The famed Palace of Versailles had a comparatively modest beginning as a hunting lodge built by Louis XIV in 1624. It would evolve, of course, into an emblem of the absolute rule of the Ancien Régime – and a visible symbol of the wealth that supported it. Located to the west of Paris in what is now a moneyed suburb, the hunting chateau was originally surrounded by rural countryside. An unusual place for a seat of power, perhaps, and far from the King’s original residence in the Louvre, but it was an undoubtedly beautiful setting.

Ushering in the New Year used to be simple. Friends had the same dates and kept the same customs. Today, however, people operate in the midst of several calendars, they’re increasingly conscious that it’s celebrated in myriad ways, and as a result, encounter many different New Year traditions. Therefore, in the spirit of an increasingly interconnected world, it’s time to take a look at some of the most interesting New Year celebrations around the world.

Hugh McMillan may have been a late starter when it came to wanderlust, having first left Australia at 22, but he’s more than made up for it since. With a decade of travel industry experience to his name, he has immersed himself in the Balkans for the past few years as a Tour Director with Insight Vacations. Having fallen for the region as a whole (Bosnia and Herzegovina in particular), he’s a fan of its wilderness, brave bridge-jumpers and welcoming locals. Spades of enthusiasm and a vast accumulation of local knowledge make Hugh the supreme guide to an area so stunning that several sites feature in the TV series, Game of Thrones.