Madrid New Year 2027: Countdown & 12 Grapes

New Year 2027 arrives in Madrid at midnight CET (UTC+1) on Friday, January 1, 2027, which is 23:00 UTC on Thursday, December 31, 2026.

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until midnight in Madrid (CET, UTC+1)

12 Grapes 2027: Expected (annual event)

2027 event

Madrid 12 Grapes 2027

Expected (annual event) Madrid's official tourism site, which calls the Puerta del Sol the epicentre of Nochevieja every year, lists the party in its 2026–2027 Christmas agenda, but the access plan for 2027 has not been published (the city says its Christmas programme comes out in late November). Last year (New Year 2026) entry was free but capped at 15,000 people, with the square cleared at 21:00 and reopened through police filters.

Event
Fiesta de Fin de Año en la Puerta del Sol (campanadas and the twelve grapes)
Type
Midnight chimes
Where
Usually held at Puerta del Sol
When
Traditionally at 00:00 (CET)
Admission
Last year: free
Organizer
Ayuntamiento de Madrid
Watch live
Shown live on Spanish television every year. At New Year 2026 the public broadcaster RTVE's La 1 broadcast from the Puerta del Sol, with Antena 3 and laSexta (simulcast) and Telemadrid also carrying the countdown; the 2027 line-up has not been announced.

Official updates

Where to watch in Madrid

  1. Puerta del Sol, facing the Real Casa de Correos clock tower — The gathering point for the chimes. Last year (New Year 2026): free but capped at 15,000 people, with the square cleared at 21:00 and reopened from about 22:00 until it was full.
  2. Puerta del Sol on 30 December (the preúvas) — A rehearsal the night before, with the twelve grapes a day early. At New Year 2026 it also had a 15,000 cap and free entry, with DJs from 22:45 and a broadcast by the public broadcaster RTVE from 23:30.

Getting there

  • Sol Metro and Cercanías stations were closed to boarding and exiting from 18:00 at New Year 2026 (trains kept running through); use other stations and walk in.
  • At New Year 2026, after the 21:00 clearing, entry was through police filters on four streets: Calle Mayor, Calle Arenal, Calle Alcalá and Carrera de San Jerónimo, until the 15,000 limit was reached.
  • At New Year 2026 glass, firecrackers and other dangerous objects were banned in the square, and the crowd was cleared again shortly after midnight (about 00:45–01:00).

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AT A GLANCE

Timezone
Central European Time (CET)
UTC Offset
UTC+1
Midnight arrives
Friday, January 1, 2027 at 12:00 AM CET
Celebration order
22nd of 37 cities to celebrate (same time as Amsterdam, Berlin, Lagos and Paris)

How Madrid celebrates

Madrid rings in the New Year at the Puerta del Sol, where thousands gather beneath the clock of the Real Casa de Correos to eat twelve grapes, one for each midnight chime. Just before midnight a ball on the tower descends, four quarter chimes sound, then the twelve strokes follow, spaced out to let people keep up.

The custom, las doce uvas de la suerte, is meant to bring luck for each month of the coming year. Madrid's tourism office says the most widely accepted account dates it to 1909, when growers in the Levante region had a grape surplus; the chimes have been televised in Spain since 1962.

Because the square is small, access is controlled: at both New Year 2025 and New Year 2026 the city capped the crowd at 15,000, cleared the plaza at 21:00 and let people back in through police filters. A rehearsal, the preúvas, is held the night before, and after midnight the party moves to bars and clubs.

Frequently asked questions

Will the twelve grapes and midnight chimes take place at the Puerta del Sol for New Year 2027?

Expected, but not yet announced. Madrid's official tourism site describes the Puerta del Sol as the epicentre of Nochevieja every year and lists the party in its 2026–2027 Christmas agenda, and the city says its Christmas programme will be released in late November. Capacity, timings and entry streets for 2027 are not yet known; at New Year 2026 capacity was capped at 15,000.

How do I get into the Puerta del Sol on New Year's Eve?

Entry is free but controlled. At New Year 2026 the square was cleared at 21:00 and reopened from about 22:00 through police filters on Calle Mayor, Calle Arenal, Calle Alcalá and Carrera de San Jerónimo until the 15,000 limit was reached, and Sol station was closed to passengers from 18:00.

What are the preúvas in Madrid?

The preúvas are a rehearsal held in the Puerta del Sol on 30 December, the night before New Year's Eve, where people eat the twelve grapes a day early. At New Year 2026 it had the same 15,000 cap, free entry and a TV broadcast.

What time is New Year in Madrid?

New Year arrives in Madrid at midnight Central European Time (CET, UTC+1). In 2027, that is 23:00 UTC on December 31, 2026.

How does Madrid celebrate New Year's Eve?

Madrid celebrates at the Puerta del Sol, where crowds eat twelve grapes at the midnight chimes of the Real Casa de Correos clock. The ritual is broadcast on Spanish television, and the night continues with parties in bars and clubs across the city.

Is the Puerta del Sol New Year's Eve gathering free?

Yes, entry is free, but access is controlled. At New Year 2025 and New Year 2026 capacity was capped at 15,000 people and the square was cleared at 21:00, then reopened through police filters on Calle Mayor, Calle Arenal, Calle Alcalá and Carrera de San Jerónimo.

What time zone is Madrid on New Year's Eve?

Madrid is on Central European Time (CET, UTC+1) on New Year's Eve. Spain returns to CET from summer time (CEST) in late October.

Is Madrid one of the first or last cities to celebrate New Year?

Among the 37 cities on this site, Madrid is the 22nd to reach midnight, at the same time as Amsterdam, Berlin, Lagos and Paris. At UTC+1, it celebrates around the middle of the global celebration window.

Where do people celebrate New Year's Eve in Madrid?

A focal point for New Year's Eve celebrations in Madrid: Puerta del Sol. See the where-to-watch list above for more places.

What time should I tune in to watch Madrid's New Year celebration?

Midnight arrives in Madrid at 12:00 AM CET (UTC+1) on Friday, January 1, 2027. The main moment of Fiesta de Fin de Año en la Puerta del Sol (campanadas and the twelve grapes) traditionally begins at midnight (00:00 CET). Shown live on Spanish television every year. At New Year 2026 the public broadcaster RTVE's La 1 broadcast from the Puerta del Sol, with Antena 3 and laSexta (simulcast) and Telemadrid also carrying the countdown; the 2027 line-up has not been announced.

Why do Spaniards eat twelve grapes at midnight?

Eating one grape for each of the twelve midnight chimes is said to bring luck for each month of the year. Madrid's tourism office says the most widely accepted account dates the custom to 1909, when growers in the Levante region had a grape surplus and gave grapes away.

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This page provides a live countdown to New Year 2027 in Madrid (Central European Time, UTC+1). New Year's Day 2027 in Madrid falls on Friday, January 1, 2027 at midnight CET. Madrid celebrates at the Puerta del Sol, where crowds eat twelve grapes, one for each midnight chime of the Real Casa de Correos clock. Entry to the square is free but controlled; at New Year 2025 and 2026 capacity was capped at 15,000 people.