In the Belgian and European capital, nearly 50,000 revelers gathered at the foot of the Atomium to enjoy a pyrotechnic and laser show with this iconic building as a backdrop.
The Swiss have entered the new year, with dozens of people diving into the cold waters of the Moossee during the New Year’s Eve swim in Bern. This tradition has been repeated every December 31 at noon since 1999. Thousands of people have also gathered on the shores of Lake Geneva in Geneva and Zurich to watch pyrotechnic shows.
12 grains of grapes in Spain
In Spain, in Madrid, thousands of people went to the Real Casa de Correos to eat 12 grapes according to Spanish tradition.
Fireworks were also set off in the Scandinavian capitals of Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo.
In Bucharest, Romania and Sofia, Bulgaria, the festivities had a different flavor as these two European countries accede to the Schengen free movement zone.
The celebrations planned for New Year’s Eve in London were also able to take place, attracting around a hundred thousand Britons, while weather warnings raised fears of cancellations. The last capital of the Old Continent to transition to New Year, London sparkled with fireworks above the Thames, for which 100,000 tickets had been sold. Big Ben’s clock struck midnight when it was already 1:00 a.m. in Belgium.
Belgium
