotch is indescribable.
There are so many tour groups out there that organise Hogmanay tours as well. So if you aren't the type to book stuff yourself, and if you want to go with a tour group, then do a search on the net and Im sure you will find one that will suit your budget and needs. Also, if you're looking at travelling with a whole group of people then you should definitely hook up with a Hogmanay tour group. Travelling as a group can be the best experience.
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 a wicked 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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