It’s common knowledge and a cliché, already, that the best places to party in Europe are equally divided among Spain, Germany and France. It’s no secret that Ibiza is Europe’s biggest party playground, that Berlin has the coolest and swankiest clubs for the alternative set and that France has everything the rich and famous might dream of, in Saint Tropez or the upscale clubs in Paris. Amsterdam is also a preferred party destination and Greece’s island of Mykonos presents itself as a more accessible version of Ibiza, at the other end of the continent. However, there are plenty of other places on the Old Continent where you can enjoy a good time—whether for an offbeat New Year’s Eve Celebration, a stag or hen party unlike any other in your circle of friends or simply a clubbing weekend on a budget, in an exotic location. For your information and entertainment purposes, here are the five best lesser known cities to party in, listed below. Meanwhile, you just grab your luggage, look up a good currency converter and start your party planning.

Pamplona, Spain

It’s not Ibiza, nor is it tourist-y Barcelona, but Pamplona is a worthy contender for partygoers continent-wide, when it comes to fun, clubs and partying. The more literate ones of you definitely remember Ernest Hemingway’s descriptions of running with the bulls on the streets of Pamplona during the Festival of San Fermin, the town’s most famous event. However, there’s much more to do in Pamplona than run in fear for your life. Take a trip down to the historic district to sample the great little pubs and bars. They are so relaxed and inconspicuous that most of them don’t even have signs hanging outside, but that shouldn’t deter you from going in and enjoying a pint. If clubbing is more your thing, there are plenty of snazzy places for it scattered around Pamplona. Just make sure you observe their strict dressing code and have at least one female in the group, as the local clubs’ customer selection process is quite strict. Otherwise, it’s all partying, all the time, until as late as 6 in the morning in Pamplona.

Budapest, Hungary

Central and Eastern Europe has risen to the forefront of the European party scene for two reasons: most former Communist countries are so enthusiastic about partying that they’ll knock your socks off. Additionally, they’re dirt cheap, compared to most capitals in Western Europe. The Hungarian capital featured here also hosts an uncannily large number of clubs, which has lead to it being called “the new Berlin”. You can start your evening with a wine sampling and a buzz at any of the great wine bars around the city, or go upscale, with the House of Hungarian Wines on Castle Hill. Buda will offer loads of open air clubs during summer, as well as a floating club-boat—the A38, which has been permanently moored on the Danube. The clubs are open until 4am on club nights and well-known DJ sets are not uncommon. One of the best spots in town for live DJ acts is the Bahnhof Music Club, whose dance scene is packed almost every night. There are also lots of casinos, located on the premises of luxury hotels and requiring you to dress up to the nines in order to gain admission.

Stockholm, Sweden

Any Scandinavian city might seem too cold a location for partying—however, cool and trendy Stockholm is an ideal location for the young set. While it’s not necessarily cheap to party in the Swedish capital, with a standard entrance fee of nearly $11 to most clubs in the Stureplan area, according to our currency converter, Stockholm is great for summertime parties. Since northern summer nights tend to enjoy more natural light than the rest of the continent, while winter nights are also longer than in other parts of Europe, clubbing almost seems a necessity here. To boot, the fun-loving Swedes have instated the rule of partying on Wednesday nights, probably in order to shake off the midweek blues. Most clubs will stay open until 4 or 5 am, and the most famous one of them all, the Spy Bar in Stureplan, is great for rubbing elbows with media pundits as well as sampling the local alternative and indie scene.

Riga, Latvia

Like most other Eastern and Central European capitals, Riga is great for partying on a budget, since prices are low and clubs open late into the night. Kick off the evening by warming up in a cozy bar, since Riga’s pubs feature excellent beer and, more often than not, live music nights. Then head out for a cool club, such as the Essential, near the Esplanade. There’s an Afterparty on every weekend here, and an average of three out of seven nights per week of concerts. Be wary, though, of club scams, usually run by beautiful girls who will try to lure you into a club. The scam is that you’ll end up forced to buy expensive drinks by credit card—which would be a pity, since there are lots of places around the city where you can genuinely have fun.