Have you ever spent New Year’s Eve in Europe? Then you already know that we’re crazy about our fireworks. Think 4th of July in the US kind of big. It starts right at midnight and while you watch the fireworks, there’s lots of champagne and screams of “Happy New Year!!” (or whatever the national equivalent is). So much for the rest of Europe. In Italy they have trouble waiting for midnight I think 
Many times we are in Rome for New Year’s and wake up with teenagers already throwing firecrackers in the morning of December 31st. When it turns dark, you can see some fireworks in the sky throughout the evening. The big fireworks still happen at midnight though. There are organized fireworks in every major city (in Italy and pretty much everywhere else in Europe I think) and most everybody adds some of their own stuff that they shoot from their backyard or their terrace. You might want to remember the following two expressions if you ever go to Italy for New Year’s: “Auguri” (Congrats) and “Buon Anno” (Happy New Year). That’s what people will wish you while toasting with champagne and shooting & watching fireworks. Another Italian tradition? After midnight you eat lentils. Lots of lentils! Because the more lentils you eat, the more money you will have in the upcoming year.
After spending Christmas in Germany with my family we went to Rome to spend New Year’s (or Capodanno in Italian) with Marco’s friends. They had organized a get-together with some friends, lots of good food & drinks, and of course fireworks. And from the rooftop terrace we had a great view of Saint Peter in the distance and the fireworks over the Colosseum over a hill close by. After having some lentils and thus securing our monetary good fortune for 2011, we headed to downtown Rome to meet up with some more friends. The streets were packed with people celebrating the new year. Good times! One of these years I’d love to be smack downtown Rome and see the fireworks over the Colosseum from up close. Maybe when we have some more money and can get into a hotel or restaurant close by We both did eat our lentils, so who knows?! Maybe 2011 will be it!
I don’t have a good video of what we saw, but check out this one I found on YouTube. It sort of shows what we saw from a distance.
© 2011, Country Skipper. All rights reserved.
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“One of these years I’d love to be smack downtown Rome and see the fireworks over the Colosseum from up close.” I agree, sounds amazing! I was surprised at how common fireworks were in Germany, I had no idea!
Laurel recently posted..Expatriate Living – How to Live the Good Life Abroad
I was surprised when my friends here in the US told me that fireworks here weren’t such a big deal for New Year’s. I always thought it was the same way all over the world
You live and learn, right?! Since you’re so close to it, you should check out Rhein in Flammen this year if you like fireworks and that type of stuff. Beautiful!
The same thing with firework already in the morning of the 31 Dec happens in Slovakia and Spain for example, as well. And like you said, at the Colosseum should be great to watch the fireworks!
I didn’t know they did that in Slovakia and Spain also
Maybe it’s a southern thing to start a little early with the fireworks.