Our Guide to Germany
Ausschenken, Bierhallen, Biergarten, Brauhauses, Gaststätten, Kneipen, Apfelwein tasting houses and much more…!
Pubs
Although you will see other terms on pub signs, we'll begin by simplifying. Germany has three common styles of pub:
◉ Kneipe
Working class corner locals which rarely offer any sort of meals, hot or cold. These focus on providing a casual place to hang out, listen to music, play darts, table football, and watch TV. Sometimes these are smokey depending on the city. These can be trashy, twee, boisterous but they are usually unpretentious. The best examples are perhaps Munich's Boazn, more homely, social and approachable efforts led by middle aged/older women typically, but Hamburg and Berlin have some classics too.
◉ Gaststätte
This is the least helpful term because a Gaststätte can mean anything from a fully fledged restaurant only for dining, to a Kneipe by any other name. The most typical though, are casual diners, where it may become foodie at mealtimes but at other times can be casual places for a drink. If you find a Brauereigaststätte, particularly in smaller towns, it is likely the social focus will take centre stage. To sniff out whether a Gaststätte looks right for you, take a look at whether tables are already set for dinner, whether there are stools at the bar, and photos of the venue show people drinking rather than eating.
◉ Wirtshaus
A bourgeois venue which these days denotes an eatery. These are least likely to be proper pubs and most likely to be food-focused. Wirtshaus is commonly used in the Bavarian chain pubs (ie. Hofbrau/Paulaner) found across the country. Despite the high likelihood you will be sat in a restaurant, there are some examples which are similar to country pubs in England, so it is relevant to include these.
If you enjoy central beer halls, traditional pubs and/or if you like the sound of entirely unpretentious working-class hangouts, Germany may well suit you.
Socially, seating is generally more communal and there is an expectation of social interaction with strangers in a lot of places. The forwardness can be surprising as a buttoned-up English person, but it is refreshing to see people of different generations speaking to each other as equals and not dividing their social lives between one another as much. This can spill over into gregarious bouts of singing and joviality at times, but they often find a way of doing it without it feeling loutish or nationalistic.
It is far less common to go on a 'crawl' than in the UK, and you'll find any sort of migration from one bar to another a young person's activity. If you select a venue and reserve a table it's typical you'll remain there for the duration.
Drinks
It doesn't need saying, Germany is a crucible of beer, although not always of the quality they assert. If you're outside Bavaria, the beer scene in Germany may feel like you’re drowning in pils, hundreds and hundreds of attempts at making the same sort of lager with varying degrees of success, rarely ever exceptional. This situation has its roots in old political conflicts in the 19th and early 20th century, as well as the cold war and aftermath which combined to destroy North German brewing, now dominated by conglomerates churning out quantity over quality.
The Germans love a crisp, pale lager, but beyond that there lies a tradition of varying distinct regional styles, some of which remain almost dormant, waiting to be revived. In order to experience these in their intended glory you often must visit the regions specifically.
Altbier, Kölsch and Dortmunder in the North West, Wheatbeer, Maibock and Dunkelweizen in Bavaria (just to get started with), Gose in Leipzig and Berliner Weisse in Berlin (kind of, it died out and has received some revival), Schwarzbier in Thuringia, Rotbier, Rauchbier and Kellerbier in Franconia are just a few examples. This makes Germany feel more distinct in its regional traditions than the UK.
This means that if you’re not keen on drinking pils, don’t worry, there will probably be another style for you. In our opinion Wheatbeer is the highest quality widely available beer style in Germany, and the safest bet for a well-brewed beer you can find literally anywhere you go.
The brewing scene developed differently regionally, with huge concentrations of breweries in certain areas over others. Bavaria, especially Franconia seems to have a brewery in every town as a badge of honour. Bamberg boasts at least 13 breweries, exhibiting their tradition and obsession with beer brewing.
It’s heartening to spend time drinking in Germany which maintains tradition through a certain obsession/intransigence when it comes to brewing. However, like everywhere they have industrial monoliths churning out some really not great beer. Don't expect to find excellent beer on tap everywhere, especially in the North, but also areas like Hesse and Saxony-Anhalt.
If you are interested in craft styles you may find them difficult to come by, even at the time of writing. Germans' parochialism and refusal to accept the merits of other styles can be pigheaded, and this is one aspect you may find frustrating. Large cities have beer specialist bars you can count on the fingers of one hand - in some cases one one finger - no joke. Generally though, going hunting for good beer in Germany is an easy and extremely enjoyable task if you're happy surfing to the town brewpub and trying domestic styles.
Germany also has a strong wine tradition with the Rhineland and South-West, but also Franconia providing opportunity to enjoy high quality wines.
In almost every pub you will be treated to a menu of confusing-looking brandy, local firewater and herbal schnapps which require a bit of translating, sometimes trial and error to get the most out of. These are normally less-corporate than the offerings in the UK and you can find some truly odd, delightful creations. It is very common, almost expected to finish off a meal with a round of schnapps.
Etiquette
Etiquette varies from region to region, but in any larger German venue it is customary to share a communal table. Ask if space is free and you will always be invited to sit if it is.
In Cologne and Düsseldorf, placing a beer mat on your glass signals the end of your session. While this is also a signal in Bavaria, you may find certain beers presented in a steinkrug (stone mug). In Franconia, resting your stone mug to one side when you've finished indicates to the server either you want to settle the bill or you'd like another drink. In fact, when you see a mat over a mug in Franconia drinkers are protecting it from oxidisation or flies, usually.
Across Germany you can order a 0.2, 0.3l or 0.5l serving of beer, with 0.4l becoming more common due to shrinkflation and changing customer habits. In Bavaria though, it is much more expected to get a 0.5l.
If you want to squeeze in another beer but don't have time for a whole 0.5l serving, you can ask the serve for a 'schnitt' (called a pfiff in Austria and in some corners of Bavaria) which is a wild pour with a lively head, and normally ends up around 0.3l of beer. This is well worth trying as it can also adjust the flavour and texture of the beer.
If food comes to the neighbours on your table, wish them 'Gut Appetit' and if you are leaving your table bid your neighbours farewell. There is a somewhat formal courtesy to that but it does help grease the gears for conversation and socialising sometimes.
Outside of a Kneipe, where you'd generally order around the bar and pay up front, you can normally expect table service. As for tipping, you would not normally tip for 1 round of drinks, but if you have had several it would be polite to round up the bill or leave 10% as a signal of your gratitude.
Pricing
The price for a Beer in a German pub used to be a strong point and varies hugely from the expensive North West to surprisingly cheap in the capital and some of the brewing heartlands in Franconia. As per usual, visit working class haunts, timewarp country pubs and less centrally located or corporate places if value for money is a key concern. Zoigl country is particularly outstandingly cheap, which we will now come on to discuss...
Zoigl Culture
In the quiet backwaters of the Oberpfalz, a traditional of brewing and hospitality is kept alive. Zoigl culture involves a village of families who each take it in turns to brew a beer, then once a month open their doors for a few days only. While their guesthouse is open you are invited to drink them dry and sample some of their food. The food is majority cold-cuts or processed pork with cheese, pickles and fresh bread. These can be delicious as it is not uncommon for a Zoigl family to run a butcher's as their day job. The prices are otherworldly even in comparison with the relatively cheap region, but even after you've gasped at that, the wholesome welcome and culture of hospitality is the thing that really shines through.
While this culture is alive in small towns and remote villages, and may look distant from a map, the core Zoigl town of Windischeschenbach and its bolted on neighbour Neuhaus is very easily reachable by train from Nuremberg. Take a look at the Zoigl kalendar: http://zoiglbier.de/zoigltermine/ to determine which pubs will be open and when.
If you are interested in beer, German pub culture and tradition, and enjoy walks and nature, then a couple of days in the Oberpfalz is as well spent as any 2 days in any Germany city.
Although you will see other terms on pub signs, we'll begin by simplifying. Germany has three common styles of pub:
◉ Kneipe
Working class corner locals which rarely offer any sort of meals, hot or cold. These focus on providing a casual place to hang out, listen to music, play darts, table football, and watch TV. Sometimes these are smokey depending on the city. These can be trashy, twee, boisterous but they are usually unpretentious. The best examples are perhaps Munich's Boazn, more homely, social and approachable efforts led by middle aged/older women typically, but Hamburg and Berlin have some classics too.
◉ Gaststätte
This is the least helpful term because a Gaststätte can mean anything from a fully fledged restaurant only for dining, to a Kneipe by any other name. The most typical though, are casual diners, where it may become foodie at mealtimes but at other times can be casual places for a drink. If you find a Brauereigaststätte, particularly in smaller towns, it is likely the social focus will take centre stage. To sniff out whether a Gaststätte looks right for you, take a look at whether tables are already set for dinner, whether there are stools at the bar, and photos of the venue show people drinking rather than eating.
◉ Wirtshaus
A bourgeois venue which these days denotes an eatery. These are least likely to be proper pubs and most likely to be food-focused. Wirtshaus is commonly used in the Bavarian chain pubs (ie. Hofbrau/Paulaner) found across the country. Despite the high likelihood you will be sat in a restaurant, there are some examples which are similar to country pubs in England, so it is relevant to include these.
If you enjoy central beer halls, traditional pubs and/or if you like the sound of entirely unpretentious working-class hangouts, Germany may well suit you.
Socially, seating is generally more communal and there is an expectation of social interaction with strangers in a lot of places. The forwardness can be surprising as a buttoned-up English person, but it is refreshing to see people of different generations speaking to each other as equals and not dividing their social lives between one another as much. This can spill over into gregarious bouts of singing and joviality at times, but they often find a way of doing it without it feeling loutish or nationalistic.
It is far less common to go on a 'crawl' than in the UK, and you'll find any sort of migration from one bar to another a young person's activity. If you select a venue and reserve a table it's typical you'll remain there for the duration.
Drinks
It doesn't need saying, Germany is a crucible of beer, although not always of the quality they assert. If you're outside Bavaria, the beer scene in Germany may feel like you’re drowning in pils, hundreds and hundreds of attempts at making the same sort of lager with varying degrees of success, rarely ever exceptional. This situation has its roots in old political conflicts in the 19th and early 20th century, as well as the cold war and aftermath which combined to destroy North German brewing, now dominated by conglomerates churning out quantity over quality.
The Germans love a crisp, pale lager, but beyond that there lies a tradition of varying distinct regional styles, some of which remain almost dormant, waiting to be revived. In order to experience these in their intended glory you often must visit the regions specifically.
Altbier, Kölsch and Dortmunder in the North West, Wheatbeer, Maibock and Dunkelweizen in Bavaria (just to get started with), Gose in Leipzig and Berliner Weisse in Berlin (kind of, it died out and has received some revival), Schwarzbier in Thuringia, Rotbier, Rauchbier and Kellerbier in Franconia are just a few examples. This makes Germany feel more distinct in its regional traditions than the UK.
This means that if you’re not keen on drinking pils, don’t worry, there will probably be another style for you. In our opinion Wheatbeer is the highest quality widely available beer style in Germany, and the safest bet for a well-brewed beer you can find literally anywhere you go.
The brewing scene developed differently regionally, with huge concentrations of breweries in certain areas over others. Bavaria, especially Franconia seems to have a brewery in every town as a badge of honour. Bamberg boasts at least 13 breweries, exhibiting their tradition and obsession with beer brewing.
It’s heartening to spend time drinking in Germany which maintains tradition through a certain obsession/intransigence when it comes to brewing. However, like everywhere they have industrial monoliths churning out some really not great beer. Don't expect to find excellent beer on tap everywhere, especially in the North, but also areas like Hesse and Saxony-Anhalt.
If you are interested in craft styles you may find them difficult to come by, even at the time of writing. Germans' parochialism and refusal to accept the merits of other styles can be pigheaded, and this is one aspect you may find frustrating. Large cities have beer specialist bars you can count on the fingers of one hand - in some cases one one finger - no joke. Generally though, going hunting for good beer in Germany is an easy and extremely enjoyable task if you're happy surfing to the town brewpub and trying domestic styles.
Germany also has a strong wine tradition with the Rhineland and South-West, but also Franconia providing opportunity to enjoy high quality wines.
In almost every pub you will be treated to a menu of confusing-looking brandy, local firewater and herbal schnapps which require a bit of translating, sometimes trial and error to get the most out of. These are normally less-corporate than the offerings in the UK and you can find some truly odd, delightful creations. It is very common, almost expected to finish off a meal with a round of schnapps.
Etiquette
Etiquette varies from region to region, but in any larger German venue it is customary to share a communal table. Ask if space is free and you will always be invited to sit if it is.
In Cologne and Düsseldorf, placing a beer mat on your glass signals the end of your session. While this is also a signal in Bavaria, you may find certain beers presented in a steinkrug (stone mug). In Franconia, resting your stone mug to one side when you've finished indicates to the server either you want to settle the bill or you'd like another drink. In fact, when you see a mat over a mug in Franconia drinkers are protecting it from oxidisation or flies, usually.
Across Germany you can order a 0.2, 0.3l or 0.5l serving of beer, with 0.4l becoming more common due to shrinkflation and changing customer habits. In Bavaria though, it is much more expected to get a 0.5l.
If you want to squeeze in another beer but don't have time for a whole 0.5l serving, you can ask the serve for a 'schnitt' (called a pfiff in Austria and in some corners of Bavaria) which is a wild pour with a lively head, and normally ends up around 0.3l of beer. This is well worth trying as it can also adjust the flavour and texture of the beer.
If food comes to the neighbours on your table, wish them 'Gut Appetit' and if you are leaving your table bid your neighbours farewell. There is a somewhat formal courtesy to that but it does help grease the gears for conversation and socialising sometimes.
Outside of a Kneipe, where you'd generally order around the bar and pay up front, you can normally expect table service. As for tipping, you would not normally tip for 1 round of drinks, but if you have had several it would be polite to round up the bill or leave 10% as a signal of your gratitude.
Pricing
The price for a Beer in a German pub used to be a strong point and varies hugely from the expensive North West to surprisingly cheap in the capital and some of the brewing heartlands in Franconia. As per usual, visit working class haunts, timewarp country pubs and less centrally located or corporate places if value for money is a key concern. Zoigl country is particularly outstandingly cheap, which we will now come on to discuss...
Zoigl Culture
In the quiet backwaters of the Oberpfalz, a traditional of brewing and hospitality is kept alive. Zoigl culture involves a village of families who each take it in turns to brew a beer, then once a month open their doors for a few days only. While their guesthouse is open you are invited to drink them dry and sample some of their food. The food is majority cold-cuts or processed pork with cheese, pickles and fresh bread. These can be delicious as it is not uncommon for a Zoigl family to run a butcher's as their day job. The prices are otherworldly even in comparison with the relatively cheap region, but even after you've gasped at that, the wholesome welcome and culture of hospitality is the thing that really shines through.
While this culture is alive in small towns and remote villages, and may look distant from a map, the core Zoigl town of Windischeschenbach and its bolted on neighbour Neuhaus is very easily reachable by train from Nuremberg. Take a look at the Zoigl kalendar: http://zoiglbier.de/zoigltermine/ to determine which pubs will be open and when.
If you are interested in beer, German pub culture and tradition, and enjoy walks and nature, then a couple of days in the Oberpfalz is as well spent as any 2 days in any Germany city.
Jump to our Top 50 Bars In Germany 2025
Ratings Key (0-10)
Aachen
Domkeller 9.1 Grotesque Absinth Bar 8.1 Aachener Brauhaus 7.6Augsburg
Neruda Kultur Café 8.7 Damenhof 8.3Bad Reichenhall
Brauereigasthof Bürgerbräu 7.8
Bamberg
Schlenkerla 9.7 Pizzini 8.7 Rotenschild 8.4 Catwheezle's Castle 8.3 Brauhaus Spezial 8.3 Mahrs Brau 8.2 Galerie am Stephansberg 8 Zum Sternla 7.9 Brauhaus Fassla 7.9 Hopfengarten 7.8 Greifenklau 7.5Bayreuth
Manns Bräu 8.5
Becher Bräu 7.7
Berlin
Yorckschlösschen 9.2 Bei Schlawinchen 8.6 E&M Leydicke 8.3 Peppi Guggenheim 8.3 Wilhelm Hoeck 1892 8.2 Prager Fruhling 8.2 Dicke Wirtin 8.1 Fuk;s 7.9 Dschungel 7.9 Zur Pinte 7.7 Zum Goldenen Fass 7.7 Astra Stube 7.7 Charlottenburger Wappen 7.7Bremen
Heartbreak Hotel 8.8 Brommy 8.2 Hart Backboard 8.1 Ständiges Vertretung Rheinland Bremen 8 Gaststätte Horner Eck 7.9 Spitzen Gebel 7.8 Wiener 7.8 Druide 7.8 Rum Bumpers 7.7 Heroes 7.5 Chameleon Jazz Bar 7.5 Die Fliege 7.5Cologne
Papa Joe's Jazzlokal 9.7 Papa Joe's Biersalon 9.2 Lommerzheim 8.7 Weisser Holunder 8.4 Brauerei Päffgen 7.9 Em Hähnche 7.8 Schreckenskammer 7.8 Früh 7.8 Sunner Im Wälfisch 7.8 Sion 7.7 Peters 7.7 Gaffel am Dom 7.6 Malzmühle 7.6Dörfleins
Brauerei Eichhorn 7.5Düsseldorf
Uerige 8.2 Schumacher 7.9 Et Kabuffke 7.8 Julio 7.7Erfurt
Noah 9.5Falkenberg (Oberpfalz) (ZOIGL)
Kramer Zoigl 7.8 Zoiglstube Wolfladl 7.7Forchheim
Brauerei Neder 8.3 Stadtlockal 7.7 Brauerei Hebendanz 7.7 Lohmühl 7.5Frankfurt
Apfelwein DAX 8.3 Klapper33 8.2 Rote Bar 7.9 Balalaika 7.8 Doctor Flotte 7.7Freiburg im Breisgau
Litfass 9 Café Atlantik 8.4 Beat Bar Butzemann 8 Café Movie 7.8Fürth
Keimling 8.8Hamburg
Zum Silbersack 8.8 Gaststätte Dreyer 8.6 Haifisch 8.4 Die Glocke 8.1 Tortuga 8 Zur Ritze 7.9 Jupi Bar 7.8 Old Sailor 7.8 Gretel & Alfons 7.8 Zwick St. Pauli 7.8 Fritz Bauch 7.8 Le Fonque 7.8 Tippel II 7.6 Bei Marina 7.6 Holsten Schwemme 7.6 Kombüse 7.5 Nobiskrug 7.5 David Quelle 7.5Hannover
Craft Bier Bar 7.5Heiligenstadt
Gasthof Drei Kronen 7.5Kaufbeuren
Zoigl 8.9Koblenz
Altes Brauhaus 7.5Leipzig
Könich Heinze 8.6 Frau Krause 8.5 BillHart 8.3 Zwille 7.8 Bayerischer Bahnhof 7.6Leups
Brauerei Gradl 8.4Limburg an der Lahn
Rundes Eck 8.1 Zum Batzewert 7.9Lübeck
Buthmanns Bierstuben 8.2 Tibia Tick 7.8 Rauchfang 7.7Lüneburg
Brauhaus Nolte 8.6 September 8.3 Café Klatsch 8.2Marktredwitz
Am Strand 8.3 Am alten Rathaus 7.8Mönchsambach
Brauerei Zehendner 8.9Munich
Hofbräuhaus 8.7 Brandner Kaspar 8.6 Pusser's 8.3 Gans Woanders 8.2 Sehnsucht 8.1 Geyerwally 8.0 Bei Otto 8.0 Cafe Johannis 7.8 Gasthaus Isarthor 7.8 Schneider Bräuhaus 7.8 Alter Ofen 7.8 Augustiner Stammhaus 7.8 Alte Utting 7.7 Salon Irkutsk 7.7 Ca-Va 7.7 Giesinger Braustuberl 7.6 Le Clou 7.6 Landhaus 7.6 Valentin Stuberl 7.5 Bei Dagmar 7.5Neuhaus an der Waldnaab (ZOIGL)
Beim Kack'n 8.6 Schafferhof 8.4Nördlingen
Bayrish Pub 8.0 Sixenbräu Stuble 7.6Nuremberg
Freudenpark 9 Bierwerk 8.1 Schanzenbräu Schankwirtschaft 8.1 Weissbier Hex 8.1 Altstadthof 7.9 Landbierparadies Wodanstrasse 7.8 Landbierparadies Nordost 7.7 Kloster 7.7 Tante Betty 7.6 Kater Murr 7.6 Bieramt Wanderer 7.5Oldenburg
Strohhalm 7.5Passau
Zeche14 Muzikkneipe 7.7Pottenstein
Brauerei Mager 7.6Regensburg
Zur geflickten Trommel 8.2 Muzikbar SAX 8.1 Piratenhöhle 7.9 Kneitinger 7.8 Hinterhaus 7.8 Muzikkneipe Klappe 7.6 Auerbrau 7.6Reuth bei Erbendorf (ZOIGL)
Zoiglstube Zum Rechersimer 7.5Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Altfrankisch Weinstube 8.1 Gaststätte Guckloch 7.7 Ratsstube 7.5Schwerin
Zum Freischütz 8.3Stade
Fuerkiek 7.5Tegernsee
Tegernsee Braustuberl 8.0Waischenfeld
Brauerei Heckel 8.9Weiden in der Oberpfalz (ZOIGL)
Kloine Zoiglstub'n Zum Stich'n 7.8Wernigerode
Tommis Pub 7.5Wetzlar
Café Vinyl 8.0 Pintchen 7.7Windischeschenbach (ZOIGL)
Beim Gloser 8.5 Zum Roud'n 8.5 Beim Binner 7.8Wismar
Theatergaststätte Heiko Lange 8.2 Der Schlauch 8.2 Brauhaus am Lohberg 7.5Würzburg
Muzikkneipe Tscharlie's 7.9
Jump to:
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 245,345
A town with a lot of history, the crowning of kings, Roman legacy and restored medieval towers, there is enough here to be of interest for a day or so. In respect of its nightlife, the pedestrianised centre becomes lively in the evening. The centrepiece is the terrific Domkeller, a brilliant evening kneipe, the excellence of which compensates for a lack of quantity of alternatives. As per usual, the central brewpub is worth a look too.
Augsburg
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 295,135
A pretty city with a touch of class and self-assurance (easily done with the money rolling in), the Renaissance visited Augsburg and touches of Austria and Czechia can be seen in its architecture and monuments. Despite a reputation as being rather staid for nightlife, there are pockets of excitement to look out for, alternative bars, brewpubs and the unique Damenhof courtyard, an unmissable venue.
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
pop. 95,000
Medieval bishopric with a uniquely bizarre and wonderful town hall, the Altes Rathaus set midway along a bridge. Famous in drinking terms for its many breweries, specialising in Rauchbeer – smoked – a style which is a great example of the concept ‘an acquired taste’. Expect supremely cosy traditional beer halls in winter, but also some excellent late bars both in terms of atmosphere and selection of drinks, reflecting the younger, cosmopolitan side of the city. Yet to become overexposed, Bamberg is truly special and punches well above its weight.
Bautzen / Budyšin
Nightlife Rating: ❤️
pop. 40,700
A small town, Bautzen could be forgiven for not being the epicentre of the world’s nightlife. It is a very interesting place with one of the most striking vistas of any town as you view it from the bridge, a Sorbian minority (for whom this place is called Budyšin) and a beautiful historic centre. It’s also famous for its mustard. Bautzner Senf can be found in huge tubs at sausage stalls across Germany. Speaking of the bar scene, you’ll find a decent neighbourhood brewery (a surprisingly big venue) and the Radeberger Bierstube, a typical example of a classical traditional German Gaststätte. In the old town there are a couple of passable bars. But it is slim pickings.
Bayreuth
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
pop. 72,790
Bayreuth's town enjoyed a Renaissance era re-design, its layout hewn to the new enlightened standards. You won't find too much timber-framed Medievalism here, but grand civic buildings, and smart boulevards. It's Margravial Theatre is a true wonder of Europe. Yet, twinned with its very provincial place in the modern world, Bayreuth feels both impressive and unimportant all at once. It's easy to reach from bigger cities and with good quality brewpubs and other good drinking venues, this city will keep you occupied on an evening.
Berlin
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Pop. 3.75M
In this huge city anything goes. This has been a tale right back to the pre-war days, when Berlin’s notorious decadence and liberal nightlife became a byword for excess and debauchery. As a result, Berliner’s took longer than most to fall under the control of fascism. The reunited Berlin in the 90s has left the city with a series of distinct districts, with more well to do Charlottenburg, Wedding, Schoenburg in the West, and the more traditionally working class/socialist side, Kreuzberg (though this is fast-developing), Friedrichshain and Neukölln. There are great bars spread across the city. You will generally find one of the following:
– A smokey kneipe selling 1 cheap beer. Atmospheric, scuzzy, democratic.
– A well looked after drop in pub similar to Munich's Boazn with a middle aged woman behind the bar. Again cheap, but more respectable. Mixed audience.
– A punk bar covered in stickers and flags, often with live music or sport
– Cookie cutter craft beer venues as Berlin makes belated committed efforts to keep up with the global trends.
This is not to state there isn’t more. There is of course far more, many venues falling in between the lines. Our favourite is the jazz bar Yorckschlösschen, which combines local beer, eclectic bawdy décor, superb atmosphere, amenities, and a terrific leafy garden. Both nostalgic and vital for the present, it is Berlin in a nutshell.
Bonn
Nightlife Rating: ❤️
pop. 318,800
We hope you like generic cafés for middle-class pensioners.
Bremen
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
pop. 577,404
Unless you travel for football, or are happy flying to anywhere for £30 with Ryanair, Bremen is unlikely to be name on your lips for a holiday, therefore most people will be stopping during the day or for a night out. The very core of the city with town hall and cathedral, the Botcherstrasse and Schnoor is genuinely beautiful and competes with the best large German cities have to offer. It's just there's little else. The riverside area also feels underutilised and in need of a Dusseldorf type greenway. By contrast, the nightlife is pretty good.
As well as a few classic central pubs, the Cologne-like Ständige Vertretung, the old Kneipe Spitzen Gebel and handy station pub De Fliege, you'll find two nightlife districts well worth looking at. First is Steintor just east of the centre which in some ways is a compact, much toned-down St Pauli but with a good tempo and energy and several decent bars of different forms and styles. Bremen's West End, 'Walle' is more suburban but even there you'll find a handful of very decent corner pubs with aspects that surprised us. The Neustadt south west of town has a few to pick at but maybe should take a back seat to begin with. It's all well joined up too, with two NW to SE running lines on the tram and night-trams too. On that score, we would strongly recommend staying overnight in Bremen to allow you to explore these.
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
pop. 1,061,000
A large city with a vast nightlife encompassing several boroughs. While modern, alternative venues can be found in the student neighbourhoods, in the centre, the Kölsch houses hold sway. These beer halls are part of a local ritual that’s not to be missed.
Kölsch is a pale lager/ale hybrid is served in a 0.2l stange which are endlessly replenished by Cologne's brusque Köbes, middle-aged male servers whose grey area between banter and abuse depends what side of bed they woke up on. Huge beer barrels are winched up to the bar via a barrel and the beer is served straight from it. Remember never to order Altbier, the beer style of Cologne’s deadly rivals Düsseldorf unless you want to be treated like dirt under someone's shoe! Don’t forget to visit Papa Joe’s Biersalon and sister pub Jazzlokal, cult institutions of the city and remember that this is a large city - the pub culture isn't all about the beer halls in the Altstadt.
Dresden
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 543,825
A large modern shopping area, a small restored pile of admittedly dramatic, if rather obnoxious, imperial central monuments, and an interesting little brown and frequently rain-sodden Northern arts quarter, none of which transition into one another. Dresden is hardly the stuff of a backpacker’s dreams, really a monument to the tragic deleterious effects of war rather than a well-integrated city. As far as pubs and bars go, there is a rather middle-aged Brauhaus near the river, and you’ll find some cosy boho venues in the Innere and Aussere Neustadt. Although we haven’t had the time to really explore to the fullest we get the impression there are a few other decent venues lurking around which we'll endeavour to return to find.
Düsseldorf
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
pop. 612,000
As with Cologne, Düsseldorf city centre is studded with large beer halls this time serving you Altbier, brown well-hopped beer from the barrel. Alt is surprisingly easy to dispatch, despite the strength and texture and the flavour is more varied from place to place.
Düsseldorf is not as large a city as Cologne and so the nightlife is more concentrated in its centre, which you will find to be atmospheric and lively to say the least. Don’t ever order a Kölsch here unless you are prepared to suffer the ignominy of being outed as a dilettante and traitor to the city! They don't seem to care if you drink Radeberger pilsener though.
Another city claiming the 'longest bar in Europe' which gives you some impression of the parade of drinking venues in its buzzing old town, that certainly deserves experiencing. For the ur-typical experience, head to Urige in the centre, and when you've had your fill of Altbier go for Killepitsch (deadly aniseed liqueur) at the next door bar Et Kabuffke, and you'll be partaking in a ritual most locals still partake in.
Erfurt
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 210,118
This medium sized city in Thuringia struck me as a nice place to live. Sizeable enough to have most of what you need, but also compact enough to get around, both out into the country and to the lovely low-rise Altstadt. As the centre-ground for Erfurt's nightlife you will find yourself twisting around old lanes and stone walls, timber houses and gates, ducking into courtyards and backstreets. It’s all quite charming. While the various courtyard bars seemed reasonable, there is an outstanding kneipe, Noah, which is undoubtedly one of the best in Germany. All boxes are ticked, from the wide beer selection, the ultra-cosy bunker interior, biergarten and kitchen, with fair value on offer. Can we have a pub like this everywhere, please? Outside of that, it's harder work.
Erlangen
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop 105,201
Situated between Bamberg and Nuremberg, Erlangen was destroyed in a freakish fire in 1704, then rebuilt in a Renaissance style and layout you can still trace today. A well-connected low-rise University city with a young population should be the setting for many great pubs, but unfortunately that's not really the case. A couple of alternative pubs pass muster and the city brewpub is as stolid as ever, but since the closure of Hinterhaus, there's a void waiting to be filled. While Erlangen also boasts a historic Kellerwald for beer garden drinking (and the festival Bergkirchwehr), in the city itself it simply doesn't bear comparison with the likes of Bamberg.
Forchheim
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
pop. 30,400
For a town of its size, Forchheim is very lucky to boast 3 local breweries brewing Bier that is some of the freshest and tastiest in the world. What's more, each of them focuses on their social aspect rather than food, something extremely rare to find. Family operations with simple but enjoyable pubs go hand in hand with the traditional Fachwerk architecture of this market town. The prices are fairly historic too, like jumping back in time 5 years. Beers on an autumn evening inside Brauerei Neder are superbly enjoyable, but Grief and Hebendanz have their charms too. Forchheim is more widely known for its Kellerwald, medieval cellars in the hills outside town where the breweries' beers used to be stored. These days it is a huge complex of beer gardens which hosts 'Annafest', a former folk festival that is now moving towards being as tacky, corporate and outrageously priced as a certain larger, more famous Bavarian festival you may have heard of.
Frankfurt
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
pop. 736,400
Frankurt’s alcohol claim to fame is Apfelwein rather than beer. Many of its neighbourhood pubs – to be found in Saschenhausen district and in the outlying villages will offer this strong, deliberately dry and sour cider typical of the Hesse region. It divides opinion but I enjoy Apfelwein very much.
In other respects the venues are similar to your usual German Gaststätte or Wirtshaus serving food and rarely getting out of second gear.
The south bank borough of Saschenhausen is your best best for congregations of nightlife and changes of speed, with some smokey, raucous but nevertheless atmospheric bars to enjoy. Conversely, be careful to avoid bars in Frankfurt’s red light district, which operates very close to the train station and may create alarm if you aren't expecting it. As for Frankfurt's 'old' town the very core has been scenically rebuilt but frankly the bar options around the Romer Platz are not worth bothering with.
Freiburg
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
pop. 243,134
A gateway to the Black Forest deep in the corner of South West Germany, you'll find a relaxed studenty city slanting Green/Left in its politics, something you won't fail to notice as you spot the posters and graffiti in the old town. A pleasant centre with Medieval gate towers and vast Cathedral, accented by its castle top where views of the city and surrounding hills are not to be missed. Students generally mean good bars, and Freiburg has plenty to offer in that regard.
You'll find some terrific down-to-earth kneipen in the old town, but don't miss out the district of Stühlinger west of the tracks where even more can be found. There are a few brewpubs in town that are of interest for beer, although not so much for the venues themselves. As for craft beer, you can find this in clutches here and there, but the domestic options are comparatively strong versus the West and North of Germany, so you're in reasonably good hands overall.
Proximity to Strasbourg, Basel and Colmar makes hopping between countries very easy and enjoyable - Freiburg can play a role in that and is certainly worth a visit.
Fürth
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 124,750
A city that has become part of Nuremberg’s conurbation, you can easily reach this place within 15 minutes on the U-Bahn from Nuremberg central station.
Central nightlife is oddly parochial and small-town feeling. There's a low rise Altstadt with attractive slate frontages and 19th century imperial buildings. The quaint market town pubs certainly don’t reflect the size of what is as much as city as Bradford is to Leeds or Sopot to Gdansk. Nevertheless, beyond immediate impressions you will find the local venues friendly and lively, while if you're seeking something patrician and obvious, the Grüner Brauhaus ticks many of the big beer hall features, and its Rotbier is worth a try.
Goslar
Nightlife Rating: ❤️
pop. 41,700
A traditional Fachwerk town with extraordinary architecture and slate-fronted houses that look like a dwelling has donned a suit of armour, Goslar is a magnificent and distinctive place, but not one with a huge array of nightlife. This is a common problem with quaint towns mainly inhabited by and visited by retirees. Activity gathers around the few evening bars.
Although, with a central brewery tap and a couple of hangout spots for the small number of youngsters, Goslar is in a slightly better position than the almost comatose Quedlinburg, nearby.
Görlitz
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 55,900
This beautiful border city is an architectural jewel, but no-one in town would argue with me when I say it is not a hotbed of nightlife (mind you, neither is the Polish half, Zgorzelec). This may be due to the aging inhabitants and appeal to elderly day-trippers, which is a shame. Instead, the pockets of evening drinkers congregate in dispersed venues.
There are some nice alternative options such as a Kino-bar (one of the increasingly popular bars where you turn up for a drink and the venue screens a film) and you’ll find the nano-brewery and medieval dining room Bierblume excellent - a must-visit venue in the evening. Unfortunately you’ll be scraping around for other options that are worth your time. These are mainly sleepy old corner kneipen, some of which don't exactly fling open their doors to welcome tourists. Someone please give the town a shot of adrenalin.
Halle
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 233,705
Immediate appearances from the station shouldn’t deceive you, as Halle is a very pleasant town with dramatic towers and expansive central square, pleasant park and network of streets boasting pre-war architecture that, with the tram network gives off more than a hint of Czechia about it. You could even visit Praguer Wenzel, their Czech restaurant to fool yourself in that slightly out-of-place experience. Unfortunately, the range of bars in the centre leaves much to be desired, with far too many Irish theme pubs and little in the way of local character. There are a few venues north of the centre worth noting and the typical reliable central Brauhaus. Other than that, happy hunting - let us know what you find.
Hamburg
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
pop. 1,916,392
Giant port city with centuries of trading culture, Hamburg has a vocal and visible working-class Left, which you will not fail to notice as you explore its bar culture. Like other German cities the commercial centre is almost devoid of anything you could call a bar, with only a few that cling on, usually a little more patrician and serving food.
Clearly the Reeperbahn and St. Pauli cannot go unmentioned. A lurid experience but nevertheless a quintessential one, a step beyond what you'll find even in the likes of Amsterdam. Within 30 seconds you can pick up a bratwurst from a stall, have stepped over an unconscious body, been propositioned by a prostitute and dodged a crackhead swaying in the street, while the glow of seedy sex shows illuminates the street. A sense of edginess can be found in bars like Erlebniskeller and Goldenen Handshuh (the latter of which still can be very atmospheric) while there is also just downright trash devoid of any redeeming feature. Why bother then?
The answer, because in among all this are loads of fun, interesting, persevering working class boozers which ooze character and charm, which all benefit from the energy and excitement created by this environment. Sea-faring décor, smoky interiors and punk stickers plastered on every door, floor, wall and ceiling, you come here to let your hair down.
North of St Pauli, the district of Sternschanze occupies a hinterland between that no-filter excess and hipster culture. Some will claim it is already in the latter, but with a wider perspective there are still humble operations and street life which are legit, and live directly alongside the Vegan ice cream shops and taco joints. In the decades to come we might see the transition completed, but it hasn't happened yet.
Other areas? The Fischmarkt has a small selection of iconic former fisherman's pubs which are a little touristy but still very charming and worth your while. Eimsbüttel is also notable for bars and based close to a wealthy suburb of Hoheluft.
In summary, Hamburg is likely to strongly divide opinion, particularly for people who are triggered by smoking in pubs, punk/left attitudes and grimy old boozers. Yep, and the beer isn't great either. However, for those seeking unabashed fun, excitement, the sense of escape from the confines of corporatism and the prospect that anything could happen on a night out, you will be enriched by an experience which is without a doubt one of the most significant, meaningful and distinctive contributions to European bar culture.
Hannoversch Münden
Nightlife Rating: ❤️
pop 24,612
An obscure but truly beautiful town. Here you will find an ensemble of timber-framed buildings occupying virtually every plot of its self-contained old town. Very impressive visuals are augmented by the riverside setting which is also a confluence of two rivers. Forested hilltops surrounding the town complete what is an almost dreamlike realisation of small town fairytale Germany. Yet even many people in Germany don't realise it exists, let alone the outside world. That said, don’t expect Prancing Pony type wooden inns. Sadly, no-one has seen the potential here of developing a pub which utilises the innate natural advantages. You will find a few busy locals, whether they have football on or people playing darts, and a central Ratskeller that is half-decent. Sadly nothing outstanding.
Hanover
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 531, 200
Hanover’s centre is an artificial but convincing enough recreation of its pre-war old town, and it’s a reasonable base for average bars, the odd smokey working-class Kneipe and one nice craft beer venue. However, given the size of the city, it must be said that Hanover disappoints, ultimately, in its drinking options. Even the central brewery is remarkably, almost pointedly soulless. Let’s hope that’s subject to change.
Kaufbeuren
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 46,193
A provincial feel to this Allgäu town. Their brewing is lopsided with giants ABK and their pretty insipid offerings usually exported abroad, while at the other end of the scale, Gernot Wildung's Zoiglbier, independent small scale home brew inspired by the Zoiglkultur of the Oberpfalz. His love letter to the Oberpfalz and homely pub are worth the visit to Kaufbeuren alone, even if you'll struggle for alternatives.
Koblenz
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 112,000
At the confluence of the Rhine and Mosel, there has always been an air of significance to Koblenz, the pleasant Renaissance and Imperial architecture adding an élan too. There's plenty to keep a visitor occupied, but nightlife is more of a struggle and day-drinking very difficult indeed.
Leipzig
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
pop. 585,023
Leipzig was 2nd city of the former DDR, much neglected at the time, something which can be seen even today in in some frozen in time districts. However, since reunification the centre has been cleaned up and restored. While not a dramatic city, there are pretty areas, landmark monuments and several places of interest. The Altstadt is to be avoided if you are seeking a drink or regular pub going (although the historic Auerbachs Keller is worth going for dinner), whereas the neighbourhood districts of Plagwitz and Connewitz are the exact opposite. Head out into the suburbs on Leipzaig’s excellent tram system to experience true alternative pub going and a selection of solidly left-wing anti-fascist down-and-dirty bars that along with their haze of smoke and raw atmosphere will take you back decades.
Leipzig's other distinctive feature is Gose, a salty/lemon cloudy beer that is surprisingly understated and quaffable. There are brewpub options and while it isn't a default beer like Altbier is in Dusseldorf, it's pretty common to find out and about.
Limberg an der Lahn
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 33, 406
One of Germany’s Fachwerkstadt, the historic centre of Limburg is an impressive rebuild of timber frame houses, an ensemble which is genuinely impressive, if not so much for its jaw dropping scale but for the recreation of a medieval aesthetic. You really can imagine the scene from hundreds of years past. Don’t forget to drop by the enormous Romanesque cathedral, or take a view of it at night from the old bridge.
Limburg’s nightlife is restricted, as with many of these genteel middle aged towns, however you will find a provincial buzz and a couple of outstanding venues. Firstly RundesEck, a kneipe with a preserved interior, and Zum Batzewert, the oldest place in the town and the clearest central hangout going. They do a wide range of drinks and it’s a nice convivial venue.
Whisky fans take note: Villa Konthor is among the finest rated tasting houses in all of Germany.
Lübeck
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 217,038
Perennially overlooked, Lübeck offers the history, the charm, the waterways, spires and brick gothic of the likes of Bruges without tourist masses, crowds, tat, and traps. The status and importance during Lübeck's time as the anchor point of the Hanseatic League cannot be understated, similarly its slide into economic irrelevance that has allowed visitors to enjoy the ensemble left behind. It has its own quirks too. The back alleys of these town houses are behind little stoops only 4/5ft tall and always invite you to duck under to discover what's at the other side. It is a great city simply to wander around.
Nightlife however is a different story. The smattering of options may work out OK on a normal Friday or Saturday night. Sundays and Mondays are a genuine struggle, which, given the size of the place is pathetic. There are some very atmospheric old fashioned pubs to try, while a collective of social workers run a complex on the west side of the river which when open on warm evenings. If you catch that on the right night, it will be the undoubted highlight. Rarely for a provincial city, there is a big craft beer brewer called Sudden Death in an ex-industrial complex out of the centre, whose venue unfortunately veers into the forgettable, though at least offers plenty of options. The more trad brewhouse in the city centre will of course be there to plug the gap this otherwise brilliant city leaves - apart from on Sundays.
Lüneburg
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
pop. 77,401
Red brick Hanseatic city with a truly impressive ensemble of brick gothic which even if you have visited Bruges is mind-melting. If you are averse to crowds but love the style and atmosphere of those cities, Lüneburg should be the first place you should think of going. In the past it also had a city brewery, but the mega brewers took it over and closed it down. The sad last-generation fake-brewpub Krone is all that is left, apologetically serving Holsten brewed beer under their label. Desperate stuff. As if in reaction to that, Mälzer Brau is only two doors down, which is full of verve and market town chat, and they brew their own beers which have a welcome presence of actual flavour. It gets even better than that though, with the suburban Brauhaus Nolte a bolt from the blue, a brewery pub which could be straight out of Franconia with its 1970s interior and bar, allied to some savvy modern touches which help keep a mixed crowd. It's very much a social pub, not an eatery too, while doing a broad range of dishes. In town in the evening it gets more difficult, but September is a really reliable option and if you're into the alternative scene, Klatsch is a cult kneipe. Overall, Lüneburg punches its weight, but it could definitely use a couple more good venues in the centre itself to sustain interest beyond a full day and night here.
Marburg
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop 81,147
This university town has two clear distinct districts. Prepare to climb. The castle hill and Altstadt are perched high above the rest of the town beneath, which contains most of the civic buildings, college infrastructure, petrol stations and so on. On a map Marburg may look small, and the old town is rather small, but it’s bigger, longer and stretchier than you may think. We didn’t have sufficient time sadly, but there are two clearly popular pubs, Hinkelstein and Die Schlucke which look worth exploring.
Marktredwitz
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop 17,124
Market town in the Oberpfalz district which is still park of the wider Zoigl culture of the region. The city brewery Nothaft makes excellent beer and its pub Am Strand is a surprisingly lovely little old pub. There's another market square pub run by Czechs which exemplifies a bleeding of the Bavarian and Bohemian culture you'll find in this little town. Well connected, it's worth a lunchtime stop-off.
Munich
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
pop. 1.4 million
While Oktoberfest supplies the rest of the world with a caricature of Bavaria, Munich itself proves to be a more complex picture. Sure, the central Beer Halls are as expected. They are fun, up to and including the most famous of all: Hofbrauhaus. Hitler’s favoured piss-palace has acquired a certain notoriety which never really fades away while you’re there, but nevertheless, the venue is bloody enjoyable. Augustiner is the chin-strokers beer of choice in the city, and a couple of their beer halls are also astounding venues to visit, many pouring from the wooden barrel in the evenings. Schneider Brauhaus is a classic Bavarian Wirtshaus. Others like Paulaner's have long since been blandified into absolute mediocrity.
Munich is also famous for its Biergarten (outside of winter) and its Boazn, traditional little family-run pubs, often with an older lady running front of house. These can be cosy and act as a counterpoint to the vastness of the central brewery venues run by the ‘big 6’ Munich brewers. However these have been dying out, and faster still in the 2020s.
The city is wealthy, something which often dampens nightlife, but there is simply too much going on to restrain it here. You can find bars fitting virtually any description you could mention, including a nice range of classier neighbourhood venues but also fun sleazy Berlin-esque venues like Geyerwally and Sehnsucht.
Between all these, and a relatively easy-to-traverse city centre, you won’t go far wrong.
Nördlingen
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
pop. 19,119
Rothenburg ob der Tauber sweeps up the acclaim (quite rightly) when it comes to historical walled towns. Nördlingen is its quiet cousin, perhaps because it is so annoyingly difficult to reach via public transport from the North. This market town is exceptionally pretty, featuring on the 'Romantic Road', with a fully intact wall – you can complete the circumference without stepping down at any point. Famous for a historical meteor crater and its appearance at the end of the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory film, this town has its own quirky place in history. Nightlife is as you’d expect for a market town. You will find a nice early evening Gaststätte in Sixlbrau-Stube, and a couple of decent, if provincial town pubs which at least provide atmosphere and local colour. It's far from the worst small town we’ve visited for nightlife.
Nuremberg
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
pop. 518,365
Often overlooked by foreign tourists, perhaps due to its Nazi past, here is a large city which still retains an integral old-town character across a vast expanse. Sure, there are some ordinary shopping areas on the Lorenz side of the river but Nuremberg's enormous city walls, Kaiserburg castle and riverside setting with many bridges and walkways are superb, as are the rows of grand stone buildings, gate towers and timber-frame houses. It is sensational. Nightlife is dispersed a little, though the focal point by the castle proves to be the closest it has to a central hub. There are multiple venues elsewhere, and a little planning is necessary to join them together into a pub crawl. Luckily we have done just that, in our Days Out guide right here!
Don't forget about Gostenhof though, the Bohemian district Nuremberg desperately wants to 'happen' (but seems constantly a few venues short of doing so) and both the North and South side which can easily be navigated by tram, which show the scale of the city where individual venues are well worth the trip out. If you visit Nuremburg without visiting Freudenpark, you've failed (as we did a dozen times).
Oldenburg
Nightlife Rating: ❤️
pop. 177,504
A surprisingly big place, I had to double-take when I saw the population size too. Oldenburg is a smart, prosperous and well-kept town which on a sunny day looks a picture. It's lacking major monuments and the historic ensemble is nowhere near the likes of Lüneburg. It is unlikely therefore you will choose this as your holiday destination. However, being an easy 25 minute train from Bremen, if you're looking for a change of scenery for an afternoon/evening, it is satisfactorily pleasant. Bar wise, don't expect miracles, but a Belgian style central tavern, decent Kneipe near the station and Ols brewery (good beer but boring venue) should keep you occupied. The lively Wallstrasse is where most of the action and energy can be found.
Passau
Nightlife Rating: ❤️
pop. 52,469
A historic town built on the confluence of three rivers. The topography and architecture will take your breath away, but the nightlife won't. Going on comatose, your best bet will be to cross the river to the district of Innstadt which has a little more activity. Otherwise, be prepared to visit Irish bars or anodyne café bars Unless you're here on a Friday or Saturday night we'd suggest restricting your visit to a day trip.
Nightlife Rating: ❤️
pop. 21,500
There is a criminal lack of truly good drinking options in Quedlinburg, suggesting a town not in great shape economically nor socially. This is a great shame given it is one of the most beautiful and well-preserved towns in Europe.
Unfortunately I can only direct you to its small number of bland venues and its so-so brewery tap. A shop in the centre does periodic beer tasting sessions as well.
Regensburg
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
pop. 152,610
Well-to-do Regensburg is livened up by its student population who crowd the squares, the Avignon-esque Steinerne Brucke (better to look at than be on) and the islands north of the fast-flowing Danube. The Stadtamhof in Regensburg is thronging with people in the summer. You’ll find a varied nightlife of beer halls, basement and corner pubs and wine bars catering for a range of tastes. Regensburg is certainly well worth an overnight stay.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 10,930
One of the best preserved “cities” in the world (actually a small town), you will have seen images of Plonlein even without knowing where it was based. There is beauty around every corner in Rothenburg, however it lacks a really killer pub or bar, a shortfall which is unfortunately painfully apparent when you see the young folk of the city in the evening scratching around for a venue of some sort.
You will find a couple of passable backstreet venues, but the overall bar going experience is regrettably disappointing. This is still no reason to not visit what is an extraordinary place.
One of the better experiences is at Altfrankisch Weinstube which is an Inn with a really lovely genteel, supremely cosy interior and appropriately cranky owner.
Schwerin
Nightlife Rating: ❤️
pop. 91,934
A lakeside town with renaissance island castle in a Protestant area. These are not usually the ingredients to deliver thumping nightlife, and so it proves here. Nevertheless, given the size of the place and potential tourism (it really a phenomenal castle) you'd like to think it could do better. There are some secrets behind the pretty face of Schewerin however, and a detour on the bus through the outer districts showed extensive deprivation. Unlike everywhere else we went, the spectre of the AfD creeping in was palpable even as we passed bio supermarkets and neighbours greeting each other in the market place. Sleepy or crappy pubs aside, you'll find your answer for where to go in the shape of Zum Freischutz which single-handedly keeps the show on the road. A really brilliant pub.
Stade
Nightlife Rating: ❤️
pop. 49,685
Although not a complicated journey, the overall time required vs. what Stade delivers makes visiting Stade sensible for only the most committed Hanseatic town enthusiasts. You'll encounter a Dutch style 1990s market town which gives way at times for lovely ensembles of brick gothic buildings which slowly builds as you approach the centre old harbour, which does deliver a wonderful scene as the old crane, waterside and gabled buildings gather in the frame. Nightlife is typical of towns like these with a smattering of average businesses including a brewpub, which unfortunately both for beer and venue does not quite reach its potential. Fuerkiek however is a lovely friendly little basement pub which unusually for Germany serves cheap hot food like fish sarnies for a very good price.
Nightlife Rating: ❤️
pop. 35,050
Wernigerode’s street layout lends itself well to generating a bit of atmosphere, with a long street leading to a central square. While this beautiful Fachwerk town is still relatively quiet by some standards, it’s one of the livelier Harz towns, and you will find Tommi’s Pub has atmosphere and their central brewery has, if little else, decent enough beer.
Wetzlar
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 31,022
Wetzlar is another traditional central German hideaway, its centre notable for its distinctive slate roofs, winding hilltop lanes, and rainy climate. It’s another town where history feels only a touch away. Pleasingly, for the compact size there are 2 outstanding bars, the labour of love Café Vinyl, and historic Pintchen, a jazz memorabilia smokey Kneipe styled ‘the last quaint pub in town'. Even these are supplemented by a few other perfectly serviceable venues dotted around town. It's a charming little place. If you arrive mid-afternoon and spend the night here that will cover it.
Windischeschenbach
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
pop. 5,351
The centre of Zoigl culture on Earth, this otherwise fairly unremarkable town has a claim to fame unlike any other. Families in the town and adjoining hilltop village of Neuhaus take it in turns to use a communal brewery, then opening their doors a few days every month to unfurl their hospitality on the town. Although it is a neighbourly, communal enterprise, this throwback culture is internationally recognised and draws in visitors from the region, along with a very few intrepid travellers like ourselves. With extremely good value food and drink, genuine welcome and hospitality with a fully non-corporate approach, this culture is a curio that cannot be overlooked no matter how arcade it may seem to you. The pubs themselves are generally large guesthouses with a homely feel. While the Zoigl beer quality itself is variable you may find, as we did, that some of it is also very, very good.
Wismar
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
pop. 43,095
Twice the setting for filmings of Nosferatu, this Baltic sea port has a flicker of that bitter gothic atmosphere particularly by its harbour. Weirdly though, it isn't the town of dour gables and cobbled streets the film would have you believe. Aside of a few brick landmarks, you'll find colourful and even quite twee ensemble of pastel painted townhouses that would pass for a Czech rather than German town. Nightlife here is reasonable given the size, with a stalwart characterful Kneipe, a really nice all-round evening venue and a trad harbour area brewpub with poor reviews, but one that we felt was good, with friendly and prompt service. They brew Mumme, a rare historical style. This is a dark, hoppy beer that you should try on your visit.
Würzburg
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 127,880
With a pretty riverside setting, Schloss towering above the city, large monuments and cobbled footbridge, there is certainly plenty to enjoy visually about Würzburg. However, it must be said that the nightlife leaves something to be desired. Würzburg is a wine rather than a beer region, and perhaps café culture is more popular than beer culture around here. Still, for a university town you’d hope and expect more from a place of its size. Other than the fun Muzikkneipe Tscharlie’s you may find yourself alternating between bland cafés and non-descript local pubs serving rubbish beer.
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AachenNightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 245,345
A town with a lot of history, the crowning of kings, Roman legacy and restored medieval towers, there is enough here to be of interest for a day or so. In respect of its nightlife, the pedestrianised centre becomes lively in the evening. The centrepiece is the terrific Domkeller, a brilliant evening kneipe, the excellence of which compensates for a lack of quantity of alternatives. As per usual, the central brewpub is worth a look too.
Augsburg
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 295,135
A pretty city with a touch of class and self-assurance (easily done with the money rolling in), the Renaissance visited Augsburg and touches of Austria and Czechia can be seen in its architecture and monuments. Despite a reputation as being rather staid for nightlife, there are pockets of excitement to look out for, alternative bars, brewpubs and the unique Damenhof courtyard, an unmissable venue.
B
BambergNightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
pop. 95,000
Medieval bishopric with a uniquely bizarre and wonderful town hall, the Altes Rathaus set midway along a bridge. Famous in drinking terms for its many breweries, specialising in Rauchbeer – smoked – a style which is a great example of the concept ‘an acquired taste’. Expect supremely cosy traditional beer halls in winter, but also some excellent late bars both in terms of atmosphere and selection of drinks, reflecting the younger, cosmopolitan side of the city. Yet to become overexposed, Bamberg is truly special and punches well above its weight.
Bautzen / Budyšin
Nightlife Rating: ❤️
pop. 40,700
A small town, Bautzen could be forgiven for not being the epicentre of the world’s nightlife. It is a very interesting place with one of the most striking vistas of any town as you view it from the bridge, a Sorbian minority (for whom this place is called Budyšin) and a beautiful historic centre. It’s also famous for its mustard. Bautzner Senf can be found in huge tubs at sausage stalls across Germany. Speaking of the bar scene, you’ll find a decent neighbourhood brewery (a surprisingly big venue) and the Radeberger Bierstube, a typical example of a classical traditional German Gaststätte. In the old town there are a couple of passable bars. But it is slim pickings.
Bayreuth
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
pop. 72,790
Bayreuth's town enjoyed a Renaissance era re-design, its layout hewn to the new enlightened standards. You won't find too much timber-framed Medievalism here, but grand civic buildings, and smart boulevards. It's Margravial Theatre is a true wonder of Europe. Yet, twinned with its very provincial place in the modern world, Bayreuth feels both impressive and unimportant all at once. It's easy to reach from bigger cities and with good quality brewpubs and other good drinking venues, this city will keep you occupied on an evening.
Berlin
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Pop. 3.75M
In this huge city anything goes. This has been a tale right back to the pre-war days, when Berlin’s notorious decadence and liberal nightlife became a byword for excess and debauchery. As a result, Berliner’s took longer than most to fall under the control of fascism. The reunited Berlin in the 90s has left the city with a series of distinct districts, with more well to do Charlottenburg, Wedding, Schoenburg in the West, and the more traditionally working class/socialist side, Kreuzberg (though this is fast-developing), Friedrichshain and Neukölln. There are great bars spread across the city. You will generally find one of the following:
– A smokey kneipe selling 1 cheap beer. Atmospheric, scuzzy, democratic.
– A well looked after drop in pub similar to Munich's Boazn with a middle aged woman behind the bar. Again cheap, but more respectable. Mixed audience.
– A punk bar covered in stickers and flags, often with live music or sport
– Cookie cutter craft beer venues as Berlin makes belated committed efforts to keep up with the global trends.
This is not to state there isn’t more. There is of course far more, many venues falling in between the lines. Our favourite is the jazz bar Yorckschlösschen, which combines local beer, eclectic bawdy décor, superb atmosphere, amenities, and a terrific leafy garden. Both nostalgic and vital for the present, it is Berlin in a nutshell.
Bonn
Nightlife Rating: ❤️
pop. 318,800
We hope you like generic cafés for middle-class pensioners.
Bremen
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
pop. 577,404
Unless you travel for football, or are happy flying to anywhere for £30 with Ryanair, Bremen is unlikely to be name on your lips for a holiday, therefore most people will be stopping during the day or for a night out. The very core of the city with town hall and cathedral, the Botcherstrasse and Schnoor is genuinely beautiful and competes with the best large German cities have to offer. It's just there's little else. The riverside area also feels underutilised and in need of a Dusseldorf type greenway. By contrast, the nightlife is pretty good.
As well as a few classic central pubs, the Cologne-like Ständige Vertretung, the old Kneipe Spitzen Gebel and handy station pub De Fliege, you'll find two nightlife districts well worth looking at. First is Steintor just east of the centre which in some ways is a compact, much toned-down St Pauli but with a good tempo and energy and several decent bars of different forms and styles. Bremen's West End, 'Walle' is more suburban but even there you'll find a handful of very decent corner pubs with aspects that surprised us. The Neustadt south west of town has a few to pick at but maybe should take a back seat to begin with. It's all well joined up too, with two NW to SE running lines on the tram and night-trams too. On that score, we would strongly recommend staying overnight in Bremen to allow you to explore these.
C
CologneNightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
pop. 1,061,000
A large city with a vast nightlife encompassing several boroughs. While modern, alternative venues can be found in the student neighbourhoods, in the centre, the Kölsch houses hold sway. These beer halls are part of a local ritual that’s not to be missed.
Kölsch is a pale lager/ale hybrid is served in a 0.2l stange which are endlessly replenished by Cologne's brusque Köbes, middle-aged male servers whose grey area between banter and abuse depends what side of bed they woke up on. Huge beer barrels are winched up to the bar via a barrel and the beer is served straight from it. Remember never to order Altbier, the beer style of Cologne’s deadly rivals Düsseldorf unless you want to be treated like dirt under someone's shoe! Don’t forget to visit Papa Joe’s Biersalon and sister pub Jazzlokal, cult institutions of the city and remember that this is a large city - the pub culture isn't all about the beer halls in the Altstadt.
D
Dresden
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 543,825
A large modern shopping area, a small restored pile of admittedly dramatic, if rather obnoxious, imperial central monuments, and an interesting little brown and frequently rain-sodden Northern arts quarter, none of which transition into one another. Dresden is hardly the stuff of a backpacker’s dreams, really a monument to the tragic deleterious effects of war rather than a well-integrated city. As far as pubs and bars go, there is a rather middle-aged Brauhaus near the river, and you’ll find some cosy boho venues in the Innere and Aussere Neustadt. Although we haven’t had the time to really explore to the fullest we get the impression there are a few other decent venues lurking around which we'll endeavour to return to find.
Düsseldorf
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
pop. 612,000
As with Cologne, Düsseldorf city centre is studded with large beer halls this time serving you Altbier, brown well-hopped beer from the barrel. Alt is surprisingly easy to dispatch, despite the strength and texture and the flavour is more varied from place to place.
Düsseldorf is not as large a city as Cologne and so the nightlife is more concentrated in its centre, which you will find to be atmospheric and lively to say the least. Don’t ever order a Kölsch here unless you are prepared to suffer the ignominy of being outed as a dilettante and traitor to the city! They don't seem to care if you drink Radeberger pilsener though.
Another city claiming the 'longest bar in Europe' which gives you some impression of the parade of drinking venues in its buzzing old town, that certainly deserves experiencing. For the ur-typical experience, head to Urige in the centre, and when you've had your fill of Altbier go for Killepitsch (deadly aniseed liqueur) at the next door bar Et Kabuffke, and you'll be partaking in a ritual most locals still partake in.
E
Erfurt
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 210,118
This medium sized city in Thuringia struck me as a nice place to live. Sizeable enough to have most of what you need, but also compact enough to get around, both out into the country and to the lovely low-rise Altstadt. As the centre-ground for Erfurt's nightlife you will find yourself twisting around old lanes and stone walls, timber houses and gates, ducking into courtyards and backstreets. It’s all quite charming. While the various courtyard bars seemed reasonable, there is an outstanding kneipe, Noah, which is undoubtedly one of the best in Germany. All boxes are ticked, from the wide beer selection, the ultra-cosy bunker interior, biergarten and kitchen, with fair value on offer. Can we have a pub like this everywhere, please? Outside of that, it's harder work.
Erlangen
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop 105,201
Situated between Bamberg and Nuremberg, Erlangen was destroyed in a freakish fire in 1704, then rebuilt in a Renaissance style and layout you can still trace today. A well-connected low-rise University city with a young population should be the setting for many great pubs, but unfortunately that's not really the case. A couple of alternative pubs pass muster and the city brewpub is as stolid as ever, but since the closure of Hinterhaus, there's a void waiting to be filled. While Erlangen also boasts a historic Kellerwald for beer garden drinking (and the festival Bergkirchwehr), in the city itself it simply doesn't bear comparison with the likes of Bamberg.
F
Forchheim
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
pop. 30,400
For a town of its size, Forchheim is very lucky to boast 3 local breweries brewing Bier that is some of the freshest and tastiest in the world. What's more, each of them focuses on their social aspect rather than food, something extremely rare to find. Family operations with simple but enjoyable pubs go hand in hand with the traditional Fachwerk architecture of this market town. The prices are fairly historic too, like jumping back in time 5 years. Beers on an autumn evening inside Brauerei Neder are superbly enjoyable, but Grief and Hebendanz have their charms too. Forchheim is more widely known for its Kellerwald, medieval cellars in the hills outside town where the breweries' beers used to be stored. These days it is a huge complex of beer gardens which hosts 'Annafest', a former folk festival that is now moving towards being as tacky, corporate and outrageously priced as a certain larger, more famous Bavarian festival you may have heard of.
Frankfurt
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
pop. 736,400
Frankurt’s alcohol claim to fame is Apfelwein rather than beer. Many of its neighbourhood pubs – to be found in Saschenhausen district and in the outlying villages will offer this strong, deliberately dry and sour cider typical of the Hesse region. It divides opinion but I enjoy Apfelwein very much.
In other respects the venues are similar to your usual German Gaststätte or Wirtshaus serving food and rarely getting out of second gear.
The south bank borough of Saschenhausen is your best best for congregations of nightlife and changes of speed, with some smokey, raucous but nevertheless atmospheric bars to enjoy. Conversely, be careful to avoid bars in Frankfurt’s red light district, which operates very close to the train station and may create alarm if you aren't expecting it. As for Frankfurt's 'old' town the very core has been scenically rebuilt but frankly the bar options around the Romer Platz are not worth bothering with.
Freiburg
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
pop. 243,134
A gateway to the Black Forest deep in the corner of South West Germany, you'll find a relaxed studenty city slanting Green/Left in its politics, something you won't fail to notice as you spot the posters and graffiti in the old town. A pleasant centre with Medieval gate towers and vast Cathedral, accented by its castle top where views of the city and surrounding hills are not to be missed. Students generally mean good bars, and Freiburg has plenty to offer in that regard.
You'll find some terrific down-to-earth kneipen in the old town, but don't miss out the district of Stühlinger west of the tracks where even more can be found. There are a few brewpubs in town that are of interest for beer, although not so much for the venues themselves. As for craft beer, you can find this in clutches here and there, but the domestic options are comparatively strong versus the West and North of Germany, so you're in reasonably good hands overall.
Proximity to Strasbourg, Basel and Colmar makes hopping between countries very easy and enjoyable - Freiburg can play a role in that and is certainly worth a visit.
Fürth
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 124,750
A city that has become part of Nuremberg’s conurbation, you can easily reach this place within 15 minutes on the U-Bahn from Nuremberg central station.
Central nightlife is oddly parochial and small-town feeling. There's a low rise Altstadt with attractive slate frontages and 19th century imperial buildings. The quaint market town pubs certainly don’t reflect the size of what is as much as city as Bradford is to Leeds or Sopot to Gdansk. Nevertheless, beyond immediate impressions you will find the local venues friendly and lively, while if you're seeking something patrician and obvious, the Grüner Brauhaus ticks many of the big beer hall features, and its Rotbier is worth a try.
G
Goslar
Nightlife Rating: ❤️
pop. 41,700
A traditional Fachwerk town with extraordinary architecture and slate-fronted houses that look like a dwelling has donned a suit of armour, Goslar is a magnificent and distinctive place, but not one with a huge array of nightlife. This is a common problem with quaint towns mainly inhabited by and visited by retirees. Activity gathers around the few evening bars.
Although, with a central brewery tap and a couple of hangout spots for the small number of youngsters, Goslar is in a slightly better position than the almost comatose Quedlinburg, nearby.
Görlitz
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 55,900
This beautiful border city is an architectural jewel, but no-one in town would argue with me when I say it is not a hotbed of nightlife (mind you, neither is the Polish half, Zgorzelec). This may be due to the aging inhabitants and appeal to elderly day-trippers, which is a shame. Instead, the pockets of evening drinkers congregate in dispersed venues.
There are some nice alternative options such as a Kino-bar (one of the increasingly popular bars where you turn up for a drink and the venue screens a film) and you’ll find the nano-brewery and medieval dining room Bierblume excellent - a must-visit venue in the evening. Unfortunately you’ll be scraping around for other options that are worth your time. These are mainly sleepy old corner kneipen, some of which don't exactly fling open their doors to welcome tourists. Someone please give the town a shot of adrenalin.
H
Halle
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 233,705
Immediate appearances from the station shouldn’t deceive you, as Halle is a very pleasant town with dramatic towers and expansive central square, pleasant park and network of streets boasting pre-war architecture that, with the tram network gives off more than a hint of Czechia about it. You could even visit Praguer Wenzel, their Czech restaurant to fool yourself in that slightly out-of-place experience. Unfortunately, the range of bars in the centre leaves much to be desired, with far too many Irish theme pubs and little in the way of local character. There are a few venues north of the centre worth noting and the typical reliable central Brauhaus. Other than that, happy hunting - let us know what you find.
Hamburg
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
pop. 1,916,392
Giant port city with centuries of trading culture, Hamburg has a vocal and visible working-class Left, which you will not fail to notice as you explore its bar culture. Like other German cities the commercial centre is almost devoid of anything you could call a bar, with only a few that cling on, usually a little more patrician and serving food.
Clearly the Reeperbahn and St. Pauli cannot go unmentioned. A lurid experience but nevertheless a quintessential one, a step beyond what you'll find even in the likes of Amsterdam. Within 30 seconds you can pick up a bratwurst from a stall, have stepped over an unconscious body, been propositioned by a prostitute and dodged a crackhead swaying in the street, while the glow of seedy sex shows illuminates the street. A sense of edginess can be found in bars like Erlebniskeller and Goldenen Handshuh (the latter of which still can be very atmospheric) while there is also just downright trash devoid of any redeeming feature. Why bother then?
The answer, because in among all this are loads of fun, interesting, persevering working class boozers which ooze character and charm, which all benefit from the energy and excitement created by this environment. Sea-faring décor, smoky interiors and punk stickers plastered on every door, floor, wall and ceiling, you come here to let your hair down.
North of St Pauli, the district of Sternschanze occupies a hinterland between that no-filter excess and hipster culture. Some will claim it is already in the latter, but with a wider perspective there are still humble operations and street life which are legit, and live directly alongside the Vegan ice cream shops and taco joints. In the decades to come we might see the transition completed, but it hasn't happened yet.
Other areas? The Fischmarkt has a small selection of iconic former fisherman's pubs which are a little touristy but still very charming and worth your while. Eimsbüttel is also notable for bars and based close to a wealthy suburb of Hoheluft.
In summary, Hamburg is likely to strongly divide opinion, particularly for people who are triggered by smoking in pubs, punk/left attitudes and grimy old boozers. Yep, and the beer isn't great either. However, for those seeking unabashed fun, excitement, the sense of escape from the confines of corporatism and the prospect that anything could happen on a night out, you will be enriched by an experience which is without a doubt one of the most significant, meaningful and distinctive contributions to European bar culture.
Hannoversch Münden
Nightlife Rating: ❤️
pop 24,612
An obscure but truly beautiful town. Here you will find an ensemble of timber-framed buildings occupying virtually every plot of its self-contained old town. Very impressive visuals are augmented by the riverside setting which is also a confluence of two rivers. Forested hilltops surrounding the town complete what is an almost dreamlike realisation of small town fairytale Germany. Yet even many people in Germany don't realise it exists, let alone the outside world. That said, don’t expect Prancing Pony type wooden inns. Sadly, no-one has seen the potential here of developing a pub which utilises the innate natural advantages. You will find a few busy locals, whether they have football on or people playing darts, and a central Ratskeller that is half-decent. Sadly nothing outstanding.
Hanover
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 531, 200
Hanover’s centre is an artificial but convincing enough recreation of its pre-war old town, and it’s a reasonable base for average bars, the odd smokey working-class Kneipe and one nice craft beer venue. However, given the size of the city, it must be said that Hanover disappoints, ultimately, in its drinking options. Even the central brewery is remarkably, almost pointedly soulless. Let’s hope that’s subject to change.
K
Kaufbeuren
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 46,193
A provincial feel to this Allgäu town. Their brewing is lopsided with giants ABK and their pretty insipid offerings usually exported abroad, while at the other end of the scale, Gernot Wildung's Zoiglbier, independent small scale home brew inspired by the Zoiglkultur of the Oberpfalz. His love letter to the Oberpfalz and homely pub are worth the visit to Kaufbeuren alone, even if you'll struggle for alternatives.
Koblenz
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 112,000
At the confluence of the Rhine and Mosel, there has always been an air of significance to Koblenz, the pleasant Renaissance and Imperial architecture adding an élan too. There's plenty to keep a visitor occupied, but nightlife is more of a struggle and day-drinking very difficult indeed.
L
Leipzig
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
pop. 585,023
Leipzig was 2nd city of the former DDR, much neglected at the time, something which can be seen even today in in some frozen in time districts. However, since reunification the centre has been cleaned up and restored. While not a dramatic city, there are pretty areas, landmark monuments and several places of interest. The Altstadt is to be avoided if you are seeking a drink or regular pub going (although the historic Auerbachs Keller is worth going for dinner), whereas the neighbourhood districts of Plagwitz and Connewitz are the exact opposite. Head out into the suburbs on Leipzaig’s excellent tram system to experience true alternative pub going and a selection of solidly left-wing anti-fascist down-and-dirty bars that along with their haze of smoke and raw atmosphere will take you back decades.
Leipzig's other distinctive feature is Gose, a salty/lemon cloudy beer that is surprisingly understated and quaffable. There are brewpub options and while it isn't a default beer like Altbier is in Dusseldorf, it's pretty common to find out and about.
Limberg an der Lahn
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 33, 406
One of Germany’s Fachwerkstadt, the historic centre of Limburg is an impressive rebuild of timber frame houses, an ensemble which is genuinely impressive, if not so much for its jaw dropping scale but for the recreation of a medieval aesthetic. You really can imagine the scene from hundreds of years past. Don’t forget to drop by the enormous Romanesque cathedral, or take a view of it at night from the old bridge.
Limburg’s nightlife is restricted, as with many of these genteel middle aged towns, however you will find a provincial buzz and a couple of outstanding venues. Firstly RundesEck, a kneipe with a preserved interior, and Zum Batzewert, the oldest place in the town and the clearest central hangout going. They do a wide range of drinks and it’s a nice convivial venue.
Whisky fans take note: Villa Konthor is among the finest rated tasting houses in all of Germany.
Lübeck
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 217,038
Perennially overlooked, Lübeck offers the history, the charm, the waterways, spires and brick gothic of the likes of Bruges without tourist masses, crowds, tat, and traps. The status and importance during Lübeck's time as the anchor point of the Hanseatic League cannot be understated, similarly its slide into economic irrelevance that has allowed visitors to enjoy the ensemble left behind. It has its own quirks too. The back alleys of these town houses are behind little stoops only 4/5ft tall and always invite you to duck under to discover what's at the other side. It is a great city simply to wander around.
Nightlife however is a different story. The smattering of options may work out OK on a normal Friday or Saturday night. Sundays and Mondays are a genuine struggle, which, given the size of the place is pathetic. There are some very atmospheric old fashioned pubs to try, while a collective of social workers run a complex on the west side of the river which when open on warm evenings. If you catch that on the right night, it will be the undoubted highlight. Rarely for a provincial city, there is a big craft beer brewer called Sudden Death in an ex-industrial complex out of the centre, whose venue unfortunately veers into the forgettable, though at least offers plenty of options. The more trad brewhouse in the city centre will of course be there to plug the gap this otherwise brilliant city leaves - apart from on Sundays.
Lüneburg
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
pop. 77,401
Red brick Hanseatic city with a truly impressive ensemble of brick gothic which even if you have visited Bruges is mind-melting. If you are averse to crowds but love the style and atmosphere of those cities, Lüneburg should be the first place you should think of going. In the past it also had a city brewery, but the mega brewers took it over and closed it down. The sad last-generation fake-brewpub Krone is all that is left, apologetically serving Holsten brewed beer under their label. Desperate stuff. As if in reaction to that, Mälzer Brau is only two doors down, which is full of verve and market town chat, and they brew their own beers which have a welcome presence of actual flavour. It gets even better than that though, with the suburban Brauhaus Nolte a bolt from the blue, a brewery pub which could be straight out of Franconia with its 1970s interior and bar, allied to some savvy modern touches which help keep a mixed crowd. It's very much a social pub, not an eatery too, while doing a broad range of dishes. In town in the evening it gets more difficult, but September is a really reliable option and if you're into the alternative scene, Klatsch is a cult kneipe. Overall, Lüneburg punches its weight, but it could definitely use a couple more good venues in the centre itself to sustain interest beyond a full day and night here.
M
Marburg
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop 81,147
This university town has two clear distinct districts. Prepare to climb. The castle hill and Altstadt are perched high above the rest of the town beneath, which contains most of the civic buildings, college infrastructure, petrol stations and so on. On a map Marburg may look small, and the old town is rather small, but it’s bigger, longer and stretchier than you may think. We didn’t have sufficient time sadly, but there are two clearly popular pubs, Hinkelstein and Die Schlucke which look worth exploring.
Marktredwitz
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop 17,124
Market town in the Oberpfalz district which is still park of the wider Zoigl culture of the region. The city brewery Nothaft makes excellent beer and its pub Am Strand is a surprisingly lovely little old pub. There's another market square pub run by Czechs which exemplifies a bleeding of the Bavarian and Bohemian culture you'll find in this little town. Well connected, it's worth a lunchtime stop-off.
Munich
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
pop. 1.4 million
While Oktoberfest supplies the rest of the world with a caricature of Bavaria, Munich itself proves to be a more complex picture. Sure, the central Beer Halls are as expected. They are fun, up to and including the most famous of all: Hofbrauhaus. Hitler’s favoured piss-palace has acquired a certain notoriety which never really fades away while you’re there, but nevertheless, the venue is bloody enjoyable. Augustiner is the chin-strokers beer of choice in the city, and a couple of their beer halls are also astounding venues to visit, many pouring from the wooden barrel in the evenings. Schneider Brauhaus is a classic Bavarian Wirtshaus. Others like Paulaner's have long since been blandified into absolute mediocrity.
Munich is also famous for its Biergarten (outside of winter) and its Boazn, traditional little family-run pubs, often with an older lady running front of house. These can be cosy and act as a counterpoint to the vastness of the central brewery venues run by the ‘big 6’ Munich brewers. However these have been dying out, and faster still in the 2020s.
The city is wealthy, something which often dampens nightlife, but there is simply too much going on to restrain it here. You can find bars fitting virtually any description you could mention, including a nice range of classier neighbourhood venues but also fun sleazy Berlin-esque venues like Geyerwally and Sehnsucht.
Between all these, and a relatively easy-to-traverse city centre, you won’t go far wrong.
N
Nördlingen
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
pop. 19,119
Rothenburg ob der Tauber sweeps up the acclaim (quite rightly) when it comes to historical walled towns. Nördlingen is its quiet cousin, perhaps because it is so annoyingly difficult to reach via public transport from the North. This market town is exceptionally pretty, featuring on the 'Romantic Road', with a fully intact wall – you can complete the circumference without stepping down at any point. Famous for a historical meteor crater and its appearance at the end of the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory film, this town has its own quirky place in history. Nightlife is as you’d expect for a market town. You will find a nice early evening Gaststätte in Sixlbrau-Stube, and a couple of decent, if provincial town pubs which at least provide atmosphere and local colour. It's far from the worst small town we’ve visited for nightlife.
Nuremberg
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
pop. 518,365
Often overlooked by foreign tourists, perhaps due to its Nazi past, here is a large city which still retains an integral old-town character across a vast expanse. Sure, there are some ordinary shopping areas on the Lorenz side of the river but Nuremberg's enormous city walls, Kaiserburg castle and riverside setting with many bridges and walkways are superb, as are the rows of grand stone buildings, gate towers and timber-frame houses. It is sensational. Nightlife is dispersed a little, though the focal point by the castle proves to be the closest it has to a central hub. There are multiple venues elsewhere, and a little planning is necessary to join them together into a pub crawl. Luckily we have done just that, in our Days Out guide right here!
Don't forget about Gostenhof though, the Bohemian district Nuremberg desperately wants to 'happen' (but seems constantly a few venues short of doing so) and both the North and South side which can easily be navigated by tram, which show the scale of the city where individual venues are well worth the trip out. If you visit Nuremburg without visiting Freudenpark, you've failed (as we did a dozen times).
O
Oldenburg
Nightlife Rating: ❤️
pop. 177,504
A surprisingly big place, I had to double-take when I saw the population size too. Oldenburg is a smart, prosperous and well-kept town which on a sunny day looks a picture. It's lacking major monuments and the historic ensemble is nowhere near the likes of Lüneburg. It is unlikely therefore you will choose this as your holiday destination. However, being an easy 25 minute train from Bremen, if you're looking for a change of scenery for an afternoon/evening, it is satisfactorily pleasant. Bar wise, don't expect miracles, but a Belgian style central tavern, decent Kneipe near the station and Ols brewery (good beer but boring venue) should keep you occupied. The lively Wallstrasse is where most of the action and energy can be found.
P
Passau
Nightlife Rating: ❤️
pop. 52,469
A historic town built on the confluence of three rivers. The topography and architecture will take your breath away, but the nightlife won't. Going on comatose, your best bet will be to cross the river to the district of Innstadt which has a little more activity. Otherwise, be prepared to visit Irish bars or anodyne café bars Unless you're here on a Friday or Saturday night we'd suggest restricting your visit to a day trip.
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QuedlinburgNightlife Rating: ❤️
pop. 21,500
There is a criminal lack of truly good drinking options in Quedlinburg, suggesting a town not in great shape economically nor socially. This is a great shame given it is one of the most beautiful and well-preserved towns in Europe.
Unfortunately I can only direct you to its small number of bland venues and its so-so brewery tap. A shop in the centre does periodic beer tasting sessions as well.
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Regensburg
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
pop. 152,610
Well-to-do Regensburg is livened up by its student population who crowd the squares, the Avignon-esque Steinerne Brucke (better to look at than be on) and the islands north of the fast-flowing Danube. The Stadtamhof in Regensburg is thronging with people in the summer. You’ll find a varied nightlife of beer halls, basement and corner pubs and wine bars catering for a range of tastes. Regensburg is certainly well worth an overnight stay.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 10,930
One of the best preserved “cities” in the world (actually a small town), you will have seen images of Plonlein even without knowing where it was based. There is beauty around every corner in Rothenburg, however it lacks a really killer pub or bar, a shortfall which is unfortunately painfully apparent when you see the young folk of the city in the evening scratching around for a venue of some sort.
You will find a couple of passable backstreet venues, but the overall bar going experience is regrettably disappointing. This is still no reason to not visit what is an extraordinary place.
One of the better experiences is at Altfrankisch Weinstube which is an Inn with a really lovely genteel, supremely cosy interior and appropriately cranky owner.
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Schwerin
Nightlife Rating: ❤️
pop. 91,934
A lakeside town with renaissance island castle in a Protestant area. These are not usually the ingredients to deliver thumping nightlife, and so it proves here. Nevertheless, given the size of the place and potential tourism (it really a phenomenal castle) you'd like to think it could do better. There are some secrets behind the pretty face of Schewerin however, and a detour on the bus through the outer districts showed extensive deprivation. Unlike everywhere else we went, the spectre of the AfD creeping in was palpable even as we passed bio supermarkets and neighbours greeting each other in the market place. Sleepy or crappy pubs aside, you'll find your answer for where to go in the shape of Zum Freischutz which single-handedly keeps the show on the road. A really brilliant pub.
Stade
Nightlife Rating: ❤️
pop. 49,685
Although not a complicated journey, the overall time required vs. what Stade delivers makes visiting Stade sensible for only the most committed Hanseatic town enthusiasts. You'll encounter a Dutch style 1990s market town which gives way at times for lovely ensembles of brick gothic buildings which slowly builds as you approach the centre old harbour, which does deliver a wonderful scene as the old crane, waterside and gabled buildings gather in the frame. Nightlife is typical of towns like these with a smattering of average businesses including a brewpub, which unfortunately both for beer and venue does not quite reach its potential. Fuerkiek however is a lovely friendly little basement pub which unusually for Germany serves cheap hot food like fish sarnies for a very good price.
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WernigerodeNightlife Rating: ❤️
pop. 35,050
Wernigerode’s street layout lends itself well to generating a bit of atmosphere, with a long street leading to a central square. While this beautiful Fachwerk town is still relatively quiet by some standards, it’s one of the livelier Harz towns, and you will find Tommi’s Pub has atmosphere and their central brewery has, if little else, decent enough beer.
Wetzlar
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 31,022
Wetzlar is another traditional central German hideaway, its centre notable for its distinctive slate roofs, winding hilltop lanes, and rainy climate. It’s another town where history feels only a touch away. Pleasingly, for the compact size there are 2 outstanding bars, the labour of love Café Vinyl, and historic Pintchen, a jazz memorabilia smokey Kneipe styled ‘the last quaint pub in town'. Even these are supplemented by a few other perfectly serviceable venues dotted around town. It's a charming little place. If you arrive mid-afternoon and spend the night here that will cover it.
Windischeschenbach
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
pop. 5,351
The centre of Zoigl culture on Earth, this otherwise fairly unremarkable town has a claim to fame unlike any other. Families in the town and adjoining hilltop village of Neuhaus take it in turns to use a communal brewery, then opening their doors a few days every month to unfurl their hospitality on the town. Although it is a neighbourly, communal enterprise, this throwback culture is internationally recognised and draws in visitors from the region, along with a very few intrepid travellers like ourselves. With extremely good value food and drink, genuine welcome and hospitality with a fully non-corporate approach, this culture is a curio that cannot be overlooked no matter how arcade it may seem to you. The pubs themselves are generally large guesthouses with a homely feel. While the Zoigl beer quality itself is variable you may find, as we did, that some of it is also very, very good.
Wismar
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
pop. 43,095
Twice the setting for filmings of Nosferatu, this Baltic sea port has a flicker of that bitter gothic atmosphere particularly by its harbour. Weirdly though, it isn't the town of dour gables and cobbled streets the film would have you believe. Aside of a few brick landmarks, you'll find colourful and even quite twee ensemble of pastel painted townhouses that would pass for a Czech rather than German town. Nightlife here is reasonable given the size, with a stalwart characterful Kneipe, a really nice all-round evening venue and a trad harbour area brewpub with poor reviews, but one that we felt was good, with friendly and prompt service. They brew Mumme, a rare historical style. This is a dark, hoppy beer that you should try on your visit.
Würzburg
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
pop. 127,880
With a pretty riverside setting, Schloss towering above the city, large monuments and cobbled footbridge, there is certainly plenty to enjoy visually about Würzburg. However, it must be said that the nightlife leaves something to be desired. Würzburg is a wine rather than a beer region, and perhaps café culture is more popular than beer culture around here. Still, for a university town you’d hope and expect more from a place of its size. Other than the fun Muzikkneipe Tscharlie’s you may find yourself alternating between bland cafés and non-descript local pubs serving rubbish beer.