Europe's 10 best party destinations

The top travel destination for Germans is also one of the biggest party strongholds in Europe. The Spanish island is known for the Ballermann beach club, parties — and a lot of drinking. During the day, you can relax on the Playa de Palma city beach, which turns into a heaving party zone at night. If you prefer a more classy night out, visit a tapas bar in the island's capital, Palma.

The Italian counterpart to Mallorca is the seaside resort of Rimini. The many bars and discos on the Adriatic coast are, however, a little more chic. Before the parties start in the evening, a visit to a beach, such as the popular Bagno Tiki 26, is a must. If you're open to activities other than partying, visit the fish market opposite the Palazzo dell'Arengo.

The biggest party zone on the island state can be found in the Paceville district. During the day, the turquoise sea sparkles. After sunset, the fun begins. In the many discos and clubs you can party until the early hours of the morning. A highlight of every Malta party vacation is the annual Isle of MTV music festival, where admission is free.

Those seeking something more exclusive should opt for a party vacation on one of the many Greek islands. The wildest and most exuberant parties can be found on Mykonos. Party central is the approximately 350-meter-long (1,148 foot) Paradise Beach. As well as water sports, the strip boasts bars and restaurants. And there's a regular bus service.

The city of Bodrum is also known as the St-Tropez on the Turkish Aegean. The clubs around the marina are exclusive, popular with celebrities. There you'll find the Club Catamaran, a party boat with a big entertainment program that sails out to sea every night. You can relax the next day on the waterfront in one of the many bays.

In the sun, the 3.5-kilometer-long (2.2-mile) sandy beach at Varna on the Black Sea glistens like gold — hence the name. You can party nonstop here, as there are neither curfews nor music bans. Golden Sands is known for exuberant partying at reasonable prices. The somewhat quieter counterpart to this, a little further south near Burgas, is the resort of Sunny Beach.

Romania's oldest seaside resort is located on the Black Sea coast and is known as the Ibiza of the east. The approximately 7-kilometer-long Mamaia Beach turns into a party zone in the evening with its clubs and bars. The most famous event on the beach is the Sunwaves Festival, on the northern part of Mamaia, Kazeboo Beach, which guarantees nonstop partying to electronic beats.

The longest party beach in Europe is on the Croatian island of Pag: Zrce Beach. There, one beach bar follows the next and loud music booms from the open-air discos. Every day, there's a different festival. The opening of the season is celebrated every year with a big spring break festival, featuring famous DJs like Paul Kalkbrenner.

Lake Balaton has long been established as a party mecca. After a day of enjoying the sun on the beach, in the evening it's time to hit the clubs. The town of Siofok, on the southern shore of the lake, is considered a party stronghold. It's only an hour's drive west from the capital, Budapest. Lake Balaton is also known for its low prices, so you'll meet mostly young people.

As much fun as it is to party here during the summer, it gets really busy in the winter. So if you prefer snow to sun and sand, Ischgl in Austria is the place to go. The parties start in the afternoon, when winter sports enthusiasts arrive from the ski slopes. From exclusive clubs to rustic mountain huts, there's a lot going on in the Tyrolean Alps.