If like us, you secretly base your next travel destination on how fun it gets after dark, then read on. While chilling by a pool or taking in beautiful sights is definitely on the cards by day, Europe has some unmissable nightlife and will give you an excuse for that lie-in the next day.
Explore top cities with electrifying clubs, lively bars, and unforgettable party scenes for the ultimate night out. Hey, you still get to catch the sunrise even if you didn’t get to bed yet.
Berlin, Germany
Don’t pretend you haven’t heard of Berlin’s reputation as an infamous party place. Packed with bars for every budget, with great local beers to start your evening off (and maybe a few cheeky shots of Jägermeister) and some clubs that leave other nights out seeming like a boring trip to the local bingo hall.
Berlin’s world famous Berghain night club is not to be missed. Housed in an old power plant and home to top techno DJs (with some house thrown in), its atmosphere is well worth trying to navigate the confusing door policy. Berlin is also a great city to make friends in as it’s a hub for travellers, creatives and general party people.
London, United Kingdom
London’s not short of landmarks to fill your time, but it’s also got a few nighttime landmarks for party enthusiasts. Head to Soho in central London for back-to-back bars, pubs and live music venues. It’s also a great place for LGBTQ+ friendly bars and has a great buzz in the warmer months. Drumsheds nightclub plays everything from House to Garage and Grime on different nights and is known for its insane sound system and great vibe in every zone of the club.
Also, on the list of local treasures in London is Fabric. A clubbing institution in the United Kingdom, it’s hosted international DJs for decades and plays anything from Drum and Bass and Dubstep to Techno. If travelling around the rest of the UK, there are a few other nightlife hotspots you need to visit. And if hitting up Glasgow (because, why not?) check out how the party scene is being made more inclusive as well as awesome. The weather might not always be worthy of your feed, but the nightlife sure is.
Budapest, Hungary
Over in Hungary, Budapest is not to be overlooked for a unique night out. By day, its ancient architecture stuns in the sunlight. By night, you can party in it! Sparty (yep, a spa party) is a club in its Széchenyi Thermal Spa Baths, has live DJs and is a cultural hotspot not to be missed.
Don’t worry, it’s heated so you can get your pool party on even in the colder months. All along the river there’s no shortage of bars, restaurants and pubs and the famous ‘ruin bars’ are worth a visit for an experience like nowhere else. Hey, even ruins can make a great nightlife venue if you really want to party!
Image source:Contiki
Krakow, Poland
Look no further than Krakow if you want a proper bar crawl on your trip to Europe. Known as one of the best cities for nightlife in Europe and popular for its affordable drinks, lively locals and sheer volume of places to party, Krakow is a top destination. The Old Town is host to cool basement bars, underground clubs and beer gardens to meet new travel buddies in.
Many bars are also a club or restaurant in one (why not?) so you can take your pick depending on your mood. Every night of the week is buzzing with live music, and edgy dive-bar vibes can be found at Szpitalna 1 club, the perfect place to dance off all that vodka.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Popular for its cycling culture and beautiful canals, Amsterdam is a nightlife lover’s dream. There’s so much on offer it’s impressive that any of the locals have the stamina to cycle. The city has a relaxed culture when it comes to partying and hitting up its all-night bars, live music venues and cafés is actively encouraged. There are even modern apothecaries selling hangover cures if you find yourself hitting the scene a bit too hard. Along the picturesque canals, you’ll find bars for every taste – dive bars, metal pubs, clubs and jazz, as well as a thriving LGBTQ+ scene and museums open much later than in most European cities. It’s a culture enthusiast’s ultimate playground.
Ibiza, Spain
Arguably one of the best party places in Europe (even the world), Ibiza in Spain’s stunning Balearic Islands is world famous for having the biggest names in club music and the best clubs. Don’t get us wrong, their beaches are amazing, and the sunsets are unbeatable, but the nightlife is definitely its thing. From beach clubs to full-on cabarets like Lío to powerhouse clubs like Amnesia, Ibiza has all the world’s top DJs in one place.
If you’re looking for something a bit different (and outside!), look no further than Ushuaia, a club based around a huge outdoor pool and attached to a hotel you can party from. But it closes at 11PM so head on over to Pacha to party until dawn. Drinks are pretty pricey in the clubs so you might be looking to dance more than smash cocktails, but the bars in San Antonio and the Old Town come with affordable Spanish prices and the sangria is free flowing! For the hardcore party crowd, San Antonio’s ‘Strip’ has deals, wristbands and all the shots you can handle, set to a backing track of House, Chart and Garage.
Paris, France
Yes, it’s the city of love, but it’s also a city that likes to let its hair down after a long day of being chic and charming. Paris is home to one of the most famous (or infamous) night venues in the world with the Moulin Rouge and has a buzzing nightlife in multiple districts. Head over to Pigalle for live music and dancing and independent pop-up bars. Check out Rex Club for banging techno and a cool international crowd.
Image source:Contiki
Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon is pretty famous for peri peri chicken (which is handy after your night out), but its nightlife is the full European trip experience. Think winding streets with hidden music venues on each corner, jazz clubs that are also restaurants and late bars with dancing that pump the best tunes every night.
Lisbon’s Bairro Alto is a labyrinth of crisscross streets packed full of places to eat, places to dance, places to chill and places to party. You’d be forgiven for not seeing the rest of the city, but there’s plenty to see at night outside the district. Head down to the central square and see live music and dancing, with regular events along the river to keep you busy until the early hours.
Prague, Czech Republic
Over in Eastern Europe, Prague has a (very worthy) rep for great nightlife and even better, it’s cheaper than other Western European cities. The people of Prague know how to party and there’s a big variety for all your after-dark moods. Hells Bells Rockin’ Pub is a cool cellar bar to get your fix of death metal, rock and live bands, plus it sells all the local lager you’ll need to get you out of your seat.
For a BIG big night out (quite literally), Karlovy Lázně in Prague is the biggest nightclub in central Europe, with 5 floors of pounding tunes, hangout zones and general coolness. Within its walls you can enjoy an Ice Bar and the Robotic Bar – designed with lighting and sound purely for EDM. Head over to Wenceslas Square for a bustling area of late bars, places to dance and places to sing your heart out in.
Belgrade, Serbia
Quickly gaining itself a bit of a rep as one of the best places for nightlife in Europe and dubbed the ‘Best of the Balkans’, Belgrade is both affordable and epic after sundown. Belgrade’s river clubs, or Splavovi, are legendary locally (and internationally for those in the know) and are a mix of bars, restaurants and nightclubs on rafts, playing a massive range of music with something to suit everyone. If you’re a night owl, you’ll never run out of choice and it’s a great place to try everything the city has to offer in one place. Convenience never looked and sounded so good!
Milan, Italy
By day, it’s a fashionistas paradise, right? But what doesn’t get enough noise is Milan’s just-as-cool night scene. The Navigli district has pretty much all you’d want on a night out. Bars, pubs, clubs, luxe cocktail lounges and foodie heaven. Situated in an old railway shed, you have Tunnel nightclub that’s a trance lovers’ dream and a great place for a late-night photoshoot. Over in the Corso Cosmo district, there’s cocktail bars galore to wash down all those delicious carbs and see how the Italians do it.
What city in Europe has the best nightlife?
While there are some solid candidates for the title of ‘best nightlife city’ in Europe, we can’t make a list of party destinations without talking about Amsterdam, Netherlands. Frequently hailed as having the best nightlife in Europe, it’s got live music, bars, clubs and hidden rave dens every night of the week (handy if you’re not there on a weekend!).
Leidseplein is hailed as a great party area and is packed with Dutch beers, all-night music venues and even Paradiso – a club in an old church. You’ll find a surprising range of ages, personalities and genres of music for every taste all adds to a memorable nightlife experience (depending on how hard you go on those beers!).
What country has the best nightlife in Europe?
If you’re looking for a country that has no shortage of party towns to its name, look no further than Spain. The party capital (see above) Ibiza has the best European nightclubs, bars and live music galore and then you have Madrid. Spain’s actual capital with its varied bars from cheap and cheerful tapas bars to luxury upmarket clubs like Opium (where Réal Madrid players can occasionally be spotted) and a thriving LGBTQ+ scene in the Chueca district. The country is synonymous with nightlife and Barcelona has nightlife at its beaches, rooftops and in particular in its most famous street, La Rambla (often called Las Ramblas). A kilometre stretch of pedestrian street that has shops, bars, clubs, you name it. Day or night, it’s buzzing. Take in some local flamenco dancing or the top-rated Boadas Coctelería for their huge range of amazing creations.
No need to stop there. Unless that is, you’ve hung up your dancing shoes? (no, we thought not). Why not spread your wings even further and tick off the best places to travel with your besties?
