Bootshaus Cologne named world's 5th best club, Berghain slips out of top 10

By Abi Carter

Berghain in Berlin may be known far and wide as Germany’s most iconic club, but according to a new poll, it’s not among the world’s best. That accolade goes to a different venue in Cologne.

Boothaus in Cologne crowned best club in Germany once again

Bootshaus in Cologne has once again been named one of the top 10 nightclubs in the world. An annual public vote coordinated by the British DJ Mag has named the Cologne nightclub the fifth-best venue in the world for the second year in a row.

“The club became famous above all for its top-class line-ups and wild audience, which is strongly reminiscent of rock concerts,” said Niclas Aigner, manager of Bootshaus. “Almost every great artist has played here.” 

Berghain slides to 12th place, Watergate and Tresor also appear

Three years after it first knocked Berghain off the podium as the best club in Germany, Bootshaus has cemented its position inside the top 10, while the legendary Berlin club has been sliding through the rankings, in 2022 placing 12th overall.

The other German clubs to place inside the top 100 are both also in Berlin: Watergate rose one position to place 35th overall, while Tresor climbed 10 places to rank 50th. Overall, Hï Ibiza was ranked the best club in the world, while the US was given the title of “number one club country”, with a total of 16 American nightclubs placing inside the top 100.

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Abi Carter

Editor in chief at IamExpat Media

Abi studied German and History at the University of Manchester and has since lived in Berlin, Hamburg and Utrecht, working since 2017 as a writer, editor and content marketeer. Although she's happily taken on some German and Dutch quirks, she keeps a stash of Yorkshire Tea on hand, because nowhere does a brew quite like home.Read more

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