Travelling for experiences is a big trend for 2025, and following foodie destinations is a desire to travel for the nightlife.
Night owls, dancing queens or not, we all know and love Berlin, Ibiza, and New York City for their spot on the world stage for nightlife and city-that-never-sleeps status. But sometimes it feels just as good to pick up your dancing shoes and head elsewhere to uncover a totally different approach to partying as soon as nightfalls. From tango shows in old theatres and award-winning rooftop bars to beach parties and music festivals in botanical gardens, here are six destinations to add to your after-hours travel wishlist, hopping from South America to Thailand and back to Europe again.
Pristina, Kosovo
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Where better to start when looking for great nightlife than the country with the youngest population in Europe? According to the Kosovo Agency of Statistics, over half of the population are under the age of 30, and as a young country itself (only officially recognised by the United Nations as independent in 2008) the cultural scene here is changing rapidly year on year. Head to the capital, Pristina, to find a vibrant fusion of underground raves, live music festivals, and jazz bars. Currently, western European and American influences can be found in the city’s popular music genres, so you can expect all the club classics you’ll find in cities across the UK and USA. Coming up is Sunny Hill Festival (1 to 3 August) which will be headlined by Dua Lipa (who has Kosovian and Albanian heritage), Fatboy Slim, and Peggy Gou. The expansive Zone Club leads the scene – hosting massive DJ nights and moving to a warehouse setting in summer – as well as Gate Club, both of which have regularly-changing weekly programmes. Bahnhof, housed in the old train station, offers a smaller spot for raving. If you’re looking to slow the pace down, the city offers a whole array of snazzy jazz bars (open late!) plus the trendy Soma Book Station where you can sip on cocktails surrounded by a library.
Madrid, Spain
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Do as the Madrileños do and fiesta until the early hours at underground clubs, terrace bars, and rooftop spots. The Andalucian capital of Spain always starts the night al fresco on the terrace of a trendy bar. Head to the neighbourhood of Malasaña for some of the coolest, including GOTA wine bar and La Alquimia Vinos. If the carafes of wine or cocktails at the cool Ni-Fu Ni-Fa whet your appetite for a boogie, find a night on the dance floor at Calle 365. Or, embrace the Andalusian culture with a flamenco show (and lesson, should you fancy testing your coordination) at Los Carboneras or Corral del la Morería. Madrid also plays host to a variety of music festivals to bookmark throughout the year, a highlight is Noches del Botanico which blends jazz, flamenco, and more in a beautiful garden in the middle of the city.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Rio’s nightlife thrives on samba (head to the Pedro do Sal neighbourhood), funk, and pop, fusing beach culture with its samba history that takes the city deep into the night. You’ll find plenty of the buzz on the street at casual bars where Portuguese beers and caipirinhas are served cold. Pack comfortable shoes because historic venues like Circo Voador and Capiberibe 27 will ensure locals and tourists alike will dance to live Brazilian music and DJ sets into the early morning. The Copacabana and Ipanema districts are widely considered for their LGBTQIA+ friendly atmosphere, and include many beach clubs that open well beyond happy hour. Or head to one of the World’s 50 Best, Nosso (also in the Ipanema district) where a stylish floor-to-ceiling shelving stocked with alcohol provides the perfect backdrop for an excellently poured cocktail. There are plenty of casual spots scattered across the city too, with Suru Bar named as one of the city’s favourites for spilling over into the streets, and Quartinho Bar for fun cocktails in a relaxed setting.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Although slightly less raucous than its Latin American neighbour of Brazil, Argentina’s capital shows plenty of its character after hours. The nightlife here is centred around Buenos Aires’ cultural hubs, namely its many theatres and famous tango bars. The San Telmo and Palermo neighbourhoods are famed for their trendy night scenes; soak in the jagged, mis-matched skyline from Alvear Roof Bar with a cold cocktail in hand (pick up a few bites to eat from the bar snacks menu too). Another standout bar in the neighbourhood is Florería Atlántico (an underground speakeasy disguised as a flower shop) whose excellent cocktails have placed the bar’s name on the World’s 50 Best. Tres Monos also ranks seventh in this prestigious list, putting it in the highest ranking for any bar in South America. For when the night picks up, meet at Café de los Angelitos (which, classic cafe-bar by day transforms into a dance venue by night) to enjoy a tango show, or, take it a step further with lessons and fly home with a new talent.
Bangkok, Thailand
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Thanks to the city’s globally-renowned food scene, Bangkok’s bar and restaurant scene after dark has established a good name for itself, also thanks to the city’s place on the backpacker maps. It’s not all budget bars and cheap beers here though; you’ll also find a world of rooftop glamour, award-winning spots, and underground beats. Sky Bar at Lebua is the highest rooftop bar in Bangkok if you’re looking for unobscured views of the sprawling city, while Octave Rooftop Lounge and Bar is also a good option complete with DJs. For something more on ground level, the wildly ornate BKK Social Club promises an elegant cocktail pour, while The Crimson Room is a roaring twenties-style cabaret bar to see the night through in style from. Bar Us is an excellent “drinking room” where mixologists are always whipping up new flavours using local herbs and spices. There are plenty of nightclubs across Bangkok too, should you wish to take the night further.
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
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New Orleans nightlife is rooted in jazz, cocktails, and festival culture. The French Quarter and Frenchmen Street overflow with live jazz at legendary venues like Preservation Hall, where music seems to flow from every doorway. The Jazz Playhouse and The Spotted Cat Music Club are also highly-rated jazz venues in the city centre, where you’ll find talented musicians plucking and trombone-ing their way through songs of love and loss. Allow yourself to get lost in the music for hours on end. There are plenty of markets and low-key bars scattered across the city centre to enjoy between jazz performances. However, it’s the city’s love for festivals and street carnivals, with well over 100 taking place every year, that characterises New Orleans social crowds. Coming up is Tales of the Cocktail celebrating global mixology.
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