-
Alter Schlachthof
The industrial charm of an old slaughterhouse draws a party-happy crowd for mostly alternative concerts, from bands like Calexico to Fury in the Slaughterhouse…how appropriate.
-
Blue Note
Small, smoky and smooth, this converted smithy has live jazz almost nightly until , then turns into a night owl magnet until the wee hours. The talent is mostly regional.
-
Boy's
A lively bar-club with parties on Friday and Saturday. A top venue for S&M (…standing and modelling, not what you were thinking).
-
Café 100
Wine lovers should make a beeline to this candle-lit pub, with its romantic cavernous cellar and 250 wines on the menu. It's a great place for first dates.
-
Café Europa
Newspapers, intimate lighting and free internet facilities feature at this smart, relaxed café that's open around the clock.
-
Classic American Bar
This one's for the grown-ups - all clubby with dark wood, red leather banquettes, a piano and some neat Wild West murals inspired by the books of Karl May.
-
Dance Factory
This very popular spot has the usual mix of R&B, cheese and trance/techno in four rooms. The bouncers can be choosy.
-
Down Town
This iconic old factory gives you early Saturday Night Fever with its '70s and '80s nights on Fridays. On Mondays latex lovers invade for the legendary Nasty Love Club.
-
Dresdner Philharmonie
The city's renowned orchestra performs mostly at the Kulturpalast on Altmarkt. Also check the listings magazines for concerts at the Hofkirche, Dreikönigskirche, Kreuzkirche and Frauenkirche.
-
Advertisement
-
Fährgarten Johannstadt
East of the Altstadt, right on the Elbe, is this idyllic beer garden with great ales, grilled meats, memorable views and a children's playground.
-
Flower Power
The spirit of the '60s is kept alive at this staple of the Dresden student scene, with DJs every night.
-
Frank's
Famed for its huge cocktail menu, this is a long-running Neustadt stalwart.
-
Jazzclub Neue Tonne
Bigger names hit the stage here, and it's a bit more polished than other venues.
-
Katy's Garage
This place, a key venue for indie gigs and club nights throughout the week, is in a former tyre shop.
-
Neumanns Tiki
This Polynesian cocktail bar and (homemade) ice cream parlour in the Kunsthofpassage has shown that it's not just 'flavour of the month'. Caipirinha happy hour runs until .
-
Queens
The kitsch decor is the perfect backdrop for this pulsating hot spot, famous for its Schlager (schmaltzy German pop songs) parties.
-
Rauschenbach Deli
A café by day, this contempo spot morphs into a chic bar with an endless cocktail menu when the moon gets high. Nice terrace, too.
-
Advertisement
-
Reisekneipe
At this exotic pub you can dream of faraway places while quaffing a cold one in a thatched hut, an oriental lounge or a Sherpa lodge. Hardened globetrotters give slideshow-aided talks every Wednesday.
-
Sappho
This new women's café is an excellent addition to Dresden's thriving lesbigay map.
-
Schauspielhaus, Altstadt
The renowned Staatsschauspiel ensemble plays mostly crowd-pleasers by German playwrights.
-
Schauspielhaus, Neustadt
The renowned Staatsschauspiel ensemble plays mostly crowd-pleasers by German playwrights.
-
Scheune
A GDR-era youth club has been reborn as an artsy pub and alternative rock venue here, with a beer garden and Indian food on the menu.
