There are prettier resort towns in France than Alpe d’Huez, but from a purely practical sense, this has everything you could want – the Alps’ longest black run, the infamous ‘tunnel’ run, good beginner slopes and reasonable prices. Oh, and it’s also one of the best party spots in the mountains.
Head to La Folie Douce, a spectacular high-altitude club that, unlike many of its counterparts, takes its entertainment seriously. A creative team travels the globe finding the best DJs and performers – musicians, dancers and cabaret stars – and each year comes up with completely new concepts, costumes and productions. It’s the combination of an amazing setting and ever-building vibe that makes this après-ski event just as memorable as your day on the slopes.
Later in the evening you might also want to try Freeride, where the drinks are priced using a stock-exchange model (rising and falling throughout the evening), and there’s a slippery dip to the loos.
Encounter the only earthquake you ever want to feel at one of Chile’s watering holes. As local legend goes, the terremoto (earthquake) cemented itself in the nation’s boozing scene in 1985 when a German journalist reporting on a quake was served pipeño (sweet fermented wine) bastardised with a dollop of pineapple ice-cream. “This truly is an earthquake!” he is said to have exclaimed on tasting the strong brew.
Try it at La Piojera, a grimy but lively establishment in Santiago. Previously named Restaurant Santiago Antiguo, the working-class joint was unintentionally anointed La Piojera, or ‘fleahouse’, by then president Arturo Alessandri during a visit in 1922. The jibe stuck. These days a dash of pisco or fernet is added to its terremoto mix, and it’s still strong enough to leave you legless.
The brainchild of a Swedish filmmaker and a Chilean architect, this uber-stylish bar offers yet another reason to visit Neukölln, one of Berlin’s hippest ‘hoods. Opened in 2014 in the city’s thriving bar scene, Twinpigs immediately set itself above the rest thanks to its formidable drinks.
Peruse the drinks list but don’t pass up a classic cocktail – poured with a generous hand, thank you very much – and sample a brew from their rotating selection of Heidenpeters beer, crafted in a microbrewery in the cellar of a nearby market hall. This dimly lit retreat is more than just a bar, so keep an eye out for movie marathons, aerobics classes and themed supper evenings, like Polish Vegan ‘n Vodka nights and Caribbean feasts, inspired by cuisine from around the globe.
It’s always wine o’clock in Adelaide, and this unique establishment demonstrates why. Created by a trio of mates, including a local winemaker, food expert and coffee connoisseur, Cantina Sociale serves small-batch and one-of-a-kind wines sourced directly from the vineyard.
From barrels behind the bar, the staff pours drops – ones you won’t find on other wine lists or at the bottle shop – from McLaren Vale, the Adelaide Hills and further afield. Choose a glass, indulge in a carafe or opt for a flight. Keep yourself nicely satisfied with a selection of snacks from the kitchen including truffle oil popcorn, lamb ‘lollipops’ and platters of pintxos (Spanish snacks of anchovies, marinated capsicum and peppers on bread). By the end of the night you’ll have a party on your palate.
Tucked in the Funk Zone, an industrial waterfront area packed with restaurants, bars and galleries, AVA Santa Barbara is the ideal establishment to learn about the region’s famous wines. The first thing you notice stepping into the sleek tasting room is a giant chalkboard behind the bar. On it Los Angeles artist Elkpen has scrawled a map of local wineries complete with the geographical features that influence the wine.
Plonk yourself down at the long wooden table, sip a glass of Californian chardonnay and learn about the different temperatures at which grapes are harvested, the impact of microclimates and the influence of fog, smoke and the ocean. Move to pinot noir, syrah or maybe even malbec, and examine petri dishes stuck to the wall and mason jars studded with soil samples that demonstrate differing terroirs.
What better way to enjoy the sunset in São Paulo than from atop a hotel shaped like a slice of watermelon? Situated on the rooftop of five-star Hotel Unique, this fruity beauty oozes glamour. Take the panoramic elevator to the top and step into a sophisticated sky of ambient beats, cosy lounges and a glowing crimson pool, complete with underwater sound system for your subaquatic pleasure. Come early to beat the queues and grab a seat for sundown cocktails.
Drinks aren’t outrageously expensive, and the glitz and 360-degree views over the city’s 20 million inhabitants make it worth the visit. If you’re feeling peckish, order some treats crafted by French celebrity chef Emmanuel Bassoleil, who commands the adjoining restaurant. Grab an apple mojito and settle in for an evening of sky high jinks.
Where can you chill out after a day sweating it out on the steamy streets of Jakarta? A drink in the freezing Vodka Room at Cloud Lounge & Dining is a good place to start. Knock back a shot in a climate-controlled zero degrees, then head outside into the night’s balmy embrace to thaw out. If the vodka doesn’t get you tingling the views certainly will.
Located on the 49th floor of the Altitude skyscraper, Cloud Lounge has a vantage point unlike any other, with sweeping views across the city. Hold a gathering in one of five ‘living rooms’ that re-create the cosy atmosphere of a private home, or simply relax in the lounge bar and enjoy a cocktail as the sun sets over Jakarta’s skyline.
Iceland braved a beer ban until 1989, but boy oh boy, have they made up for it in the years since. The cool, vintage-styled Kex Drinx, tucked away in a former biscuit factory in downtown Reykjavik, is the place to go for frosty pints of local beer. Find your inner Rocky and get a good ol’ workout with the boxing bag, browse a wine crate stacked with well-loved books, or go for some Jack Daniel’s in a serving of chocolate mousse.
The bar is part of a hostel right by the sea, so you won’t have far to travel if you down a few too many brews to brave the outside chill. And don’t let the hostel part put you off – locals drink here too. Besides, any backpacker who has travelled this far is sure to have a bevy of tales to tell.
Serving drinks from the bow of an abandoned fishing boat, this bar blends traditional with sustainable, shabby with chic, and seaside with signature cocktails. UXUA is sprawled across spotless sand and nestled between the ocean and heritage-protected mangroves.
Lounge on a day bed with an ocean view or beneath a flat-roofed pergola. The open bar is far from crowded, and it’s relaxed enough for locals to drop by for a cold beer. There’s beach volleyball and the sandy banks are used for training in capoeira – a Brazilian martial art.
The moment you arrive at this retro-styled, three-storey cafe, bar, restaurant and exhibition space you’ll know you’re off to a good start. There’s a relaxed vibe, delicious cocktails to try, poetry reading nights, upstairs gallery spaces, a dance floor and a screening room.
The space was established as a creative social club aimed at exposing art to a broader public audience in an informal environment. The strategically chosen name stands for Wonderful Thai Friendships.
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