Nightlife in Copenhagen changes fast and starts late - things rarely get going on Friday and Saturday night until after midnight. The city has an ever-changing range of clubs, restaurants and bars catering to all tastes - from pop to cutting-edge dance music or world-class jazz or pop. The city also has a surprise up its sleeve in the form of several popular DJ/bar/restaurant 'hybrids' that change mood and function over the course of an evening. There is no one defined nightlife area, although both Nyhavn and Boltens Gaard are popular.

There are late licensing hours in Copenhagen. Cafes typically open until 0100 or 0200, bars close between 0200 and 0500 and clubs close around 0500. The minimum age for drinking is 18 years. A beer costs Dkk25-50, while a gin and tonic averages around Dkk50. In general, the dress code for most places is not strict.

Copenhagen This Week (website: www.ctw.dk) and the Wonderful Copenhagen tourist information website (www.visitcopenhagen.com) both provide further nightlife information.

Bars: Copenhagen has plenty of bars, clubs and restaurants. Many nightlife venues defy easy categorisation however, as they change function from daytime cafes to nighttime restaurants and bars. Among them are the trendy Zoo Bar, Kronprinsensgade 7, and Delicatessen, Vesterbrogade 120. More club-like is Isola Rock Music Club, Linnésgade 16A, Israels Plads, a popular bar providing rock music lovers with an excellent soundtrack for the night. Rather more underground is Stengade 30, Stengade 18, in Nørrebro, which blends the best of Danish and overseas rock and dance acts. Beer lovers should check out Charlies Bar, Pilestræde 33, and Hviids Vinstue, Kongens Nytorv 19, both of which have a wide range of ales and draught beers. The Dubliner, Amagertorv 5, Strøget, is a genuine Irish restaurant and music pub with nightly live Irish folk/rock music, Irish barmen and a very friendly atmosphere. Café Victor (see Restaurants) also has a friendly bar area, which is popular with visiting celebrities.

Clubs: The two top clubs in the city are Rust, Guldbergsgade 8 (website: www.rust.dk) and Vega, Enghavevej 40 (website: www.vega.dk), which are both extremely popular and draw top international DJs and live acts. The Vega complex is housed in a magnificent 1950s trade union building, while Rust is spread over three floors with a cocktail bar, main bar and large dancefloor. Park Diskotek, Østerbrogade 79 (website: www.parkcafe.dk) close to Parken, the national sports stadium, runs a disco ballroom with DJ music in an authentic 1970s atmosphere. For a sophisticated club experience, head for Boltens Gaard and NASA, Gothersgade 8F (website: www.nasa.dk), a hip private members club that might just let you in if you've got the right look - or the right connections. The city's thriving gay scene focuses on Oscar Bar Cafe, Rådhuspladsen 77 (website: www.oscarbarcafe.dk), which has DJs on Fridays, and Dunkel Bar, Vester Vold Gade 10. One of the hippest places in Copenhagen at the moment is Gefährlich (German for 'dangerous'), Fælledvej 7 (website: www.gefarhlich.dk), which is a restaurant, bar, art gallery, coffee shop, boutique, record store, cultural centre and nightclub.

Live Music: Copenhagen is one of the major European jazz centres with excellent clubs throughout the city and a festival in July. The Copenhagen Jazz House, Niels Hemmingsensgade 10 (tel: 3315 2600; website: www.jazzhouse.dk), is the jazz venue, offering top-quality live music followed by relaxed funk and soul disco. Vega, Enghavevej 40 (tel: 3325 8012; website: www.vega.dk), is an established and prestigious cultural institution and Denmark's largest regional venue, annually featuring around 250 concerts. The music profile is rock, modern electric, R'n'B, hip hop, metal and pop. Open-air rock and pop concerts are held at the Pavillonen, in Fælledparken, during the summer. The main live music venue in Christiania is Loppen, Bådmandsstræde 43 (tel: 3257 8422; website: www.loppen.dk), which has regular rock, jazz and other performances. Seedy but hugely atmospheric is La Fontaine, Kompagnistræde 11 (tel: 3311 6098), which is open 2000-0600.