Cairo is even livelier at night than it is during the day, and the Cairenes have always known how to enjoy themselves. As the sun goes down, the people come out. Shopping, socialising and drinking coffee all need to take place before the serious business of eating, drinking, dancing and music begins. The fun goes on for as long as you can stand the pace and even though most places wind down around 0300 or 0400, you will still find some that are open 24 hours. Wednesdays and Thursdays are the days for the big nights out.

Although Egypt is a Muslim country and many Cairenes will enjoy themselves all night long by only drinking soft drinks, alcohol is not difficult to come by for those who want it. Some Muslims are more devout than others, but if you are with Egyptian friends or contacts and they decline your offer of a drink, you must be sensitive to their religious beliefs.

There are plenty of nightlife options. Most basic are the baladi bars, often called 'cafeterias' to disguise the fact that they are selling alcohol. They are perfectly safe, although a little rough and women on their own might feel uncomfortable in what is essentially a male domain. If you want to seek some out, try the Sharia Alfy area around the Midan Orabi.

To find out what's on, get the Egyptian Gazette (Egyptian Mail on Saturdays), the English-language edition of Al-Ahram Weekly (website: www.ahram.org.eg/weekly), or the monthly magazine Egypt Today (website: www.egypttoday.com) (but double-check as monthlies are not completely up to date).

Bars: All the main hotels have their Western-style bars, just as popular with Cairenes as with the Western visitors themselves. Which drinking den is fashionable changes monthly, but there are some perennial favourites. Harry's Pub at the Cairo Marriott Hotel in Zamalek is always busy, with its karaoke and ladies' nights. The 40th floor Revolving Restaurant Lounge at the Grand Hyatt, and the Windows on the World bar on the 36th floor of the Ramses Hilton battle it out as the place to have a sundowner with their stunning views over Cairo. Also popular, although lower, is the rooftop Pyramids Bar and Terrace at the Nile Hilton. If looking for something special in Giza, head for the Sultan Bar at the Mena House, a glorious palace hotel with views of the pyramids.

Clubs: In Egypt, a nightclub is a place where you sit down to watch a show while you eat and/or drink. The most popular have belly dancers and these are included in the Culture section. Yet again, the big hotels provide the best options as there are also a good number of seedy joints aimed at parting you from your money. Only go to one if a reliable Egyptian friend recommends it.

If you're after a Western-style nightclub, call it a 'disco' and, again, head for the hotel chains. Jackie's Joint at the Nile Hilton is an upmarket favourite with a dance floor, pool tables, private karaoke rooms, and 1970s and 80s nights, while The Place, next to the Sheraton el Gezirah, offers live music (Egyptian and international) on its top floor terrace (Nile views). Rithmo at the Semiramis Intercontinental is an expensive but trendy spot full of beautiful young women and older men with cigars. Windows on the World, on the 36th floor of the Ramses Hilton is another popular hangout with wonderful cocktails, good food, great views and live music (jazz and pop). Away from the hotels, the Cairo Jazz Club, 197 26th of July Street (website: www.cairojazzclub.com) offers a sophisticated mix of live jazz, blues, a DJ and drinks in a dimly lit, smoke-filled environment. Africana, Pyramids Road, Giza, is something very different, a noisy, crowded, energetic if somewhat scruffy place with the music and most of the clientele coming from sub-Saharan Africa.