More than a million people gather in Berlin between the Brandenburg Gate and the Victory Column to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. Living up to its reputation of a party city, the celebrations continue on the street well after the midnight fireworks have died down.

The New Year is welcomed in the British capital with Big Ben ringing from the Houses of Parliament. Then fireworks are set off over the Thames River. Those wishing for the best view of this spectacle should head to the London Eye, Europe's biggest Ferris wheel, but tickets are very hard to get, as are tbose for other vantage points.

For Greeks, New Year celebrations are more important than Christmas. Apart from enjoying good food and wine, they traditionally play cards after the fireworks either at home or at a casino. The celebrations on the central Syntagma Square, not far from the Acropolis, have shrunk in size since the financial crisis. A good view of Athens can be had from Mount Lycabettus.

On the Champ de Mars and on the Place du Trocadéro, there is none of the noise or nasty smells usually associated with fireworks. Instead, you can enjoy a light and laser show that elegantly illuminates the Eiffel Tower. On the Champs-Elysées, with a view of the Arc de Triomphe, Parisians and visitors gather to embrace and wish each other "Bonne année."

The meeting spot of Christians from around the world is the Piazza San Pietro or St. Peter's Square. They gather there on the last night of the year to wait for the pope to arrive at St. Peter's Basilica, where he personally celebrates the New Year's Mass. Tickets for the service are free of charge, but usually run out quickly as there are only 10,000 available.

Here, the fireworks launched from the surrounding hills illuminate the golden roofs of the Czech capital. The custom here is to cut an apple in half - if the pips form a star, then you are said to be in for good fortune in the coming year. If the pips form the shape of a cross, though, it might be a good idea to cut another apple in half.

There's a big party on the Puerta del Sol, the central square in the historical city center. In addition to sparkling wine, you should be sure to bring some grapes to the party. It is the tradition in Spain to eat a grape every time the bell chimes at midnight. Couples often feed each other with the grapes. It is said to bring luck in the New Year.

A lot of tourists come especially for New Year to this Portuguese island, nearly 1,000 kilometers southwest of Lisbon, to enjoy what the Guinness book of Records claims is the biggest firework display in the world. Festively decorated cruise liners anchor in the harbor of Funchal. After midnight, the traditional New Year's chicken soup (Canja da Galinha) is served.

A slightly more expensive way to see in the New Year is by watching the fireworks while having a glass of champagne after a six-course meal on board a paddle-wheel steamer on Lake Geneva. The setting is very romantic, as the shores of the biggest French-Swiss lake are artistically lit when darkness descends.

The city of two continents celebrates the New Year on the central Taksim Square. The best view of the fireworks over the Bosporus can be had from the Galata Bridge. The occasion is given a more tranquil celebration on the Asian side of Istanbul - that's where you can enjoy an uninterrupted view over the Turkish city at night.