From drinks parties to camping and mountain retreats: this is how Spain's way of spending New Year's Eve is changing

It will soon be New Year's Eve, the craziest part of the festive celebrations that make up the Christmas period, synonymous with massive parties and unbridled revelry until the small hours in bars and nightclubs. Or maybe not so much any more. More and more people are looking for alternative plans. Across Spain, it's very common to go skiing or find a different city from our usual place to eat those traditional 12 grapes, for example. Still, in the last five years, there has been an exponential growth in what experts call 'outdoor tourism', travel that brings us into contact with nature. "It's no longer an exclusively summer option," say industry sources.

Can you imagine spending some of these winter days at a campsite? It might surprise you, but it's an option that's gaining popularity. Both sides get to benefit from this phenomenon: Increasingly more customers are interested and more campsites are willing to accommodate them. At the Izarpe campsite, in Navarre, they are operating at full capacity right now: "Our supermarket only closes on Christmas Day and New Year's Day", explains Alfonso Serrano, the campsite's manager.

This year, camping businesses have seen a significant increase in bookings, "41%", according to data from Pitchup, a leading platform that operates worldwide. Of the 207 businesses that are signed to the platform, almost half (93) have opened for the festive season. Among them is Serrano's campsite. "Five years ago, something like this was unthinkable," he says. Still, over this time, we, the tourists, have changed by leaps and bounds. We've taken to the hills and embraced nature. The pandemic certainly played a part, when nature became our escape. Many had never even set foot in the countryside before, but then they fell in love with it.

It is also true that camping offers an experience where you can still choose a budget for your trip without breaking the bank. Dan Yates, founder and CEO of Pitchup, explains it best when talking about the growth in bookings. "Travellers aren't giving up their Christmas getaway, but they are looking to optimise their budget more than ever." Fortunately, campsites and other outdoorsy lodgings are working within more affordable price ranges to suit all budgets.

At Izarpe, the Christmas lights and fireplaces in the common areas and cabins transform the facilities. How they look right now has nothing to do with the image they present in summer. Neither is the cold really noticeable: "We're completely adapted to these dates," says the manager, Alfonso Serrano. The regular customers, who are the majority at this time of year, are well aware of this. Yet, so do the new ones, who come to try it out and see if they like it... and then they promise to return too. At this campsite, New Year's Eve dinner is a private affair: everyone keeps to their own. The restaurant only opens before midnight so that everyone can eat those grapes together "and then we have a New Year's Eve party with a DJ", says the manager.

- What is the average spend at this time of year? 

- It's slightly higher than in low season, as many guests take the opportunity to dine at the restaurant on other days or extend their stay.

Spending New Year's Eve at a campsite has a hint of adventure, but not as much as spending the occasion in a mountain refuge, which is another, increasingly popular, outdoor tourism option. Obviously, it's not for everyone as you have to like the mountains and you have to respect several things, including the fact that you'll be sharing a room with complete strangers. However, once you get past that, welcoming in the New Year while up a mountain is a very appealing way to recharge your batteries.

At the Lizara refuge, in Aragüés del Puerto (Huesca province), the 'No vacancies' sign has been up for that night for several years now. "Word gets around" and people sign up, says Cristina, one of the three people who make up the ranger team supporting that refuge. It is not the only mountain lodge to do this: the New Year's Eve celebrations at La Renclusa, at the foot of the highest peak in the Pyrenees, Aneto, are also famous.

How can you resist eating grapes in the warmth of the fireplace in the dining-room? Besides, you don't need to splash out on outfits of sequins and lace. At the refuge, they'll welcome 2026 while wearing hiking trousers and merino wool shirts. "We prepare a special dinner worthy of the night, with turrón and champagne at the end! We also give everyone a little bag of grapes. The atmosphere usually warms up with the daft wigs, glasses and balloons that we put out, so anyone who wants to can dress up or get into the spirit while having dinner."

At midnight, there are also some 'chimes', but they are not the bells at Madrid's Puerta del Sol: "One of us rings them in with a saucepan. There's no cell service here!" - another fun touch. Then there's a mini-party: they play music and there's always someone who starts playing a guitar or leads the group in dancing.

- Mountaineers have a reputation for being early risers. 

- We advise early risers to bring earplugs. However, at around 2am we start winding down.

Then, in the morning, breakfast and everyone heads off to the mountains, where the peaks of Bisaurín and Mesa de los Tres Reyes await them.