Revel-Headed... where to party around the world

Electric Berlin

There’s more to Berlin than stark industrial spaces and techno music — although Berghain is still considered one of the best clubs in the world (berghain.de). The most popular spot for the smart, cool crowd right now is The Grand (despite Tom Cruise hanging out there earlier this year), a restaurant and bar with a small club upstairs and an electropop soundtrack (the-grand-berlin.com). For dinner and dancing (electro again), head for KaterHolzig, a bonkers restaurant with a rooftop bar and views over the Spree river — book well ahead.

NB: our insiders tell us this one’s for ‘Berlin-sneaker-hipster-crazy-style’ folks — ‘No shirts or fancy leather shoes’ (katerholzig.de). If you’re in search of a seriously serious party, move on to Salon Zur Wilden Renate, an old two-storey house, now a totally hip nightclub where you can grab a drink in the kitchen, party in the living room and chill out in the bedrooms or the large garden (renate.cc). And no, you won’t get in if you don’t look cool enough. If more controlled fun is your thing, the rooftop bar at the Soho Hotel is still a popular spot — and, bonus, you can fall into bed after too many cocktails (sohohouseberlin.com). Or follow the fashion pack to Nhow hotel, the city’s brand-new chic hotspot on the banks of the Spree (nhow-hotels.com).

Hipster Istanbul

Start your evening at Bej Karaköy, a popular spot for after-work drinks (and happy hour on Saturdays 5pm-9pm; 0212 251 71 95). Move on to Karaköy Lokantasi to try the great meze and soak up the fun atmosphere (karakoylokantasi.com), or join the hip arty crowd at Ca’ d’Oro in the slick Salt Galata gallery (istanbuldoors.com/cadoro). For an experience that’s part-restaurant, part-nightclub, Ulus 29 beckons with its Bosphorus views, avant-garde cooking and Moët-fuelled nightclub (group-29.com). Be prepared to party hard, whether you’re joining the flash pack for the award-winning cocktails at Lucca (0212 257 12 55), or a dance at Anjelique (anjelique.com.tr), or fancy yourself more of a hipster and want to stay up till dawn at Mini Müzikhol (minimuzikhol.com). Not up to watching the sunrise? Round the night off with drinks at Babylon Lounge (babylon.com.tr), or why not just stay at the Gradiva Hotel and while away your whole night at its rooftop bar and restaurant Zelda Zonk? Worth it for the name alone, surely (gradivahotels.com).

Gay Old San Francisco

Begin your evening in low-key style with the perfect patties at Pearl’s Deluxe Burgers — don’t be put off by the non-décor, just wait until you get your chops around the juicy burgers; veggies won’t be disappointed, either (pearlsdeluxe.com). For something more upscale, try the Michelin-starred fodder at Coi (coirestaurant.com), or a vegan feast at Millennium (millenniumrestaurant.com). Head to Chambers Eat & Drink in the rock’n’roll Phoenix Hotel for dinner in the cosy restaurant, and cocktails in the flatteringly lit red leather and wood bar (chambers-sf.com)... Unless pizza and a proper party is more your thing, in which case get down to 222 Hyde, where the drinks are as strong as the music is loud (222hyde.com). Gay boys will enjoy the soothing tunes, excellent cocktails and smart crowd at Blackbird (blackbirdbar.com) while the gay girls are partying hard at The Lexington Club (lexingtonclub.com). And anyone up for an all-night DJ-fest will want to find their way to Mezzanine (mezzaninesf.com).

Rocking Reykjavik

No one in Reykjavik goes out partying before midnight — and no one staggers home until five or six in the morning. But you are allowed to dine out beforehand... You won’t beat the fresh seafood, from lobster to minke whale, at the Asian-influenced Fish Market (fiskmarkadurinn.is), or take the more traditional route (including the local delicacy, fermented shark) at Lækjarbrekka (laekjarbrekka.is) — both have bars if you want to settle in after dinner. Once midnight strikes, the adventurous should head to the area around Laugavegur, where most bars and clubs in town are located. To hang out with the local jet set, it has to be Bar 101 at the sleek and sexy 101 Hotel (101hotel.is). Otherwise, start things off with a little reminder of home at Kaffibarinn, which is part-owned by Damon Albarn (kaffibarinn.is). If you want to just throw little shapes, try the small dancefloor at Thorvaldsen for size — you can have a bite to eat first (thorvaldsen.is), but if you really want to strut your stuff, Sólon has a huge dancefloor (solon.is), and Pravda is perennially popular with trendy types (00 354 522 9222).