You’re in Germany and want to turn night into day? Partying in Germany means having plenty of choices, from the deep Bavarian south to the North Sea coast. Some cities stand out in particular.
I’ll introduce you to the country’s most beautiful party cities and tell you what they have to offer. You’ll also learn about other ways to enrich your nightlife besides just “partying”.
You’ll see; it’s no problem at all to stay up all night and fall into a deep sleep during the day. However, I advise you to use at least one day for daylight sightseeing. Germany looks very different at night than during the day.
Anyway, get ready for an exciting holiday and expect that German can have a hot temper if they want. Some of them are really good at partying and flirting, and the range of captivating games in Germany’s casinos doesn’t leave much to be desired either.
At A Glance
8 Top Cities In Germany To Visit For Excellent Nightlife
Many German cities reach the top of the party scale, and some of them can certainly keep up with places like Amsterdam, Dubai or London. In Frankfurt am Main the party suitability is particularly high. The same applies to the German capital Berlin and Hamburg in the high north.
The high numbers of bars, clubs and casinos are to blame for that, as much as the long opening hours and the multicultural clientele. And, in the big cities, there’s a good transport infrastructure that allows you to reach your party hotspots at relatively low costs by public transport.
Let’s have a look at those shimmering jewels!
1. Frankfurt am Main
The skyscrapers of the banking metropolis Frankfurt am Main can’t be overseen. Not only in terms of money but also concerning partying, Frankfurt has a lot to offer. It scores with super-chic clubs, big rock parties and indie music festivals.
The Bahnhofsviertel is becoming more and more popular in the party scene. The old factory buildings there have been transformed into trendy clubs with long opening hours.
By the way, Frankfurt is home to the youngest people on average, because there are so many students living in the city. Overall, the German average age reaches 44.6 years – in Frankfurt, the rate is down to 40,9 years.
2. Munich
In the main capital of Bavaria, Munich, people also know how to party, that’s for sure! The best proof of it is the Oktoberfest, the world-famous folklore festival, where the beer flows in streams. Oktoberfest takes place every year in October, except in the crisis years of 2020 and 2021.
There, you get delicious white sausage with sweet mustard, pretzels and Pork and certainly a ride on a dizzying carousel. Many people wear Bavarian costumes at the Oktoberfest. Get yourself a pair of lederhosen or a dirndl and dance to the typical German brass band music. This is more fun than you might expect!
Besides this special festival, Munich also has its nightclubs, bars and gastronomy. Thus, it’s no fault to visit this city in another month than October. Don’t forget to enter the Hofbrauhäus, which also has a hearty Bavarian atmosphere with a very atmospheric touch.
3. Cologne
Cologne Cathedral exterior
2 Cologne specialities are well known all over the world: The Kölsch beer and the one big party in February, the carnival. Both in combination attract lots of tourists, at least as many as those who want to see the Cologne Cathedral.
This city on the banks of the great river Rhine has more youth hostels than any other German town. So, you can get a centrally located accommodation relatively cheaply if you’re not particularly demanding.
Don’t miss the Belgian Quarter if you want to have an unforgettable party weekend! It’s one of the hippest neighbourhoods of the city. On warm, sunny days, people meet for a beer on Brüsseler Platz. When it gets colder – or darker – the party people head for the surrounding bars, and there are really lots of them.
In Cologne, the hipster sits beside the ecologists. Together, they enjoy the pulsating city life all year round. But I especially recommend coming here for the carnival to enjoy the joyful parades. Then, the whole city becomes one wild party and you’re right in the middle of it.
Bring a funny disguise so that you don’t stand out. And hook yourself in while swaying with the other carnivalists!
4. Hamburg
The Schanze has long been known as Hamburg’s most trendy district – and St. Pauli with its Reeperbahn are cult, not only in Germany itself. Both are open around the clock, and the club and bar density is incredibly high. It helps that the venues are all quite affordable.
To go by bus or train from your hotel to the desired party destination is relatively cheap. And if you get hungry, there’s always one of the famous “Fischbrötchen” (fish roll) at hand. Don’t hesitate!
But let’s take a quick look at the Schanzenviertel; This trendy district is full of restaurants, cafes and small boutiques and it also has a party mile of its own. It has undergone a widely acclaimed upgrade; many old houses have been redeveloped.
The streets Schanzenstraße, Susannenstraße, Schulterblatt and Bartelsstraße form the centre of this pop-cultural place. Pubs and cosy cafes invite you to linger, many trendy boutiques frame them. The local partygoers appreciate the special atmosphere of their home territory: The quarter has not yet been conquered by tourism as much as the world-famous Reeperbahn.
5. Düsseldorf
Just like Cologne, Düsseldorf is considered a carnival hotspot und and once a year it really lives up to its name. The carnival parades and parties make the number of visitors skyrocket, but Düsseldorf also offers numerous entertainment options outside the carnival season.
Just think of the “longest bar in the world”, as Düsseldorf’s old town is called! There are not only many nostalgic houses lining the street, dating back to the time of the city’s founding in the 13th century, but also lots of cosy pubs.
The above title stems from the fact that if you lined up all the counters of the several hundred bars in the historic quarter, the result would be the longest bar in the world. Some of these bars have their own breweries, and there are uncountable clubs and lounges spread over this comparatively small area of half a square kilometre.
But the Altstadt (Old Town) is just one of 50 Düsseldorf districts, and most of the others also have their own nightlife attractions. A special place to go is the nightclub Nachtresidenz at the Bahnhofstraße. The building used to contain a theatre and cinema and has kept the noble ambience until now.
On weekends, up to 2.000 guests celebrate there. They use the whole 1800 square metres for dancing and flirting. The domed hall is equipped with mirrored walls and chandeliers, the roof is 12 metres high. There’s a certain titanic feeling, but hopefully without the accompanying doom.
7. Stuttgart
Really legendary are the folk festivals at the Stuttgarter Cannstatter Wasen. The Wasen is a 35-hectare festival site on the banks of the Neckar in the Stuttgart. The name of the site is a designation for grassland. For Germany’s standards, the age average of this city is quite low, the atmosphere here is correspondingly spirited.
The party mile named “Theo” gathers around the Theodor-Heuss-Strasse. It’s a popular meeting place for night owls and is known far beyond Stuttgart’s borders. In the many bars and clubs of this area, party people are celebrating until the early hours of every weekend.
In most bars, admission is free; you just pay for the cocktail, beer or hearty Germany snack that you order; the best prerequisite for a long night of exciting bar hopping! Around the Hans-im-Glück-Brunnen, a striking fountain in the old city of Stuttgart, another popular nightlife district has established itself.
Both the Theo and the old city can easily be reached by public transport. Buses and trains run all night and also in the early morning hours. So, nothing will get in your way if you want to party in Stuttgart.
8. Berlin
Venturing through the street art in Berlin, Germany
Book the popular Hidden Backyards Guided Walking Tour here.
The German capital is popular with tourists and locals alike for its club and bar scene. In comparison to other cities, the prices are quite low. Furthermore, some of Berlin’s clubs belong to the best ones in the world!
Currywurst and Kebab are part of the cityscape, not only by day but also by night. So, there’s always a bite to eat for all the night owls wandering the streets.
Every country has its own culture, and it’s certainly not a mistake to savour it in Germany.
