Best 8 Places To Spend New Year’s Eve in South America In 2024
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LOOKING TO HAVE THE BEST NEW YEAR’S EVE IN SOUTH AMERICA!?
Are you wondering about the best places to visit in South America for New Year’s Eve? This is also something I’m curious about as I have been backpacking in South America for three months! I’m trying to plan my New Year’s Eve here and wanted to share all the information I’ve gathered with you! Let’s jump in.
8 Places To Spend New Year’s Eve in South America
South America is a fun place for New Year’s Eve. Many countries have their own cultures and traditions, and if you go to any of the destinations on the list, you’re bound to have a great time! This list contains eight cities in Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Peru.
Best 8 Places To Spend New Year’s Eve in South America
Taking a trip to South America for New Year’s Eve was never on my bucket list until now, as I found myself in Peru during the holidays. After doing a ton of research, I can’t imagine why someone wouldn’t want to visit these places for New Year’s Eve! Let’s dive into what each location offers and the best ways to celebrate there.
Are You Prepared For Your Trip?

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rio de Janeiro in Brazil is the most popular place in the world to spend New Year’s Eve! It’s known for its amazing fireworks show, street parties, live music, and cultural traditions. Most festivities happen at Copacabana where you can listen to Brazilian artists on stage all night!
Traditions in Rio de Janeiro
Coming second to Carnaval, New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest celebrations in Brazil. The biggest parties happen on Copacabana Beach, where multiple stages feature local artists with a twelve-minute fireworks show. You’ll usually see people wearing white head to toe, and many believe that the color of your underwear will influence how the next year will go!
Another New Year’s Eve tradition is eating lentils at midnight for health and prosperity. You’ll see many people giving offerings at the beach to Yemanjá, the sea goddess, in the form of flowers, messages in bottles, and miniature boats. Many will gather around midnight to jump seven waves in the ocean, making a wish with each one for each deity.
How to Celebrate NYE in Rio de Janeiro
The best way to spend New Year’s Eve in Rio de Janeiro is by attending the live festivities at Copacabana Beach. The Reveillon party starts at 7 PM, and you can attend the private Reveillon Vista party if you wish for gourmet food, an open bar, live entertainment, and front-row seats to the fireworks display! Dress in white, bring an offering to the sea, and jump in the waves at midnight.

Punta del Este, Uruguay
If Rio de Janiero sounds too crowded for you, Punta del Este in Uruguay is your next best bet for celebrating New Year’s Eve in South America! You’ll still be in a warm climate on the coast, surrounded by beautiful beaches, dainty antique stores, and lavish restaurants! All New Year’s Eve parties here are exclusive and expensive, so you’ll want to plan your trip well in advance.
How to Celebrate NYE in Punta del Este
The best way to spend New Year’s in Punta del Este is by relaxing on the beach, taking in the waves, and waiting for the fireworks show at midnight. You can join an exclusive party or go to a lavish restaurant like La Huella, La Olada, or Restaurant Jardin.
Another way to celebrate is heading to José Ignacio, a lesser-visited city about twenty minutes from Punta del Este. This town has midnight dinners and late-night parties, and the best place to watch the fireworks is Playa del Vik. You can dance on the beach, light fireworks, and eat grapes to welcome the New Year!

Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires sounds like a magical city during New Year’s Eve, as many parties, dancing, and cultural traditions make for a great time. The town has delicious food, fantastic tango dancing, and beautiful rooftop fireworks displays. Since Buenos Aires is in the summer hemisphere, it’s a warm vacation spot to ring in the New Year!
Traditions in Buenos Aires
One of the traditions in Buenos Aires for New Year’s is throwing out their old papers and agendas from their windows to release the year’s burdens and stressors. The streets are filled with old planners as locals say goodbye to the previous year in the business district. Additionally, many families will celebrate a big dinner with the traditional asado. When the clock strikes twelve, everyone is out on the streets cheering, hugging, and celebrating the new year.
How to Celebrate NYE in Buenos Aires
For dinner, head to a parrilla (steakhouse) for a New Year’s Eve meal in Puerto Madero, but make sure to call ahead to make a reservation beforehand. Then, watch a tango show! You can spend your evening here, as it’s a great place to watch the fireworks. End the night by heading to the Palmero neighborhood to dance the night away from midnight to four in the morning.

Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena is becoming increasingly popular as a NYE destination in South America! Because of its popularity, it’s essential to plan (aim for a year in advance) so that all your New Year’s Eve plans fall into place. It’s known for its parties, delicious meals, fireworks show, and yacht days. It’s a splendid place for locals and tourists to ring in the new year!
Traditions in Cartagena
Cartagena’s New Year’s Eve traditions are similar to Rio because they’re both towns in Brazil. Many locals wear white clothing and yellow underwear, eat twelve grapes at midnight, and make a wish with each. They also might put lentils in their pocket or hold money in their hands for good luck and wealth.
How to Celebrate NYE in Cartagena
Start your night off by booking a dinner reservation at a seaside restaurant for a delicious fixed meal on the ocean. Then, a few hours before midnight, head to the historic center where festivities, live music, and fireworks displays happen on the coast. If that sounds too crowded, head to Bocagrande beach where many families and friends host their own New Year parties, toasting to the new year. Don’t forget to wear white!

Valparaiso, Chile
Valparaiso in Chile is one of the biggest New Year’s Eve parties with the largest firework displays in South America! It’s a popular choice for this holiday, so make sure you make your reservations well in advance so you aren’t scrambling a month beforehand. It’s another beautiful beachfront destination with a twenty-minute, extraordinary firework show off the ocean.
Traditions in Valparaiso
Like Colombia, Chile’s New Year’s Eve traditions include eating twelve grapes at midnight, one for each month of the year. They also wear yellow underwear for a year of romance, walk around with an empty suitcase to bring more travel, and eat a serving of lentils for abundance and success. Other traditions include putting money inside of their right shoe, wearing new clothing, and kissing at midnight to avoid a year of loneliness.
How to Celebrate NYE in Valparaiso
Valparaiso is known for its grandiose fireworks display because the city is in a harbor so you can experience it anywhere in the city! It’s legal to drink in the streets so you can party all night long. Some popular places to spend the night include Paseo Yugoslavo and Plaza Bismark. Head to Paseo Sotomayor for live music and a huge street party!

Cusco, Peru
Cusco is another fun place to spend New Year’s Eve in South America! It’s known for its wild parties, Andean traditions, and celebrations in the Plaza De Armas. If you find yourself in Peru during December, it’s worth heading down to Cusco for the New Year celebration, surrounded by brilliant Incan architecture.
Traditions in Cusco
For New Year’s Eve, many people wear yellow clothing or accessories in Cusco because they believe it represents good luck. They also eat twelve grapes and make wishes after each one. When the clock strikes midnight, everyone runs around the plaza counterclockwise, some carrying suitcases, which also signifies good luck for the upcoming year.
How to Celebrate NYE in Cusco
All of the celebrations in Cusco are at the Plaza de Armas, so you’ll want to head there for the festivities and live music that starts at 9 PM and goes on well past midnight. You can purchase fireworks, light them yourself, and enjoy alcoholic beverages on the street. You can make a reservation at a bar or restaurant if you’d like to use a restroom nearby. Make sure to wear yellow and book your accommodation in advance!

Ushuaia, Patagonia
For an intimate New Year’s Eve, head to the southernmost point in the continent: Ushuaia in Patagonia! If you love nature and want to avoid the crowds in a beautiful place, this location is the place to do so. It’s different from a traditional New Year’s Eve party but just as spectacular. Instead of crowds of people, you’ll be by breathtaking mountains.
How to Celebrate NYE in Ushuaia
One of the most magical things about New Year’s Eve in Ushuaia is that the sun doesn’t set until almost 11:30 PM since the sun is shining for 17 hours a day in December. There are many ways to celebrate, including venturing to the famous Tierra del Fuego, hiking Glacier Martial, or taking a boat through the Beagle Channel.

Salvador, Brazil
Brazil seems to be the place to be on New Year’s! Salvador is another Brazilian city that is fantastic for New Year’s Eve celebrations. It’s a place full of dance, music, and traditions that begin well before the 31st! This free, multi-day celebration has a Ferris wheel, art fair, food vendors, and multiple music stages.
Traditions in Salvador
Many locals in Salvador wear white on NYE and head to the beach with champagne to celebrate the new year. Traditions include buying roses to give blessings to Yemanjá and then jumping over seven waves at midnight. Fireworks are (of course) another tradition that happens when the clock strikes twelve!
How to Celebrate NYE in Salvador
Start your evening at the Boca do Rio festival grounds! This 55,000 square meter waterfront destination is free and open to the public with entertainment opportunities. Then, head to the beach in Barra to enjoy food and drink. You can buy snacks from vendors or flowers to give offerings to the sea goddess. Wear white and arrive early!

FAQs: Best New Year’s Eve in South America
Great! Now that we have covered eight places to spend New Year’s Eve in South America, let’s cover some frequently asked questions!
What is the best time of year to visit each South American country?
Each South American country has different climates and activities, so the answer depends on where you want to go and what you’d like to do. Generally, more moderate temperatures are preferable. However, as a general rule, October to March are better for outdoor activities.
Which country has the best New Year celebration?
Brazil arguably has the best New Year celebration, with many cities throwing huge celebrations to ring in the New Year! Some popular places in Brazil include Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and Cartagena. However, there are many great places to celebrate New Year’s Eve in South America!
How do South Americans celebrate the New Year?
There are a ton of different New Year’s Eve celebrations that happen across South America, each varying slightly with their cultural traditions. There are usually big street parties and firework shows. Many South American countries also have cultural practices like wearing white or yellow for good luck or eating a particular food before midnight.

Wrapping Up: 8 Best Places to Spend New Year Eve in South America in 2024
There you have it! Eight different South American countries that have fantastic New Year’s Eve celebrations. Did any on this list catch your eye!? I know that this list has got me planning for next year! I can’t even begin to imagine experiencing the street parties in Argentina or the fireworks show in Brazil! Happy New Year!