The best New Year’s Eve fireworks celebrations from around the world

You can't beat a good firework display...

Omicron may have made New Year's Eve 2022 a slightly subdued affair but that didn't stop the sky from lighting up in celebration of 2021 coming to a much welcome end. Around the globe, spectacular firework displays marked the arrival of a fresh new year where everything will totally be back to normal and nothing bad will happen at all. Probably. If you missed these dazzling spectacles, don't worry. We've pulled together a little gallery featuring some of the night's biggest and best light displays.

London

Despite additional covid measures looming over the capital - and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland already under different layers of restrictions - London still managed to celebrate with fireworks and a drone show over multiple locations including the Old Royal Navy College in Greenwich and St Paul's Cathedral. [caption id="attachment_309134" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] (Photo by Rob Pinney/Getty Images)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_309135" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] (Photo by Rob Pinney/Getty Images)[/caption]

Australia

The final day of 2021 saw New South Wales record 21,151 cases of covid-19 - which sadly set a new record - but when the clock passed midnight, the sky over Sydney Harbour lit up with this glorious display. [caption id="attachment_309136" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)[/caption]

Madrid

Madrid is currently battling its sixth wave of covid outbreaks but during last night's celebration of the grapes at Puerta del Sol Square social distancing, masks and extra precautions were in place to help viewers ring in the new year as safely as possible. [caption id="attachment_309137" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] (Photo by Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images)[/caption]

Athens

Europe is currently in the grips of an Omicron surge - but you wouldn't be able to tell looking at the picturesque firework display above the Acropolis last night. [caption id="attachment_309138" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] (Photo by Milos Bicanski/Getty Images)[/caption]

Rio De Janeiro

Mayor Eduardo Paes was forced to cancel Brazil's traditional celebration on the beach of Copacabana known as Reveillon, with New Year's Eve being welcomed by a firework display that lasted just 16 minutes. It didn't stop folks from taking a dip though. [caption id="attachment_309139" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] (Photo by Wagner Meier/Getty Images)[/caption]

Berlin

Berlin's New Year's Eve celebrations near the Brandenburg Gate were certainly colourful - but sadly they were only able to be enjoyed by television audiences, with in-person attendees unable to attend due to - you guessed it - covid restrictions. [caption id="attachment_309143" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] (Photo by Adam Berry/Getty Images)[/caption]

United Arab Emirates

While other nations may have had to hold back on celebrating in style, Ras Al Khaimah's New Year's Eve party not only dazzled - but broke two Guinness World Records. Impressive stuff. [caption id="attachment_309144" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] (Photo by Cedric Ribeiro/Getty Images for Marjan)[/caption] Related links:

• New Year Honours list: Tony Blair and Chris Whitty knighted, David Beckham snubbed
• London New Year's Eve fireworks will go ahead
• Pink eye and hair loss mean you may have had Covid-19 and didn't know