Munich
Even if you don't like beer, every visitor to Munich should make a pilgrimage to the mothership of all beer halls, if only once. Within this major tourist…
Must-see nightlife in Germany
Friedrichshain
Only world-class spin-masters heat up this hedonistic bass-junkie hellhole inside a labyrinthine ex-powerplant. Hard-edged minimal techno dominates the ex…
Berlin
Yesteryear is now at this early-20th-century dance hall where groovers and grannies hoof it across the parquet without even a touch of irony. There are…
Munich
Depending on the wind direction, the bitter-sweet aroma of hops envelops you as you approach this traditional beer hall inside the Augustiner brewery. The…
St Pauli & Reeperbahn
In a 19th-century bootleggers' jail, this tiny bar-club is run by members of the legendary ex-punk band Die Goldenen Zitronen and is an essential stop on…
Berlin
Liquid maestro Gonçalo de Sousa Monteiro and his baseball-cap wearing team treat grown-up patrons to libational flights of fancy in their clandestine…
Heidelberg Region
Producing four varieties of beer each month (light, dark, wheat beer and a seasonal brew such as potato beer), this half-timbered microbrewery is one of…
Frankfurt & Southern Rhineland
Named for Sherlock Holmes' fictional home, this fabulous Victorian-era-themed bar with crackling open fireplaces bills itself as a 'criminal tea room and…
Stuttgart
Competition is stiff but for our money this might just be Stuttgart's coolest new-wave craft microbrewery and bar. The bartenders really know their stuff,…
Cologne
The brainchild of artist Odo Rumpf, this subculture playground is creative lab, beer garden, concert venue, club, art centre, alfresco cinema and urban…
Düsseldorf
At one of Germany's most progressive dance clubs, the music skews heavily towards non-mainstream electronic and improvisational acts, which makes for a…
Stuttgart
Jazz creates a mellow mood at this slinky little cocktail bar, with barrel-vaulted ceilings, stone walls and dim lighting. The mixologists seem to put a…
Bacharach
Dating from 1421, this olde-worlde tavern serves some of Bacharach’s best whites; the Weinkarussel (€22.50) lets you sample 15 of them. Its nearby Weingut…
Friedrichshain
At this gritty multifloor party pen with lots of nooks and crannies, a steady line-up of top DJs feeds a diverse bunch of revellers with dance-worthy…
City West & Charlottenburg
Christian Gentemann's liquid playground at the art deco Hotel am Steinplatz was crowned 'Hotel Bar of the Year' in 2016 and 2017, and for good reason The…
Baden-Baden
You can sure smell the coffee as you approach Kaffeesack, tucked away in Baden-Baden's backstreets. Born in Germany to Italian parents, Maurizio is the…
Prenzlauer Berg
Berlin’s oldest beer garden has seen beer-soaked days and nights since 1837 and is still a charismatic spot for guzzling a custom-brewed Prater pilsner …
Frankfurt am Main
Noise levels aren't a problem at this spectacular club, which occupies an 1808 villa surrounded by manicured gardens with fountains, ponds and lounges…
Moselle Valley
Wine bars don't come cuter than this crooked half-timbered building (the Moselle's oldest, dating from 1416), which resembles a giant bird house: its…
Cologne
A large, leafy park has one of Cologne's best places for a drink: a community-run beer garden. Tables sprawl under huge old trees, while simple snacks…
Düsseldorf
Local colour by the bucketful (despite the high tourist contingent) is what awaits at this cavernous Altbier brewpub. The suds flow so quickly from giant…
Weimar
The circular Kasseturm took on a new identity in 1962, when students of the Bauhaus University converted this stout survivor of Weimar's 16th-century…
Neukölln
Embraced by a mellow soundscape and complexion-friendly lighting, well-mannered patrons pack this narrow burrow named for American jazz giant Thelonius…
Kreuzberg
Mixologist Atalay Aktas was Germany’s Best Bartender of 2013 and hasn't missed a step since. He and his staff still create their magic potions in this…
Friedrichshain
For dolce vita right on socialist-era Karl-Marx-Allee, head to this charmingly nostalgic Italian wine bar ensconced in a former stamp shop. The original…
St Pauli & Reeperbahn
The uniqueness of this Reeperbahn classic begins from the moment you pass through the long laneway and between the legs of the large 'receptionist'…
Hamburg
Hamburg's original beach bar is a must for primo beer, burgers and people-watching. All ages and classes gather, mingle and wriggle their toes in the sand…
Thuringian Forest & the Saale Valley
The network of historic wine cellars of this iconic club, resurrected by students in the 1960s, now echo to DJs, live acts, readings and other cultural…
Munich
Thomas Mann and Hermann Hesse used to knock 'em back at this well-scuffed and wood-panelled thirst parlour. A bookish ambience still pervades, making this…
Munich
This one's hard to ignore because of its English Garden location and pedigree as Munich's oldest beer garden (open since 1791). Camera-toting tourists and…
Munich
Follow the gold-lined passageway off Sonnenstrasse to what some regard as one of the best Elektro-clubs in the world. Nights here are an amazing alchemy…
Coastal Mecklenburg – Western Pomerania
They claim to be one of the oldest harbour bars in Europe, and the first historical record of a bar on this site dates back to 1332. The interior is dark…
St Pauli & Reeperbahn
A real St Pauli icon, Zum Silbersack is one of our favourites in the area. It's the sort of place where you'll find students, junkies, executives,…
Northern Germany
The dark beer brewery at this 1936-established pub consistently rates among the best in Germany. It’s full of antique brewing equipment, and it opens to…
Prenzlauer Berg
After 8pm, this living-room-style cafe turns into a wine bar that works on the honour principle: you ‘rent’ a wine glass for €2, then help yourself to as…
Hamburg
Small and sleek, this 'kitty' (Katze = cat) gets the crowd purring for well-priced cocktails (the best caipirinhas in town) and great music (there's…
Lübeck
This classic pub inhabits a 16th-century customs post. There's an excellent beer selection. Patrons people-watch from terrace and pavement tables in…
Regensburg
This time-warped, tightly squeezed blast from the past in Jugendstil tile, cast iron and stained glass has been filling with newspaper-reading caffeine…
Altstadt
Easily the classiest, most exclusive bar (by virtue of size) you'll find in Hamburg. If there's space and you're nicely dressed, they'll let you into this…
Northern Germany
Fronting onto Marktplatz, Sa Bacca couldn't be a more central pit stop as you explore town. The vaulted brick cellar and extravagantly tiled bar are the…
