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1. The Pink Palace, Corfu
Steeping yourself in Greek mythology is easy at the Pink Palace: hundreds of lusty young revellers are whisked by bus to a remote corner of Corfu where they lounge on the beach, linger in hot tubs and party 24 hours a day at this legendary bacchanalian oasis.
2. The Flying Pig, downtown Amsterdam
Two minutes from the Red Light District. Its own bar open until 4 a.m. An invitation to "get happy" in its "happy room." Did I mention that it's two minutes from the Red Light District?
3. Kabul Hostel, Barcelona
This hostel, which offers a one-euro beer vending machine, may be as noisy as its namesake. Let's Go travel guide says of Kabul "if you're looking for sobriety, go elsewhere."
4. The Clown and Bard, Prague
In a city that already has a reputation for wanton consumption of beer and absinthe, The Clown and Bard wants you to party the night away in its basement. "After a long day of sightseeing, settle in with a litre (or six) of Czech beer," suggests its website.
5. St. Christopher's Inn, Edinburgh
In the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, St. Christopher's Inn is the perfect place to get medieval. Video footage of its in-house bar includes a scintillating scene of a bonnie lass with her shirt raised to the neck.
6. The Generator, London
The mere fact that exchange-weary travellers can purchase a beer for #1 during the bar's happy hour spells debauchery. Then factor in that The Generator, with 837 beds, is the U.K.'s largest hostel. Given the “piss up,” it’s doubtful all 837 beds are actually being slept in by single bodies.
***Reb note: I wrote this story back in 2005. I finally stayed at The Generator in February 2008, and was duly jostled out of dreamland by the horrifying sensation of someone touching my foot and trying to crawl into bed with me. I yelped “what the HELL?!!” and the suspect scurried off into the night, leaving a half-empty glass of beer and discarded chip packet in his wake***
7. Three Ducks Hostel, Paris
A good night's sleep is about the last thing one should expect from this hostel, if the tales of perfumed smoke and loud voices wafting in from the courtyard are substantiated.
8. Euro Youth Hostel, Munich
Many a hosteller speaks of stumbling back to this place after hours of cultural immersion, aka a session at the nearby beer gardens.
9 Wombats City Hostel, Vienna
In their own words: "no curfew, no lockout, no stupid rules!"
10. Anywhere on Ibiza
This Spanish island -- where Europeans head for their version of Spring Break -- is home to a fabled club scene that sounds as though it's right out of an '80s movie frat party, complete with scantily clothed women writhing around in suds during "foam parties."