New Year's Eve breaks in Scotland

When it comes to New Year's Eve, no one does it quite like Scotland. The Scots don't just celebrate New Year's Eve, they invented their own version of it. Hogmanay is a days-long affair running from 30 December through to 2 January, rooted in ancient midwinter traditions, with ceilidhs, street parties, the singing of Auld Lang Syne at midnight and the custom of first-footing: visiting neighbours after midnight bearing gifts of coal, whisky or shortbread. Both 1 and 2 January are public holidays in Scotland, giving you a longer natural break than you'd get anywhere else in the UK. A cottage in the Scottish Highlands makes the most of it all: the drama of the landscape, the warmth of local celebrations and a base that's entirely your own for the whole trip.