Salzburg has a reputation as a beautiful but sleepy little city. However, look under the surface and Salzburg offers a quality night out.

If you fancy a day of drinking, the Augustiner Braustubl (mentioned previously) is a definite must and a good place to start. Great beer at an affordable price with plenty of food vendors to cap it all off.

The alternative is a pub/restaurant called Raschhofers; you can, depending on the time, turn up and order a barrel of beer which is then placed under your table and costs around 85 euros. In a group of four, this can last for 4-5 hours. Highly recommended. The Stiegl Keller is another that is recommended.

For a night out, the Rudolfskai area is the place to go. Vibrant and loud, it's popular with Austrian youngsters. There is plenty of bars to keep you occupied. Bar Flip is the one we enjoyed the most.

Nightclubs, just ask about and follow the crowd!

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For those into something a little alternative (dub, indie, electronica etc), numerous small clubs around the Warschauer Strasse metro stop such as Cassiopeia and Rosis Bar are highly recommended. Relatively inexpensive with a great crowd and good music.

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Belgrade has everything to offer on a night out, from hardcore clubbing to intimate bars to chill out and relax in.

The Club of World Travellers is the coolest little place I've ever been. A 'secret' bar, it took us a while to find but it was worth it. Extensive cocktail list, good prices and weird decor all make it a place worth visiting.

For those into their history, how can anyone look past Tito's grave and museum? A definite must and, if you're into football as well, a mere 5-10 minute walk from both Red Star and Partisan Belgrade's ground (and the kindly staff even let you have a look around).

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Bratislava Castle is a must see. Great views over Bratislava, a cool museum to have a look about in (it costs though) and, if you walk back into the city, there's some cool little bars to keep you occupied on the way down.

Warning - if you get a tram, make sure to buy a ticket. They're very, very inexpensive and you don't want to be caught without one. Two of the lads I was travelling with got stopped by plain clothes inspectors who wanted £35 from them (known as a tourist fine).

My mates kicked up a fuss until a policewoman came on, told my mates to pay up or else they'd be taken to the police station, and then left. Not very pleasant.

Also, stay away from the train station area, a very dodgy area. I've never been propositioned as many times in my life!

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This a warning for all of those intrepid travellers venturing to Sarajevo. Be wary of a 40-50 year old woman who loiters around the bus and train stations hoping to entice naive backpackers into staying at her house for the night. She claims all of the hostels are full and that she's been sent to the station to offer people a bed for the night. In reality, this is a lie.

The Hostel Ljubicica (highly recommended) has enough rooms dotted around the city to cater to Sarajevo's visitors, even in the peak season. Her ruse is to take you back to her flat (supposedly 20-30 minutes from the centre) and show you to a bed - separated from her bed by a curtain! Suffice to say, it's a very uncomfortable stay and an hour or so later she'll ask you if you are ok and would you like me to try and find out if any hostels have had a cancellation? She then leads you back into the city, dumping you at a hotel/hostel and does one with your money.

This is a real danger; I was in Sarajevo for three nights and met two groups of lads (one from Wales, the other from Japan) who'd fallen for it. The tale gets stranger. She has a thing for Asian males and makes her best effort to keep them around, hoping for something extra. The two Japanese lads had to unlock a window and drop themselves down to get away! Once again, this is no joke so be warned.

On a happier note, Sarajevo is a brilliant city. For those into their beer, try the Sarajevsko Pivo brewery for a fun day out. The market place is also always worth a walk around (try some burek, a pastry full of meat, which is delicious). The more adventurous types might like to walk into the hills surrounding Sarajevo and check out the little villages up there. I did and it was a great experience. Friendly locals (unlike some of their inner city counterparts!), beautiful views and a peek into real Bosnian life, shouldn't be missed.

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