Stockholm/Madrid - Cities across Europe are busy planning festivities to ring in the New Year and those planning to uncork a bottle of champagne abroad have many foreign destinations to choose from.

The Swedish capital, Stockholm, is staging a party at the open-air museum in Skansen with thousands of expected guests.

Music and a big fireworks display are on the programme which will take place even in frosty temperatures. "If need be, wear ski trousers," said Marion Freitag of the Swedish tourist information office in Hamburg.

Shortly before midnight, guests wander outdoors to watch the fireworks display over Stockholm.

In Denmark, the 6 pm broadcast of the Queen's New Year speech officially launches the festivities.

Copenhagen's town hall clock is the traditional meeting point and the countdown is broadcast on television across the nation.

Danes like to dress up for New Year's Eve. "But even people who wear ball gowns and tuxedos like to wear a colourful paper hat," according to Rainer Buechtmann from the Danish tourist office.

Another Danish tradition is to jump into the New Year from a chair, says Buechtmann, adding "That brings luck."

In The Netherlands, traditional New Year's TV viewing consists of the "Oudejaarsconference" in which a cabaret artist hosts a revue of the past year's events.

The best place to watch Amsterdam's fireworks display is at the bridge between Bloemgracht and Prinsengracht, according to the Dutch tourist office.

The Scottish capital, Edinburgh, is the focal point for the local brand of New Year's celebration called Hogmanay.

Traditional Ceilidhs or raucous dance parties with Scottish folk music, such as the one on Princes Street below Edinburgh Castle, take place around the city.

Hogmanay is one of the biggest New Year's parties in the world, according to the Visit Britain tourist office.

However, not only Edinburgh, but London also marks the beginning of 2009 in a big way. And of course there will be plenty of people singing Robert Burns' "Auld Lang Syne" when bells strike midnight.

There is no better city to toast the New Year than Paris where there are plenty of restaurants to mark the end of 2008 in style. A good place to meet at midnight is the Champs-Elysees.

Open-air parties are becoming increasingly popular in Poland and the largest will be held in Warsaw on the main shopping square Plac Konstytucji.

According to the Polish tourist board, the music of Swedish pop group Abba will feature at this year's party.

Zurich will host the biggest New Year's party in Switzerland where 200,000 guests are expected.

Just after midnight, the lights around Lake Zurich's basin will go out and 60 seconds later a 20-minute fireworks display will begin.

In Madrid, people traditionally meet shortly before midnight at the clock on the main square of Puerta del Sol.

Another tradition is to bring 12 grapes to eat with each strike of the clock's bell. Anyone who eats all 12 can look forward to a happy New Year.

Most people celebrate on the street before heading to a night club, said Maria Fernandez Medina of the Spanish tourist information office.

In the morning, Spaniards eat churros, a type of shortbread, with hot chocolate and then it's time for bed. (dpa)