In case you missed it, check out my previous Italy posts:
Italy: First Day on the Slopes
Day 4
After another early morning and fantastic breakfast, Peter and I hit the slopes. The weather was beautiful and the sun was out, however the slopes were a little icy. My quads were screaming with mercy which I ignored in favor of the magnificent view of the Dolomites.
We skied hard all day and had a great time exploring some new runs. I also enjoyed the best salmon salad of my life at a restaurant in town for lunch. I was yet to be disappointed by a meal in Italy.
Absolutely exhausted, we headed back to the hotel at a reasonable hour and promptly removed our outer ski layers. My feet and legs were so tired that I could barely walk! Peter was tired too…
Haha.
Despite the agony of walking, it felt good to step out of my torture devices and into roomy fur boots. Yes I call my ski boots torture devices. They are so evil. We were then pleasantly surprised when we walked into our hotel room to a fun New Years Eve display! Very impressive!
We spent some time relaxing in the spa and chugging naturally flavored water (yum) before getting ready for a special New Years Eve dinner. Our hotel prepared a 5-course dinner that would last until midnight. Whew!
After resting and hydrating, we got all fancy and arrived in the dining room at 8 o’clock. The dinner was long (a little too long actually) but insanely delicious. Each dish was amazing, especially this pumpkin deer dish. Oh lordy.
By the time the last course came, it was almost 11:30 pm. I didn’t want to miss the fireworks so I rushed to our room and grabbed my camera and ski jacket. We didn’t have to go far to enjoy the festivities because our hotel balcony overlooks town square!
Every New Years Eve, the locals of Selva gather in the town square to celebrate. There is a DJ who plays some typical Euro fan”trash”tic tunes and all the youths gather around and dance. It’s like an outdoor club set at a chilly 20 degrees where people jump up and down for hours to stay warm. These Italians are crazy!
Before we knew it, the DJ was counting down the seconds as we watched from the balcony, jumping up and down with excitement and in an effort to stay warm. Tre… Due… Uno… and BOOM!
Happy New Year! Or as they say in Italy, Buon Anno!
The sky exploded in light as people screamed and cheered from below. A steady stream of fireworks were set off from different areas around the square which seemed like a serious fire hazard in a city of wood. We learned later that a hotel higher up in the valley actually burned to ground when it came it contact with some fireworks. Oh no!
Blissfully ignorant, we drank champagne, marveled at the nearby explosions of light, and danced around like crazy people. The other hotel guests looked at us like we were mad, but we didn’t care. We will forever be those crazy Americans!
The celebrations continued on the square as people drank champagne, set off mini-firworks, and proceeded to dance the night away. A few people lit lanterns and released them into the sky. Watching the lanterns drift upwards and over the town was a beautiful sight to behold. It is a vision I will always remember.
After an hour or so my legs were about to fall off from frostbite so Peter and I ventured downstairs to the hotel cafe. There they had another DJ and dance floor with dozens of locals and hotel guests dancing away. Count me in! We danced for hours and sang the crap out of some American classics like Grease and Katy Perry. It was awesome! I love dancing so much, even though I suck!
By 2am, Peter was falling asleep on the dance floor so I reluctantly retreated back to the room with him. Peter fell asleep instantly while I stood out on our balcony, sipping champagne and dancing to the music still blasting from the town square. I was still wired!
At 3am, the party on the square ended and the speakers were unplugged as the crowd dispersed into the night. Finally somewhat sleepy, I went straight from the balcony into bed. It was a long day and now a new year!
New Years Eve in Italy is something I will never forget.
Happy New Year!
Kirsten Captures 
I’ve never spent NYE in a country other than the US. Sounds like an amazing experience!
It is a cool experience! Very surreal.
LIAR! You do not suck at dancing at all!!! 🙂
Well, in comparison to you!