Nightlife

The cultural center of the city is Frankfurter Hof, Augustinerstrasse 55 (tel. 06131/220438; www.frankfurter-hof-mainz.de; bus: 54), which stages concerts of classical music, jazz, folk, and pop. The center also hosts an annual tent festival featuring an eclectic mix of international performers. Tickets to all events cost 10€ to 75€. Call for scheduled shows, festival dates and performers, and ticket information.

Although you can buy tickets at the offices of any of the theaters and entertainment venues in Mainz, a more convenient way is to contact the Ticket Service, which is a division of the town's tourist office at Brückenturm am Rathaus, 55116 Mainz (tel. 06131/286210; bus: 54).

In terms of its nightlife, Mainz is sleepy enough to compel many residents to head to Cologne or Düsseldorf after dark. But if you don't want to get out of town too quickly, consider dancing the night away at the Disco Kuz, Dagobertstrasse 20 (tel. 06131/286860; www.kuz.de; bus: 60 or 61), where you'll find attractive people drinking, dancing, and talking. It's open Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday 10pm until at least 4am, charges a 6€ to 10€ cover, and attracts ages 20 to around 35. The hottest address is Red Cat, Emmerich-Josef-Strasse 13 (tel. 06131/225656; www.redcat-club.de), in the heart of town, right off the landmark Schillerplatz. The club is tiny, as is its dance floor, but hip young Mainzers pack the joint anyway. Chapeau Claque, Kleine Landgasse 4 (tel. 06131/223111; www.chapeau-mainz.de; bus: 9), is a gay bar that's open nightly 6pm to 4am.