Bohemian Cuba Street is a good spot for drinking with laid-back and funky bars while the action centres on Courtenay Place for late night bars and clubs. The free listings papers Capital Times (website: www.captimes.co.nz) and City Voice, are a good place to turn for up-to-date information on nightlife in Wellington.

Bars: Beers aficionados should head for The Courtenay Arms, 26 Allen Street, a pub with good English and Irish beers, or the Malthouse, 47 Willis Street, which has a good selection of Kiwi brews. Molly Malones, Taranaki Street and Courtenay Place, is the biggest and busiest Irish pub in town. CO2 champagne Bar, 28 Blair Street, has a good cocktail list and plays the occasional live music, while the Jet Bar, 36 Courtenay Place, is the hip and trendy locale du jour where the trendy crowd goes to be seen.

Clubs: Tatou, 22 Cambridge Terrace, open Thursday through Saturday, is a good bet to dance the night away, and so is the Judder Bar, 7-21 Allen Street, if techno is your kind of music. The latter attracts a younger clientele. Bojangles, 80 Cuba Street is the best gay venue in town.

Live Music: Try the Wellington Sports Café at 45-58 Courtenay Place (website: www.wellingtonsportscafe.co.nz), or Molly Malones (see Bars above) (website: www.molly-malones.com), which have bands most nights. In the Cuba Street district, the Blue Note, 191-195 Cuba Street, is the place to check out for R&B, reggae and funk (and the odd karaoke night too), while Bodega, 101 Ghuznee Street (website: www.bodega.co.nz), has loud music and beer on tap and is popular with students.