Thinking about heading to Edinburgh to bid adieu to 2024? Oh lucky, you are! New Year in Edinburgh, also known as Hogmanay in the Scottish language, is considered one of the biggest festivals in the world. With elegant music, stunning firework displays, street parties, age-old ceremonial traditions, and full-on entertainment, you can spend your NYE with fun and thrill. Edinburgh's Hogmanay lasts for three days starting from 29 December 2024 to 1st January 2025.
Explore These Six Activities to Celebrate a Grand New Year in Edinburgh
Edinburgh attracts thousands of visitors during New Year's to enjoy firework displays, lavish parties, and scrumptious food with laughter and fun. There are many ways to embrace, explore, and have fun to create long-lasting memories in Edinburgh. The best time to visit Edinburgh is from June to August. If you wish to celebrate New Year in Edinburgh, this blog post is for you. Here, you'll be provided with top events and activities to attend the grand NYE celebration in Edinburgh. Let the adventures begin, my friend!
- Princes Street Gardens
- Calton Hill
- Waterloo Place
- Torchlight Procession
- St Giles' Cathedral
- Beehive Inn
1. Princes Street Gardens
There is a lot to explore in Princes Street Gardens. The mega concert by Scottish music icons Texas including Sharleen Spiteri and Callum Beattie in the Gardens is one of the highlights of the evening's entertainment. Be aware it is a ticketed event starting from 31st December 2024. Book your tickets to Hogmanay in Edinburgh before the time runs out.
Location: Princes St, Edinburgh EH2 2HG, United Kingdom
Famous Hotels:
- Premier Inn Edinburgh City Centre (Princes Street) hotel
- Aparthotel Adagio Edinburgh Royal Mile
- The Balmoral
- Motel One Edinburgh Princes
- Hotel Indigo Edinburgh - Princes Street, an IHG Hotel
Major Attractions:
- Panoramic view Castle
- Princes Street Gardens Playground
- Floral Clock
- Ross Band Stand
- Edinburgh Christmas Market
Suggested Read: Astonishing Places To Visit In Scotland For A Relishinig Sojourn
2. Calton Hill
If you love watching impressive fireworks displays by staying away from the main crowd, then head to Calton Hill. It is one of the best places to experience Edinburgh's NYE celebrations including street parties with music and dance.
Location: Edinburgh EH7 5BN, United Kingdom
Famous Hotels:
- Hilton Edinburgh Carlton
- The Glasshouse, Autograph Collection
- Parliament House Hotel - Lovely Edinburgh Hotel in City Centre
- Apex Waterloo Place Hotel
- Princes Street Suites
Major Attractions:
- Nelson Monument
- National Monument of Scotland
- Dugald Stewart Monument
- City Observatory
- Robert Burns Monument
Suggested Read: Top Activities to Enjoy a Fabulous New Year in London
3. Waterloo Place
Waterloo Place is a historic square in London to celebrate Edinburgh's Hogmanay to enjoy Edinburgh's New Year's Eve Party with luxurious dinner cruises. There are many amazing things to do here including impressive fireworks, a hotel gala, a variety of drinks, and music.
Location: Edinburgh, UK
Famous Hotels:
- Apex Waterloo Place Hotel
- Travelodge Edinburgh Central Waterloo Place
- Destiny Scotland Hanover Apartments
- Braid Apartments By Mansley
- Eden Locke - Studio Apartment
Major Attractions:
- The Real Mary King's Close
- Edinburgh Castle
- Dynamic Earth
- The Edinburgh Dungeon
- Scott Monument
Suggested Read: Atypical Things To Do In Scotland For An Exciting Excursion
4. Torchlight Procession
Edinburgh's Hogmanay torchlight procession is an annual event that occurs at the end of December every year. This tradition starts at The Meadows and ends at Castle Terrace, involving thousands of torchbearers holding burning candles across the city to welcome the year ahead with good fortune.
Location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Famous Hotels:
- Radisson Blu Hotel
- The Balmoral Hotel
- Apex Waterloo Place Hotel
- Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa
- Hilton Edinburgh Carlton
Major Attractions:
- The Royal Mile
- Holyrood Park
- Edinburgh’s Old Town
- Nelson Monument
- National Museum of Scotland
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5. St Giles' Cathedral
St Giles' Cathedral is one of the best places to celebrate the new year in the world. Every year, there is an NYE concert held in St Giles' Cathedral that features religiously themed musical performances from well-known composers like Mozart, Handel, and Bach along with local choirs.
Location: High St, Edinburgh EH1 1RE, United Kingdom
Famous Hotels:
- St Christopher's Inn Edinburgh Old Town
- Cheval Old Town Chambers
- CoDE Pod – THE CoURT
- Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate
- Market Street hotel
Major Attractions:
- Greyfriars Kirkyard Cemetery Edinburgh
- The Scotch Whisky Experience
- Camera Obscura & World of Illusions
- John Knox House
- The Vennel Viewpoint Edinburgh Castle
Suggested Read: Nightlife In Scotland: Top Ways for an Astonishing Night
6. Beehive Inn
Beehive Inn is one of the ideal places for a bachelor party in the world. You can enjoy scrumptious cuisine with loads of drinks while enjoying live music performances. Are you planning to spend your New Year's Eve there? Book your tickets now to enjoy Edinburgh's Hogmanay.
Location: 18-20 Grassmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2JU, United Kingdom
Famous Hotels:
- Apex City of Edinburgh Hotel
- High Street Hostel
- Novotel Edinburgh Centre
- Britannia Hotel Edinburgh
- DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh City Centre
Major Attractions:
- Forward and Half Moon Battery
- Advocate's Close
- Edinburgh Castle - Mill's Mount Battery
- The Witches Well
- City of the Dead Tours
Edinburgh’s New Year’s Eve or Hogmanay is renowned for its stunning firework displays, superb music, extravagant parties, traditional dancing, and family events, attracting millions of revelers around the world. From the inspiring Torchlight Procession to massive fireworks against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, New Year in Edinburgh is one festival that no one should miss. Are you excited to be a part of Hogmanay this year? Book Edinburgh tour packages and make your NYE filled with fun, thrill, and entertainment.
New Year in Edinburgh FAQs
Edinburgh's Hogmanay is a world-famous New Year celebration held annually in Edinburgh to experience both Chinese and Scottish cultures simultaneously. It has become one of the largest celebrations since 2019 that features street theatres, torchlight processions, firework displays, and mega concerts.
Some of the best places to attend NYE party in Edinburgh are:
- Central Edinburgh
- The Balmoral Hotel
- Princes Street Gardens
- Holyrood Park
Some of the best hotels to stay in Edinburgh for NYE include:Answer will be here
- Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa
- The Balmoral Hotel
- Apex Waterloo Place Hotel
- Radisson Blu Hotel
The Chinese NY festival in Edinburgh also known as Lunar New Year features live DJ music, outdoor celebrations, and exclusive offers. It will fall on January 29th in 2025. So, mark your calendars now to celebrate this auspicious day.
You can attend huge programs including events, live music shows, dragon, and lion dances, and full-on entertainment throughout the night on Chinese NY.
Some of the best spots to enjoy massive fireworks displays in Edinburgh are:
- The Vennel Viewpoint, Edinburgh Castle
- Grassmarket
- West Princess Street
- Castle Terrace Car Park
The average temperature during NYE in Edinburgh ranges from 1 to 7 degrees Celsius.
Not at all. Many certified online travel agencies provide customizable tour packages to Edinburgh as per your budget and requirements so that you can spend NYE with a bang.
Haggis, fish supper, local seafood, porridge, and steak pie are some of the recommended dishes to try in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is one of the grand parties in the world to experience NY firework displays, music, and dances with lots of street food and more.
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