Nightlife
When the sun sets on your holiday horizons it’s time to embrace the night! Whether it’s the heel-stamping dynamism of flamenco dancing and the hottest clubs in Malaga or a gentle game of boule in a quiet French village square, do as the locals do after hours and you won’t go far wrong.Scotland is famed for its New Year’s Eve revelry and although the traditional Hogmanay is the most stunning of Scotland’s parties, nightlife is excellent year round. Comedy clubs and specialist Scottish evening venues proliferate in Edinburgh, and Aberdeen buzzes with bars, theatres and restaurants and boasts a flourishing university scene. Glaswegians, too, are always ready for a good night out and insist on plenty of choice – from multi-themed bars to pre-clubs and clubs, comedy stores and casinos.
Other UK centres full of vibrant nightlife year round are Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, and of course London. Manchester is a clubber’s paradise with everything from jazz and soul to electropop and also has plenty of traditional pubs and modern bars. It also has more theatres than any city outside London and attracts many internationally acclaimed actors and productions.
In the Med, a leisurely al fresco late dinner sets the mood and then the choice is endless – hang out in the beach bars of Alicante or dance ‘til dawn in Palma’s fast and furious bar and club scene. Those traditional siestas really seem to set the Spanish up for action – the Almerians are said to live at half pace in the sun and twice the pace after dark. The long slow eating style of the Portuguese means that Faro’s trendiest clubs and bars don’t get going much before midnight – and nightlife invariably becomes morning life!
French ski resorts, particularly those close to Chambery, are legendary for their apres ski – not necessarily raucous but certainly relaxed and genial. In Paris, every imaginary taste is catered for after the sun sets – whether its romantic walks by the Seine you crave or fast moving shows, throbbing clubs or cabaret. Around the regions of France the nightlife varies – check out local festivals and special events for some real native colour. Although most towns have some clubs, a cinema and theatre, much evening entertainment revolves around long leisurely dinners with family and friends that the French adore.
Salzburg’s strict planning rules mean nightclubs are tucked inside historic buildings and not allowed to proclaim themselves to obviously! However they are there for those who get all cultured out on their fill of classical Mozart. Alternatively, how about a dinner cruise along the Salzach?
Ancient Berne may look like a city still rooted in its past but it’s a town that knows how to party none-the-less. Festivals and carnivals are a regular excuse for non-stop celebrations and the city groans with restaurants and bars and a vibrant nightlife.
The Irish are famed for their warm hospitality and Dublin has a vibrant nightlife with the classic ‘Irish pub’ at the heart of most hospitality. In Shannon, too, a pint of Guinness or two or three awaits – but the West Coast is the pace to head for those in a slower gear.