It is no argument that Europeans know how to throw a good party. When you think of ‘partying in paradise’ it is likely that places such as Ibiza and Zante initially come to mind, but these locations are just the tip of the iceberg!

Today, Europe boasts a plethora of fantastic party destinations, from the likes of Lisbon in Spain to Krakow in Poland. Whether you are a nightclub music fanatic or prefer to reside in quaint town bars, Europe offers something for everyone.

Our team here at Bounce believes that everyone deserves to let their hair down, and we want to make sure you choose the party holiday that's right for you. So, if you enjoy the party scene (or are just curious about what Europe has to offer in this regard) then look no further as we reveal some of Europe’s best destinations for a party in paradise.

To create the ultimate ‘party score’ we have ranked popular European holiday destinations on a range of party-related factors, including their number of clubs, bars, beer prices, hotel affordability, and safety scores.

The best destinations for a party holiday in Europe

1. Lisbon, Portugal - Party score of 7.34 /10

Taking the crown as the best European party destination is Lisbon with a party score of 7.34 /10. The capital of Portugal boasts a bustling atmosphere, home to a wide selection of tourist attractions and deep-rooted heritage. Nevertheless, the city is also particularly notable for its nightlife scene, with 59 clubs and 35 bars per 100km². Some popular bars and clubs include the luxurious Duque da Rua and Bar A Parodia.

Lisbon likewise scores highly with regard to the city's average beer price at just $2.66 (£2.15| €2.50), one of the cheapest prices out of the cities studied.

2. Madrid, Spain - Party score of 6.67 /10

Ranking in second place is Madrid, Spain, with a party score of 6.67 /10. Of the 40 clubs and 14 bars per 100km², the Calle 365 Callejón Secreto bar is highly regarded with a sophisticated atmosphere and authentic food. With so much nightlife to choose from, you are likely to find somewhere that piques your interest here.

In addition to its vibrant nightlife, this destination is known for its richly historic architecture and renaissance art. If that isn't enough to entice you, Madrid also boasts some of the most affordable hotel rates on this list ($105 | £85 | €98 per night). Therefore this destination may be perfect if you are looking for a low-budget opportunity to let your hair down.

3. Valencia, Spain - Party score of 6.58 /10

Taking the third spot, with a party score of 6.58 /10, is the Spanish city of Valencia. With moderately priced nightly hotel costs averaging $191 (£155 | €178), and 68 clubs per 100km² to choose from, this city has everything you need for a party in paradise. If you are in need of some good food to help nurse your hangover then look no further as Valencia is also the birthplace of the tasty rice dish, Paella!

With fewer event-related Google searches compared to the rest of the top five, it could be suggested that partying is not typically associated with Valencia. However, when taking into account our party-related factors, this city is certainly recognized to be one of the best destinations to get your groove on.

4. Prague, Czech Republic - Party score of 6.53 /10

The party destination that ranks in fourth place on this list is the Czech Republic capital, Prague with a score of 6.53 /10. This city is jam-packed and full of culture, from museums to festivals and everything in between.

Yet, some of the factors that make Prague a perfect party spot are its high safety score of 75.35 out of a possible 100, and inexpensive average beer prices at just $2.20 (£1.77| €2.06).

5. Munich, Germany, and Krakow, Poland - Party score of 6.26 /10

Completing this top five are Krakow, Poland, and Munich in Germany. With a party score of 6.26 /10, you should certainly consider both of these cities when thinking about where to go on your next party holiday. Despite sharing their spot in this top 5, these cities offer very different experiences. While Munich is the home of Oktoberfest (the largest beer festival in the world), Krakow’s Old Town is bombarded with fantastic basement bars and beer gardens.

Europe’s best party destination for nightclubs

Paris, France - 228 clubs per 100km²
Known traditionally for its culture and romantic appeal, Paris takes the top spot in this list of destinations with the most clubs based on area size. Whether you are on a couples weekend or out with friends, you will never be short of options when looking to go on a night out here. 

If you’re a fan of music genres, such as electro music or garage rock, then La Station may be the perfect party club for you as they pride themselves on experimentation and creativity.

On the other hand, Petit Bain and Le Carmen are some suave options for those who are looking for aesthetically pleasing Instagram backdrops on your night out. However, it is worth noting that if you are wanting to get into a club in Paris then you may need to look the part, with strict dress codes in place.

Europe’s best party destination for bars

Paris, France - 126 bars per 100km²
Bars and clubs often go hand-in-hand, with both of them being important when it comes to having a fun night out. With 126 bars per 100km², Paris takes the top spot.

Making its second appearance at the top of one of our lists, it seems that Paris is the place to be if you are looking for nightlife variety.  While most bars in Paris close before midnight, some stay open until the early hours of the morning. For example, Le Bonnie and Clyde have a license to operate until 6 am. This means that even if the club scene isn’t for you, there are still opportunities for you to enjoy the nightlife here.

Europe’s most in-demand party destination

Ibiza, Spain - Annual search volume of 509,000
It may come as no surprise that Ibiza has the most party-inspired Google searches of all the European party destinations in this list. Known for its tremendous electronic dance scene, this island is a haven for young people wanting to party. This is evident by the 348,000 total searches for ‘Ibiza parties’ and 161,000 ‘Ibiza nightlife’ searches over the last year.

Aside from the nightclub scene, Ibiza plays host to lots of events throughout the year including the International Music Summit, which celebrates the electronic music scene. The Ibiza Jazz Festival is another fan favorite with individuals coming from all over the world to see performances from some of the biggest names in Jazz music.

Europe’s safest party destination

Dubrovnik, Croatia - Safety score of 81.87
Although it may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of partying, it is important to be in a safe environment as you let your hair down. With a score of 81.87 out of a possible 100, Dubrovnik comes out on top as the safest European party destination on our list.  The Croatian city has significantly low crime rates which provides a comfortable environment for people looking to party here.

Europe’s best party destination for beer affordability

Portimao, Portugal - $1.60 (£1.29 | €1.50) average beer price
Alcohol is arguably synonymous with the party scene, and as the cost of living continues to rise, people are looking for opportunities to save money where they can. At just $1.60 (£1.29 | €1.50) on average for a beer in Portimao, you will struggle to find a better deal than this.

Europe’s best party destination for hotel affordability

Riga, Latvia - $50 average nightly hotel price
After a big night on the town, it is important to have somewhere to rest your head (and nurse your hangover). Of the European destinations studied, Riga offers the cheapest hotel stay with costs averaging $50 (£41| €47) per night in June.

Methodology

We used the following listicles to obtain a list of European destinations that are known for partying: Alex and Leah on Tour, Merryl’s Travel & Tricks, European Best Destinations, The Savvy Backpacker, and Business Insider. Any destination that we weren't able to find sufficient data for was removed - this left us with a total of 38 destinations.

We used Yelp and Tripadvisor to source the number of clubs for each destination. We did this by searching ‘clubs in destination name’ and filtered this by ‘clubs’ on Yelp. We used Tripadvisor for the destinations that didn't have any data on Yelp, and these results were filtered by ‘dance clubs and discos’.

We searched ‘bars and pubs in destination name’ on Tripadvisor and filtered it by ‘good for bar scene’ to find the number of bars in each European destination.

We used Google Ads Keyword Planner to find the total number of searches for the terms ‘destination name + parties’ and ‘destination name + nightlife’ between Dec 2021- Nov 2022. We then added up the totals for each of these terms to find the overall event-related search figures for each destination.

We used Numbeo to find the ‘Safety Index’ score and ‘domestic beer’ price for each destination.

We used Kayak to find the average nightly price for a stay in June for each destination. The price was in British pounds, which was converted to Euros and US Dollars on 16/12/22.

Finally, we used the party-based factors (number of clubs and bars, search volumes, safety scores, beer prices, nightly hotel prices) and normalized each factor out of 10 before taking an average of those scores to get our overall ‘party score’.