Wexford Town
Opened in 2008, Wexford's gleaming opera house packs more architectural punch inside than out, but sports state-of-the-art acoustics and superb views from…
Must-see entertainment in Western Europe
Dublin
A cinema night may not always be a glamorous event, but at the Stella Theatre it is. A narrow entrance opens up to sumptuous art deco glory with…
Manchester
One of Britain's best arts centres, HOME has two theatre spaces that host provocative new work in a variety of contexts, from proscenium sets to promenade…
Den Haag
Call it a club, a temple to live music or just a great place to hang out, Paard is a Den Haag institution. The program of live music is eclectic –…
Cork City
Given a modern makeover in the 1990s, this leading venue has been entertaining the city for more than 150 years with everything from opera and ballet to…
Liverpool
Whether you're looking to join a drumming circle, take part in a martial-arts workshop or lose yourself at a rave, this terrific venue in a former…
Galway City
Internationally renowned, the Druid Performing Arts Company was established in 1975 and is famed for staging experimental works by young Irish playwrights…
Mull
Mull's lively arts scene includes a famous theatre group, regular art exhibitions and concerts. This arts organisation puts on exhibitions, plays and…
Ghent
A visionary architectural premonition of art deco, the 1912 Vooruit building is a prominent venue for dance, rock concerts, film and visiting theatre…
Brussels
A small and unassuming but immensely popular Ixelles venue, Sounds has concerts most nights, with styles varying from modern to big band to salsa. The…
Pitlochry
Founded in 1951 (in a tent!), this famous and much-loved theatre is the focus of Highland Perthshire's cultural life. The summer season, from May to mid…
Cork City
A fantastic cultural centre housed partly in a renovated church building. Expect a varied program of live music, visual art, photography and theatre at…
North London
This stalwart pub theatre hosts new plays and musicals, along with revivals of classics. Classical music and opera are part of the mix, too. It's always…
Belfast
Black Box is an innovative arts venue, hosting a dynamic program of music, theatre, magic nights, spoken word events, comedy, film and more on Hill St in…
Belfast
A converted late-Victorian church (reputed to be haunted) with three floors of entertainment, the Empire is a legendary live-music venue. Look out for…
Maastricht
Great for offbeat and classic films but also worth visiting for its former powerstation setting, tempting waterside bar-terrace and quirky, post …
Brussels
Inside the graceful, glassed-over Galeries St-Hubert, this art deco beauty concentrates on foreign and art-house films. An authentic Brussels movie…
Glasgow
This much-loved three-screener off Sauchiehall St shows art-house cinema and classics.
Cardiff
Established in 1972 and now Cardiff's edgiest arts venue, Chapter has a varied rota of contemporary drama, as well as art exhibitions, arthouse cinema,…
Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green
Devitt’s – aka the Cusack Stand – is one of the favourite places for the city’s talented musicians to ply their trade, with sessions as good as any you’ll…
Jersey
Chambers is all things to all people: a place to knock back a pint while watching the game on the big screen, a gastropub with a solid selection of French…
North London
‘London’s Number 1 Jukebox’ is how Boogaloo flaunts itself: its celebrity-musician-selected jukebox playlists feature the favourite 10 songs of the likes…
North London
Home to the English Folk Dance and Song Society, this institute keeps all manner of folk traditions alive. Performances and classes range from traditional…
North London
Once the legendary Camden Palace, where Charlie Chaplin, the Goons and the Sex Pistols performed, and where Prince played surprise gigs, KOKO is…
The West End
Ronnie Scott's jazz club opened in 1959 and became widely known as Britain’s best, hosting such luminaries as Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald…
Bristol
Established in 1766, the much-respected Old Vic is the longest continuously running theatre in the English-speaking world, and has just had a £12.5m…
Bruges
Though small, this is the city’s top venue for contemporary and world music, hosting both live bands and international DJs. It also organises festivals…
North London
Opened in 1920 as a cutting-edge golden-age cinema, Scala slipped into porn-movie hell in the 1970s, only to be reborn as a club and live-music venue in…
Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green
Perhaps the city's most beloved live-music venue is this midsized room attached to a traditional bar. This is the singer-songwriter's spiritual home: when…
Ghent
You'll find a wonderful selection of classical music concerts (some outdoors) at this repurposed historical site that was once an abbey and then a…
North of the Liffey
The most impressive cinema in town is this snazzy four-screener in a stylish building just off Smithfield Plaza. The menu offers a mix of art-house and…
Boavista
Grand and minimalist, sophisticated yet populist, Porto's cultural behemoth boasts a shoebox-style concert hall at its heart, meticulously engineered to…
Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé
Paris
This striking cinema has a small exhibition devoted to the history of cinema screens silent B&W movies accompanied by a live pianist. The Pathé Foundation…
Príncipe Real, Santos & Estrela
As hot as its name suggests, this small, poster-plastered cellar (and newly added garden) has staged top-drawer jazz acts since the 1940s. It's considered…
The West End
Opera and ballet have a fantastic setting on Covent Garden Piazza, and a night here is a sumptuous affair. Although the programme has modern influences,…
Paris
Paris' premier opera hall, Opéra Bastille's 2745-seat main auditorium also stages ballet and classical concerts. Online tickets go on sale up to three…
Temple Bar
One of the city’s most diverse theatres is hidden in this beautifully restored 17th-century building. It boasts a broad program of events (expect anything…
Den Haag
This world-famous dance company has two main components: NDT1, the main company, and NDT2, a junior training division. The main company performs regularly…
South Bank
The nation’s flagship theatre delivers up to 25 shows every year across its three venues inside this brutalist block. Even if you're not here for a show,…
Notting Hill & West London
Having notched up its centenary in 2011, the Electric is one of the UK’s oldest cinemas, now updated. Avail yourself of the luxurious leather armchairs,…
