[QUOTE=Wittenden;16772

I know I haven't travelled much abroad, and I didn't tend to go to the costas, but I didn't go a bunndle on continental cafes. They didn't, to me at any rate, seem conducive to a pleasant session-it seemed to be more a case of one drink and out. Also, in Italy at any rate, they all seemed to shut at around 10pm. ![/QUOTE]

The sort of people who speak of continental cafe culture are the sort of people whose experience revolves around their second homes in the Dordogne and Tuscany, people like MPs and TV presenters and even Daily Mail journalists. Such places are designed for daytime refreshment and early evening aperitifs and what 24 hour licensing has got to do with it is unfathomable. As you say you're hard pushed to find anywhere open late even in a largish town unless there's a university.

I doubt they were thinking of Spain, where tapas crawling is a national obsession, many people don't think of going out till about 11PM and in summer outside bars spring up in the larger towns which stay open till about 6AM on weekends. Having a two hour kip in the afternoon helps.