The 11 Best Cities for Partying

Last Updated: 3/23/23 | March 23rd, 2023 Some people travel to explore ancient historical sites, others to sample the culture or food or language of new and exciting destinations. And, sometimes, people travel to party. When it comes to budget backpacking, one of the most common ways travelers break the ice is over a drink. Or two. Or three. Whether it’s at bars, clubs, lounges, beach parties, or just in small groups sitting around talking while sipping a bottle of wine, alcohol — for better or worse — is often a staple of life on the road. If you’re looking to embrace your wild side and party hard with other travelers, here’s my thoroughly researched list. I’ve been to over one hundred countries and have drunk heavily around the world, so I know a good party when I see one! If you are looking to party when you travel, visit one of these places: Table of Contents1. Bangkok, Thailand2. Barcelona, Spain3. Rome, Italy4. Prague, Czechia5. Miami, Florida6. Sydney, Australia7. Ios, Greece8. Bali (Kuta), Indonesia9. Florianópolis, Brazil10. Ko Phangan, Thailand11. CancunHonorable Mentions 1. Bangkok, Thailand Bangkok is a hub for budget travelers. It’s where the infamous Khao San Road is located. All travel roads lead in and out of this backpacker/tourist street, and it’s always filled with travelers taking after locals and drinking out of alcohol-filled buckets every night. Then, when official bars close, everyone heads out to the after-hours clubs until 5am. Visiting Bangkok won’t do anything good for your liver, but the city is a must for backpackers and partiers. Besides Khao San Road, there’s Patpong, Thong Lor, Silom (Smalls, a speakeasy cocktail bar, is my favorite in this area), and the new cocktail scene in Chinatown. Bangkok truly has a party for everyone. Just remember to stick to beer if you’re on a budget. Cocktails and wine are mostly imported with high taxes and therefore cost a lot more than the local beer. Where to Stay: Mad Monkey Hostel – A backpacker institution near Khao San Road, this hostel has a restaurant, pool, and tour desk with some of best prices in town. For more hostel suggestions be sure to check out my list of best hostels in Bangkok. And, to find out exactly where in the city you should stay, here’s a post that breaks down the best neighborhoods in Bangkok.  2. Barcelona, Spain Any city where people eat dinner at midnight is a city that will start and go late. Barcelona is a city for night owls. The clubs here don’t get busy until about 2am and stay packed until dawn. Here, tourists can enjoy the nice weather and rooftop gin bars, drink sangria until the sun rises, go on a pub crawl, get wasted at the famous Kabul hostel, and roam the medieval Barri Gothic looking for hole-in-the-wall pubs. The waterfront gets especially nuts on a weekend. Where to Stay: Kabul Party Hostel – This is one of my favorite hostels in Europe. It’s a full-on party place, where they organize nightly events and pub crawls. It’s super social and really easy to meet people here. For more hostel suggestions, check out my complete list of the best hostels in Barcelona, and to figure out what area of the city you should stay in, check out this guide to the best neighborhoods in the city.  3. Rome, Italy Rome is a great city to party in. There are lots of bars, lots of clubs, and lots of beautiful people. If you’re traveling solo, the pub crawl tours are a great way to meet other travelers. While Romans themselves are a bit tame, the backpacker party scene here is crazy, with tons and tons of bar crawls littering the city. The Spanish Steps Bar Crawl (aka Rome’s Ultimate Party) gets especially wild. Come prepared for a hangover. Where to Stay: Alessandro Palace Hostel and Bar – A party hostel that’s also one of the cheapest places to stay in the city, there’s not one but two bars here with cheap drinks (including one on the roof). It’s just 5 minutes from the Termini station too. For more hostel suggestions, check out my list of the best hostels in Rome, and to learn more about the different areas of the city (such as the best ones for nightlife), here’s a post that breaks down the best neighborhoods in Rome.  4. Prague, Czechia Cheap beer (and cheap flights) makes this city a major party destination for people around the world. While I didn’t encounter any of those notorious stag parties, the nightlife in this city will leave you in a haze wondering what you did last night and whose phone number is scribbled on your arm. Multiple-story clubs, strong cocktail bars, cheap beer halls — Prague has it all. Where to Stay: MadHouse – This place really lives up to its name — it truly is a madhouse! The décor includes very cool murals, giving the hostel a very unique feel and the knowledgeable staff organizes events every night. For more hostel suggestions, check out my complete list of the best hostels in Prague!  5. Miami, Florida Miami is where you go for fun in the sun. People come t

The 11 Best Cities for Partying