Nightlife
Touring doesn’t stop when the sun goes down. Enjoying the local nightlife wherever you travel in Europe is the perfect way to meet locals and fellow travelers in settings unlike those you’ll find anywhere else.
Nighttime options
Europe has a kaleidoscope of memorable options for the evening hours, from high-octane nightclubs jam-packed with party seekers to intimate restaurants when all you want is a quiet table for two. Your choices of entertainment include live theatre, concerts of every possible kind of music, dining, dinner theater, films, comedy clubs, karaoke bars, casinos, special fairs and festivals, and sometimes even a little nighttime shopping.
What will make many of your bar and club excursions unforgettable is the surrounding architecture. You could be in a bar or restaurant set amidst ancient ruins, in a medieval vault, a subterranean wine cellar, atop a skyscraper with a phenomenal city view, the most futuristic club ever or in a castle courtyard. Then again, you might be dancing on a catamaran cruising off the coast of Cyprus or at a festival under a starry sky in Budapest.
Europe by night
Yes, you really can take city tours at night in Europe to see the sparkling lights and this is a great way to find out where the action is. Europe’s larger cities have clubs, bars and pubs pumping out music until the early hours and you could make a career out of visiting them all.
Paris is “Party Central”, is both a world capital of elegance and a university town – ok, city – so there’s evening fun available at every possible level of sophistication and price point. The Moulin Rouge can still take you back to a 19th century music hall experience and the Folies Berger is still thriving!. London is similar in terms of variety and has a super active music scene; after all, it’s where the most popular types of dance music originated. The choice of plays and musicals is superb. Belgrade is a rising star in the club scene, with cutting edge musicians and deejays pushing the envelope. Berlin is night owl heaven, especially for those who gravitate toward the avant-garde, and Prague a beautiful place to listen to some cool jazz.
Can you say you’ve been to Spain if you haven’t started at least one evening with tapas to give you the energy for the dancing ahead? From the hot clubs of Madrid and Barcelona to the world-famous scene on the island of Ibiza, nightlife in Spain is legendary and varied enough for all tastes.
Every university town has bars attractive to the younger traveler, but Belgium is one of THE destinations in Europe for the 20-30 something set. Leuven’s Oude Markt is packed with cafes that together create one of the longest bars in the world. Revelers of all ages enjoy the buzz in this square on a pleasant evening, many sipping delicious, locally brewed beers.
Pubs and Cafes
Cafes and pubs are the backbone of European nightlife; is there a single European who hasn’t spent an evening at one? Cafes are often the staging area for a night on the town. In smaller towns and quieter cities, cafes are the main source of evening entertainment. At the first sign of clement weather, Europe takes to the sidewalks and squares outside, but even a cold night can include some terrace time if an outdoor heater is trained on your table. You are expected to linger, practice the art of conversation, and greet a parade of friends coming and going throughout the evening. What’s not entertaining about that!
The brown cafes of Holland are the Dutch version of a pub, the walls said to be stained from years of smoke and the atmosphere famously gezelligheid (cozy). The pubs of Britain are legendary for their neighborhood atmospheres and “pub food”. In Ireland pubs are renowned as well for their fantastic music. All in all, pubs offer an evening rich with local color and gossip, the “real thing”, in an unpretentious atmosphere with equally down to earth prices. A pub-crawl, especially a guided one where you don’t have to do all the research, is a really fun way to visit several pubs and different quarters of the city.
Casinos
Almost every country in Europe has legalized gambling in casinos where you can play at tables or slot machines. The most famous gaming is in Monaco - just ask James Bond. Where else in Europe is there a square named Casino? The Casino de Monte Carlo is worth a visit even if you don’t know a spade from a club, to see the elegant architecture and beautiful stained glass. The architect Charles Garnier designed this casino as well as the sumptuous Paris Opera, to give you a suggestion of its opulence. At the Café de Paris the Grand Prix inspires the décor; the Sun Casino at the Monte Carlo Grand Hotel features a circus theme. All the casinos in Monaco offer the latest in gaming as well as unequaled people watching. Be aware that dress codes are enforced and opening hours vary seasonally.
Casinos in Europe are as likely to be in smaller beach and resort towns as in large cities. Not all of them are citadels of the jet set and many have a more laid-back atmosphere; some even have childcare facilities. Slovenia’s casinos are located mostly on the Italian and Austrian borders and are usually an extension of a hotel complex; in Poland and Lithuania gaming is hugely popular as well. You’ll find other businesses in some countries are called “Casino” but they aren’t gaming halls. For instance in France it’s a grocery store chain and in Slovenia it’s a furniture emporium, and neither one has slot machines!
Nightlife: logistical tips
If a particular European nightlife experience is essential to your holiday, do your homework ahead of time. The drinking age varies by country and ranges from 18 to 22. Admittance to casinos and some clubs may differ from the legal age limit; plan ahead to avoid disappointment. Many nightclubs have dress codes, so check ahead of time to pack what you need – or plan a little shopping in your itinerary. You should also budget for cover charges and what can be steep prices for drinks at upscale clubs and discos. Check out the local magazines and newspapers, online before your trip if possible, to get a feel for what’s on offer and to purchase event tickets ahead of time. Your waiter and the reception staff at your hotel or hostel are great sources for nightlife recommendations. Pick up a matchbook or business card with the address of your hotel, so you can easily show a taxi driver where to take you home when you’re ready to call it a night.
Please, always drink responsibly for your own and everyone’s safety and enjoyment.