On the last day of 2024, I found myself in Madrid, Spain🇪🇸!
As someone traveling around Europe, I was pondering where to spend New Year’s Eve and stumbled upon the Spanish tradition of eating 12 grapes at midnight. I thought, “That’s so unique and fun!” and decided to experience the New Year’s festivities in Spain.
I heard that celebrating New Year’s Eve in Madrid, especially at Puerta del Sol Square, is one of the most iconic experiences in Spain. That sealed the deal—I was going to spend New Year’s in Madrid!
To cut to the chase, I failed to get into Puerta del Sol Square!!!!
So, here’s why that happened and some tips for anyone planning to go next time.
6:00 PM: Arrived at Puerta del Sol Square
I thought it might be a bit early, but recalling how crowded New Year’s Eve in New York gets, I decided to play it safe and head to Puerta del Sol at 6:00 PM.
At that time, there were no strict restrictions, and anyone could freely walk around. It didn’t feel like a massive celebration was about to take place there in just six hours. I assumed that if I waited patiently in the square, I’d be able to join the festivities when the time came.
…But things didn’t go as planned. 😅
雲行きが怪しくなり始めたのは午後9時周りから。
9:00 PM: Everyone at Puerta del Sol Square was asked to leave.
Around 8:30 PM, security personnel began gathering in the square and setting up gates around the perimeter. (At this point, no one in the square knew what was about to happen.)
At 9:00 PM, a drone equipped with a loudspeaker announced to the crowd that Puerta del Sol Square needed to be cleared temporarily. People currently in the square were instructed to exit and line up outside for security checks before being allowed back in.
It turns out that to participate in the New Year’s Eve celebrations at Puerta del Sol Square, everyone had to undergo a security check by guards, including a bag inspection. Only after being cleared were people allowed to enter—and yes, this required waiting in line! But there was no prior information about this! Was this implemented starting this year?!
We rushed to exit the square and quickly got in line.
The 🔴 marks are the security checkpoints (there might be others as well). By 9:00 PM, the lines (marked in yellow) were already incredibly long, and seeing the sheer number of people was disheartening. I believe we joined the line somewhere around the 🔵 area.
11:30 PM: A Slowly Moving Line and I pray the success
I stood in line from 9 PM, and as the line barely moved, anxiety started creeping in—I was convinced I wouldn’t make it to the square in time. Others around me seemed puzzled, muttering things like, “Are we really supposed to line up this year?” However, shortly after 11 PM, the line started to move more smoothly, and I could finally see the checkpoint ahead. I have no idea what changed.
As I got closer to the checkpoint, I noticed some people cutting into the line here and there. What’s going on? Is security even checking? And then, just as I reached the entrance, the security guard slammed the gate shut, shouting, “The venue is at full capacity!” It was over.
11:55 PM: Mission Failed to Enter the Square! But Time to Shift Gears and Celebrate New Year’s!
At that point, there was nothing I could do, so I decided to enjoy the New Year’s celebration from a spot further up. Surprisingly, I was able to shift my mood quite easily—perhaps I was just too tired.
I pulled out the grapes I had bought the day before at Supermercado El Corte Inglés (super convenient for carrying around!) and ended up celebrating the New Year with a Japanese traveler I happened to meet at that moment.
In the end, I celebrated with people from all over the world who had gathered here, and we all rang in the New Year together! Well, at least I got to see the fireworks, so I’ll take that as a win!
By the way, no one around me was eating grapes. (What’s up with that?)
I hope you all succeed in celebrating the New Year at Puerta del Sol Square!
