Most of the nightlife is centrally located around Uudenmaankatu and Eerikinkatu and bar-hopping is easily done on foot. The Helsinkiläiset (Helsinkians) are fairly relaxed about their dress code; visitors will feel at ease in anything from jeans to eveningwear, depending on the venue. Helsinki seems to specialise in the bar-cum-restaurant - the early shift comes to dine, the later crowd to party. Most stay open until about 0300 in the summer, while hours vary in the winter, often depending on patronage. Discos or nightclubs generally close about 0400. The Finns love dancing to tango music and many restaurants have dancefloors. Outdoor dancing is a particular favourite and can be found at Pavin tanssilava, in nearby Vantaa. The legal drinking age is 18, although some pubs and discos have an age limit of 21 years. The minimum age for nightclubs is generally 24 years.

The best guide to the city is Helsinki This Week published by the City of Helsinki Tourist Office and widely available (website: www.helsinkiexpert.fi).

Bars: Most of the bars are found on two nearby streets, so a bar crawl will reveal most of Helsinki's nightlife. Molly Malone's, Kaisaniemenkatu 1C, is a lively pub in the generic 'Irish' style, with regular live music. For surroundings with a difference, Restaurant Zetor (see Restaurants) at Mannerheimintie 3, is a must - here you can drink and dine amid a collection of agricultural machinery. The trendy Bar 9, Uudenmaankatu 9, is the domain of Helsinki's movers and shakers. Just beside it is Bar Tapasta, Uudenmaankatu 13, a hole-in-the-wall bar, always spilling over with a hip crowd washing down tasty tapas with designer beers. Cocina Bar, Kluuvikatu 4, is another popular place for hip urbanites.

Corona Bar & Billiards, Eerikinkatu 11, has billiards, pool and a laid-back atmosphere, where you can either perch at the bar or sit outside on the street. Just next door, at the same address, is Café Moskova, normally packed with youngsters enjoying a honey-vodka or 10. Further along the road is Con Hombres, Eerikinkatu 27, a small, often packed gay bar, which plays some of Helsinki's best techno tunes. Café Tin Tin Tango, Töölöntorinkatu 7, is an unusual venue with built-in launderette and sauna. A fun place with plenty of party atmosphere is Aussie Bar, Salomonkatu 5.

Clubs: Stockholm Diskotek, Simonkatu 8 (website: www.stockholmdiskotek.com), is a huge and hectic city-centre disco offering party action on three floors with six bars. Bar, disco and nightclub DTM, Iso Roobertinkatu 28 (website: www.dtm.fi), is a large, versatile, noisy, gay and steaming place with pumping techno music. Hotel clubs tend to cater to the business crowd - one of the most popular is the Helsinki Club, Sokos Hotel, Kluuvikatu 8 (website: www.sokoshotels.fi). Just as attractive but slightly more arty and alternative is the Ahjo Bar & Nightclub, Bulevardi 2/4 (website: www.ahjoclub.fi), in the lifestyle hotel Klaus K. Helsinki Club, Yliopistonkatu 8, has been around for more than 30 years and remains one of the city's most trendy clubs. Kämp Club, Pohjoisesplanadi 29 (website: www.hotelkamp.fi), is an upmarket, rather glamorous nightclub where the aim of the game is to see and be seen.

Live Music: The best source of information on entertainment is found in the daily press or Helsinki This Week. The Finnish Music Information Centre (MIC), Lauttasaarentie 1 (tel: (09) 6810 1313; website: www.fimic.fi), also provides information.

Current top Finnish rock and pop groups groups include Nightwish, The Flaming Sideburns, Ultra Bra, Nylon Beat, HIM, Darude, Bomfunk MC's, J Karjalainen, Heikki Silennoinen, Soul-special and Sami Saari. Other favourite singers include Karita Mattila, Arja Koriseva (the queen of Tango music) and Soile Isokoski. A good club for live music is Nosturi, Telakkakatu 8 (website: www.elmu.fi). On the Rocks, Mikonkatu 15, is a good live music club with gigs most evenings for people who like heavy rock. For major rock concerts, the venue is Tavastia Klubi, Urho Kekkosen katu 4-6 (website: www.tavastiaklubi.fi).

For jazz, the Happy Jazz Club Storyville, Museokatu 8 (website: www.storyville.fi), has a different band on most nights, including the Helsinki City Jazz Orchestra.