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Leave behind the mega-clubs of Ibiza or Berlin’s techno cathedrals. Some of the best nights out right now are happening on a jazz-themed street in Johannesburg, or a members-only bar in Accra. Time Out's Best Cities for Nightlife with Intrepid Travel is out now, and two African cities have made the cut.
The ranking comes from surveying more than 24,000 locals on everything from clubbing and cocktail culture to affordability, safety and community, before a panel of Time Out's city editors and culture experts cast their votes too. Only the top scoring city per country made the list, so getting on it at all is no small feat. Here's what's happening in Africa's two nightlife capitals right now.
Johannesburg
Johannesburg came in at seven. According to Time Out’s local expert, its nightlife scene has always run on reinvention, from the legendary Carfax warehouse parties of the 1990s through to today’s genre-blurring dancefloors. Gwigwi Mrwebi Street, named after the pioneering South African jazz musician, is home to some of the city’s legendary venues: Club A.M., AND Club, Bad Manors and Carfax, where DJs move between deep house, techno, afro-house, gqom, drum and bass and experimental sounds. For a slower pace, Melville and Rosebank offer up lively cocktail bars instead.
Locals rated the city highly for community, with 80 percent saying it's easy to find connection there, and 66 percent said a night out here is affordable too. Clubbing, casual pubs and cocktail bars all came out as the city's strongest after-dark offerings.
Accra
Ghana’s capital also made the cut at 18. The neighbourhood of Osu has long set the standard with Republic Bar, Bloom Bar, Purple Pub and Front Back throwing legendary parties, but East Legon is having its own moment right now, led by newcomers like Mad Club and Heritage Craft Brewery. South Village and Fake Fridays remain the go-to for Accra's electronic and alté crowd, while Rhythm and Brunch throws throwback parties playing nothing but 90s R&B.
Only 56 percent of locals rated the quality of Accra's nightlife highly, but affordability and community more than make up for it. Sixty-two percent said going out is affordable and 75 percent said it's easy to find community in the city, with 65 percent calling it ‘welcoming and friendly.’
🪩 Read the full ranking of Time Out’s Best Cities for Nightlife with Intrepid Travel.
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