Café-hop around the illuminated cathedral, sip wines by the waterfront in Petite France and mingle with Krutenau's hip crowd.

Strasbourg's late-night pulse beats around the animated Place de la Cathédrale, Place Saint-Etienne and Rue des Juifs, where a glut of pavement cafés, hip bars and cool clubs vie for your attention. Try Trappist brews in the depths of cave-like Les Frères Berthom on Rue des Tonneliers, or enjoy cool beers and mellow grooves on the terrace at Le Gayot, Rue des Frères.

A laid-back vibe beckons on the River Ill's banks. Cruise the canals by night to see Strasbourg's lights twinkle, or sip sparkling Pinot in a snug, wood-panelled winstub on Place des Tripiers. In summer, drink beer beneath the plane tree on Au Bureau's huge terrace, Place Benjamin Zix.

Bars teeming with young trendies pump out everything from salsa to ska around the Rue de Zurich and Place de l'Université. See the next big thing play live at La Salamandre on Rue Paul Janet, and move to jazzy grooves at the popular Café des Anges, Rue de la Krutenau.

Most of Strasbourg's bars stay open after midnight and clubs until 4am. For late-night partying, take a ten-minute taxi ride to Le Chalet, the local superclub.

Admire the cathedral's grandeur to Joseph Rouget de Lisle's La Marseillaise (the French national anthem), composed in Strasbourg in 1792. Get romantic by Petite France's canals to La Mer by Charles Trenet. Sway to Santana's Smooth in student hub Krutenau.