Recently opened, and a sign of development (along with the nearby 5-star business hotels), is the Belgrade Arena, one of Europe's largest indoor venues, seating 23,000 people. Not everyone would be too excited to host the Eurovision Song Contest, but it was a welcome way back on to the international stage for Serbia this year. The arena has attracted big name acts from all genres, including The Police, Nick Cave, The Chemical Brothers and José Carreras.

We visit a bar that was a mainstay in the legions of 'underground' party places that sprung up during the Balkans Conflict. Ironically named The Federal Association of Globe Trotters, or World Travellers' Club, at a time when no travel was possible, it sits hidden in an apartment block, with no sign outside and a buzzer entry system.

These venues were an escape for the young during the fighting, in a city that gained a reputation for partying through the bombing. Now there's no need to hide though they still don't want to advertise themselves - the venues have a laidback vibe and a sense of a cool and exclusive illegal party, even if their existence is now sanctioned and they welcome foreign customers.

There's a fashionable overground bar scene spread throughout the city, with one of the most popular strips (if you'll excuse the pun) being Belgrade's very own 'Silicon Valley' on Strahinjica Bana in Dorcol - so called for the number of glamorous, artificially enhanced females trawling the streets looking for wealthy males. There are good bars to be found despite the show.

Serbia shines for the EXIT festival

There's plenty to do in this resurgent nation as 50,000 revellers turn out for a four-day party

Nightlife guide to six party cities

Time Out writers paint the town red in Paris, Milan, Amsterdam, Berlin, Belgrade and New York

• Hitting Amsterdam's dancefloors

Serbia's coolest festival

It's one of the coolest parties in Europe. Put your hands in the air for Serbia’s Exit festival

• Six of the best music festival websites

Related Internet Links

• Research 87 articles in Music and Travel

Related Links

• Serbia shines for the EXIT festival

Elsewhere the club scene changes frequently, not least because it is seasonal. In the summer, barges on the Sava and Danube host dozens of bars and clubs that close during the winter. Try Sound or Exile if you aren't able to get there for the vibrant winter scene, while open-air club Bassment takes place in the fortress during the summer.

Some of the top venues are within a short stroll of each other - famous techno club Andergraund is literally under the Kalmageden fortress, while 20 metres away you have mad dancing at the Baltazar bar on the way to Magacin 3, a vast but opulent wasehouse club another 50 metres down the hill next to the river that plays host to showier clientele.

And the best thing? You can follow the lead of the locals and club-hop to your heart's delight without hitting your wallet. Club entry is free, they make their money behind the bar, so there's no need to worry about skipping to a different place if the mood and music isn't taking you where you want to be.

Most bars open until between midnight and 2am, while clubs we visited closed around 5am.

Top 5 clubs

Andergraund, Pariska 1a. Tel: +381 26 25681

A cavernous techno club in the belly of the Kalemegdan Fortress. The week before our visit it hosted German techno hero Oxia, the week after Terry Francis from London's Fabric was due to be the headliner. When we were there one of the local DJs played a set of melodic techno that was as good as any international guest could have managed. The second room featured some seriously good electro and there's occasional drum & bass on offer.

The Tube Club, Simina 21

Times recommends

• Britain's top 10 New Year's Day brunches
• Mozambique's lost islands
• The best things to see and do in 2010