Best European Cities To Visit If You Enjoy A Lively Nightlife Scene

For anyone outside of it, traveling to Europe is a pretty big deal. The continent is home to so many different cultures, languages, and breath-taking sights and while there are plenty of travelers who specifically come for one or all of those reasons, a completely different breed of traveler takes a Euro trip to party like they never have before. Luckily, there are many European cities that not only have an electrifying nightlife scene, but their party cultures are so strong that they have become world famous for what they do under a star-lit sky.

Before indulging in everything Europe has to offer in the way of more wild nighttime activities, you may want to do a little research on its many countries and their customs or regulations on things like alcohol consumption. For example, participating in a "little headbutt" in the Netherlands all but ensures a blacked-out night, and toasting with water in Spain is considered a bad omen that could lead to bad sex later that night.

Potential sex curses aside, Europe is a historical, culture-filled continent with old countries that really know how to party. Whether you're planning a trip around exploring one city's nightlife scene or intend on backpacking through Europe on a club-hoping adventure, these 12 cities should be on your radar for a sleepless night full of music and dancing.

While there are family-friendly things to do in Amsterdam, the city has been known as the weed capital of the world for quite some time, a trait that has had Americans flocking to the city for some lax-lawed fun. Even if you aren't particularly close friends with Mary Jane, Amsterdam is also considered the party capital of the Netherlands, so there's really always something to do at night.

Since the city gives its people more personal freedom in its laws, Americans tend to consider Amsterdam an exotic and fun place to get wild and let loose. The Red Light District, for example, is a popular destination for tourists — and not just for obvious reasons. The Red Light District is actually very close to a lot of cultural and important historical attractions. Of course, the district does hit a little differently at night with establishments like The Old Sailor cafe-bar and the Bananenbar offering two very different vibes.

A much less infamous area of Amsterdam is Leidseplein, where the nightlife is vibrant and very much alive. Tourists as well as locals like to party in Leidseplein and participating in a pub crawl there will allow you to explore the various bars and clubs packed together closely in the area and get supplied with enough drinks to make it likely you won't remember them in the morning.

Serbia isn't the first place Americans think of when considering which countries really know how to party, but not considering the southeastern European country would be a mistake. Actually, the country's capital city of Belgrade is well known in Europe for its nightlife – so much so that the bars and clubs adapt to different times of the year and stay busy year-round.

One of the coolest aspects of the party scene in Belgrade is that popular clubs and venues actually change locations depending on the season. If you're visiting the city during the colder months, you can expect to pretty much dance indoors for the duration of your night. The summer brings with it a move to the river – well, technically on the river – where popular clubs have floating rafts called splavs that feature various genres of music and dancers.

The nightlife in Belgrade can be described as simply eclectic, as clubs and bars are found in buildings that once housed skateparks and meat-drying warehouses. A lot of establishments in Belgrade have themes or concepts as well, so everyone can find their perfect match when it comes to vibes. No matter when or where you decide to go in Belgrade, remember to make a reservation, or your night won't turn out nearly as expected.

A trip to Király Street could cure any party itch, as the street in Budapest is at the heart of the city and is well known for being the place to peruse casually during the day and let loose at night. The street is in the old Jewish Quarter of the city, where gorgeous architecture is evidence of just how much history is in the area.

Budapest is different from a lot of other cities in that it has a wide variety of ruin bars. These unique bars – located within the Jewish Quarter — are the best way to recycle that we've ever seen and it's not uncommon for the establishments to take whatever discarded material they can find and utilize them. Even if the aesthetic isn't your thing, you can still get a drink all while taking in the way old artifacts and buildings get put to good use again.

UdvarRom is the place to go if you'd like an affordable ruin bar experience, but if you have richer tastes and still want to check out one of Budapest's niche bars then Mazel Tov is the way to go. If instead, you want to purely go off of vibes, then Szimpla Kert should be at the top of your list for ruin bars to visit. The eclectic bar is worth a visit even if just to look around inside it – no one would blame you if you stayed for a beer or two, though!

If you're going all the way to Europe to party, chances are you want to experience plenty of culture and unique experiences while you do it. Riga is perfect for the eclectic traveler, as they don't just have bars and clubs, they have cultural experiences centered on alcohol. You could spend a week partying in Riga and have very different experiences every single night.

Some of the best bars are tied up in being other things as well. Guaja is a bar that also acts as a kind of time capsule, as it appears stuck in the time in the '70s. Roks Cepur is another bar that kind of just feels as if time doesn't have any hold on it. The pub also acts as a restaurant and record store, and local lovers of music patronize the bar in order to sit and enjoy a drink while also discussing music with one another.

Madrid has a fantastic nightlife, especially if you enjoy live music, because you can find some playing somewhere every single night in Madrid. It's relatively easy to find free or affordably musical entertainment, but you could be hard pressed to pinpoint just where to hear your favorite style of music. La Coquette typically books live jazz and blues artists for its patrons while Wurlitzer Ballroomis known for playing mostly rock genres with some others scattered about.

If you are more of a clubbing person, don't worry because Madrid is all over the club scene as well. The city is home to Kapital, which is a seven story club with each floor featuring a different type of music. You can also check out Medias Puri, an inconspicuous disco club that puts on pretty spectacular live shows. It is located in the basement of an old theater and has three separate dance floors that differ by what genre music they are prepared for.

If you're headed to England for a good time, London is the obvious answer, so we won't bore you with it here. Instead of heading to the tried and true option, though, making a visit to Newcastle may have its perks. For one thing, it's more affordable to go out and have a round of drinks in Newcastle, but it's also relatively young in terms of who resides there – possibly due to it being a University city. Stag parties are very common in the city so don't be surprised if you run into a few groups celebrating an upcoming marriage.

Newcastle has a number of neighborhoods and areas that have bustling nightlife scenes. The Diamond Strip is for those who have some money to throw around. You're more likely to spot a celebrity hitting the bars here than anywhere else in the city. On the other hand, the Bigg Market is chill and cheap – don't take that to mean it isn't a good time, because you can have just as much if not more fun here.

The Gate is another place groups like to go for a night out. It's a complex that has pretty much everything you would need for an epic night of drinking, including experiences like ax throwing, a dinner theater, and an escape room as well as a casino. Since you can craft a full experience in the complex, The Gate is perfect for stag and hen parties.