Much like the country, Germany’s nightlife is unique and diverse. All across the country, you will find places to let loose after dark that are liberal, free-spirited, bold, curious, and eccentric. You’ll find them all here, from wild underground clubs to raucous Bavarian beer halls and decadent cabaret performances. Ready to dance the night away? Here is our list of the cities with the best nightlife in Germany.
7 Cities with the Best Nightlife in Germany
Berlin
The capital city has the best nightlife in Germany and some of the best nightlife in Europe. Berlin is one of the most vibrant cities in Europe, with a nightlife scene to match. Enjoy a leisurely bar crawl along lively Oranienburger Strasse, or head to Kreuzberg, Berlin’s most bohemian district, for great street food and underground bars. Nightlife districts are dotted around the city, but The Mitte district has a little bit of everything, and Prenzlauer Berg is home to the oldest beer garden in Berlin.
Bonn
Bonn is a city in western Germany straddling the Rhine river. The nightlife here is great as there are a variety of venues to suit lots of moods and genres. Whether you want to chill out in an outdoor beer garden or dance the night way in legendary clubs or have deep and meaningfuls in late-night bars and cafes, you can do all of that and more. Our favourite nightlife places in Bonn include the Jazz Galerie, Lanxess Arena, and Vendôme.
Munich
Munich is famous for its traditional beer halls. The most popular is Hofbräuhaus, which is Munich’s oldest. It dates all the way back to 1589. Though quite touristy, it is still worth a visit. However, if you want to visit a less crowded beer hall, go to Beer Garden Augustiner Keller. There are plenty of other nightlife options away from the beer halls. The areas of Altstadt-Lehel, Maxvorstadt, Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt, Au-Haidhausen, and Schwabing are some of the most popular districts for a good night out. Feierbanane, which translates to ‘party banana’, is the city’s party zone bursting with clubs, bars, restaurants, and pubs.
Hamburg
Hamburg, with its Big City vibe, is one of the best places for nightlife in Germany. Varied, diverse, and energetic, the city’s after-dark venues have a great vibe and are full of young professionals. St Pauli is the hub of Hamburg’s nightlife scene and where you’ll find the legendary Reeperbahn. This is a kilometre-long strip of bars, pubs, clubs, live music venues, shows, and more. The Beatles used to play at the venues here. Hans-Albers-Platz is a square full of outdoor bars and lively street performers.
Frankfurt
Frankfurt has many lovely hotel bars, cool clubs, and live music venues. Jazz is very popular in the city, so much so that there is a district called Jazzgasse (Jazz Alley). If you are a fan of speakeasy bars, put Die Rote and the Kinly Bar on your list for a visit. If you have packed your dancing shoes, the best place to let loose on the dance floor is Silbergold, Frankfurt’s superclub.
Cologne
Cologne has a vibrant brewery scene and is famous for its Kölsch beer served in Bräuhausers. A bräuhauser is like a cross between a British pub and a German beer hall. FRÃœH am Dom, in the shadow of the Cologne Cathedral, is one of the most popular in the city. The city’s cocktail bars and party spots are located around Buttermarkt and Salzgasse. The area of Belgisches Viertel is packed with fashionable bars, and the Univiertel (University Quarter) is always lively every night of the week.
Düsseldorf
Most of Düsseldorf’s vibrant, energetic nightlife is in Altstadt. This Old Town area has over 300 bars, pubs, and clubs, with plenty of spots where you can try altbier, the city’s famous beer. This area is a great place to enjoy a night of bar hopping. If you fancy a night of clubbing, two of our favourite districts to hit up are Königsallee and Bilk.