Being a university town and a city of music and culture par excellence, Salzburg has a bustling nightlife with a decent number of bars, clubs and live music venues. This may not be immediately apparent to first-time visitors, since the city's heritage preservation laws prohibit conspicuous advertising.

Bars: With its huge shady garden and beer brewed by clerics, Augustiner Bräustübl, Augustinergasse 4-6, is popular with locals and tourists alike. Rudolfskai is home to a concentration of drinking establishments, including the cellar bar Vis-á-Vis at 24, loud and lively Barfly at 22, and, attracting a younger crowd, Podium at 26.

Clubs: Clubbing isn't Salzburg's strong point, but you could do worse than a night out at Republic, Anton Neumayr Platz 2 (website: www.republic-cafe.at), a popular spot with live music and dancing, or The Cave, Leopoldskronstrasse 5 (website: www.cave-club.at), which plays techno-trance.

Live Music: Salzburg's main venue for rock and pop is Rockhouse, Schallmooser Hauptstrasse 46 (website: www.rockhouse.at), while jazz aficionados can catch live acts at Jazz It Bar Music Club, Elisabethstrasse11/5 (website: www.jazzit.at). Shamrock Irish Pub, Rudolfskai 12/Judengasse 1 (website: www.shamrocksalzburg.com), offers a variety of live music.