Having a drink in a really good pub or bar is one of life's greatest pleasures. The best places have a personality all of their own — and the drink in your hand is only a part of it. In these places, the history, unique characteristics, staff and the special mix of people sharing the space with you all add up to the unique experience and sense of place.
It may be that you can sense the special care the owners take to compile their beer, wine and cocktail list, the enthusiasm the bartenders bring to their role, the friendships you forge over a drink or two, the sense of how important a place is to the community it's in, or the ghosts of previous patrons you can sense all around you. I'm no globe-trotter, but wherever I go, seeking out the best pubs and bars, whether historic or new, swanky or dive, is always a priority of every trip. I've thought long and hard about the best ones I've sat in over the years (there are probably a few more I can't remember as a result of sitting in them too long).
If you're ever lucky enough to find yourself near one, go inside. You can thank me later. Go here to see our pick of the best pubs in Wales .
1. ‘t Brugs Beertje, Bruges, Belgium Much of the Belgian city of Bruges feels like a fairytale, and this wonderful bar is befitting of such a vibe. The warm light glowing out from the small red-brick building on to the cobbled street outside is so inviting.
Inside, the bar is split into two rooms, both very cosy with tightly packed tables encouraging conversation between groups of strangers (hello, Max from Ukraine, if you're reading this) surrounded by beer bottles, beer mats and classic beer signs and ads. The range of beers is enormous — try the 11.2% Rochefort 10.
2. The Holy Tavern, London, UK There are parts of the Holy Tavern that look like they've not changed in 300 years. The wood panelling is centuries-old, the flooring is Victorian, and the walls and stairways all have that feel of having been built long before spirit levels and health and safety were a thing.
Candles adorn tables, you might be lucky enough to find a snug, you can get classic pub grub and there's a changing menu of beers and guest ales. There's something very special about London's old pubs — and they don't come much older than this. 3.
The Temple, Manchester, UK This tiny bar is underground in what used to be a public toilet in the centre of Manchester. Descend from street level to find a good range of drinks, a very cool vibe, people in the know and graffiti in the toilets that has to be seen to be believed. 4.
The Salty Dawg Saloon, Homer, Alaska, USA There's one-of-a-kind...
and then there's the Salty Dawg Saloon. You'll find this log cabin bar at the very end of a needle-narrow spit of land jutting out into the Cook Inlet on the southern coast of Alaska, four hours south of Anchorage, one of the state's very few urban areas. If you're lucky, you might spot a bald eagle perched on the roof as you approach.
Inside, thousands of dollar bills and notes in other currencies hang from the ceiling above drinkers who likely make their living fishing in the rich Alaskan waters all around them. It was one of the first cabins built in Homer in 1897, soon after it became a town site. It has been a post office, railroad station, grocery store, coal mining office and school house.
An incredible place. 5. Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, Nottingham, UK Ye Olde Trip to Jersualem claims to be the oldest inn in England, and it's said that King Richard the Lionheart probably gathered here before journeying to Jerusalem as part of the Crusades in 1189, when it was a well-known stop for crusading medieval knights.
It is nestled beneath the cliff on which Nottingham's castle stands. Inside, you can really feel the centuries gone by, with stone-vaulted ceilings, cosy nooks and snugs hidden around every corner and up every wonky staircase. There is an old cock-fighting pit in the cellar, as well as part of the castle gaol, so it's not surprising it claims to be home to resident ghosts.
Drinkers can play the "ringing the bull" game, where you have to swing a ring held at the end of a string dangling from the ceiling and hook it on a goat horn hanging above the fireplace. I've not seen anything like it in any other pub anywhere. 6.
Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant, Ghent, Belgium It's been called "the best beer bar in Ghent", which is a mighty accolade indeed given the Belgian city is not exactly short of fantastic places to drink beer. The Waterhuis is special, though. Its location, perched right above the Leie river that runs through Ghent, is a key part of this.
In the summer, it's perfect for a crisp Belgian lager on the terrace. In winter, get a window seat, order something stronger and darker (a classic Dubbel would be just the ticket) and gaze out on the rain hammering down on the rippling river outside. You can order cheese and meats as drinking snacks.
I was presented with one meat which was described as "pressed head". Which sounded lovely. 7.
The Carousel Bar, New Orleans, USA The carousel bar opened in 1949 and has, ever since, been literally rotating like a carousel. If you're lucky enough to see a spare seat at the bar, jump on it and chat to your bartender or neighbour. The bar is in the iconic Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans' world famous French Quarter, where you'll find dozens of bars each making the most of the city's musical heritage.
8. Llanthony Priory Hotel cellar bar, Llanthony, UK All the bars on this list have lots of interesting and unique features — but this is the only one that is underneath the ruins of a 12th century priory. The ruins of the Llanthony priory are deep in the countryside, close to the Welsh border with England, so getting there is likely to be a bit of a drive no matter where you're coming from.
Once you do find it, you'll find real ales served in the vaulted under croft bar, thought once to have been the prior's cellar, while homemade meals are served in the dining room, with its vaulted ceiling and open log fire. 9. Mulligans, Dublin, Ireland Mulligans was originally a shebeen, an unlicensed drinking venue.
It has been legal since 1782, making it one of the oldest premises in Dublin. It's summarised as a "no-nonsense 18th century pub with a cast of regulars and lack of modern pomposity". It's busy but in the nicest possible way, with good-natured crowds squeezing past each other to get to the bar or hunkered around tables.
Many people would say it serves the finest pint of Guinness in Ireland. 10. Royal Oak, Pencelli, UK There are probably many pubs around the UK which can lay claim to be just as idyllic as the Royal Oak in Pencelli in the Brecon Beacons.
But sometimes a place is just inseparable from the personal experience and state of mind of the person experiencing it. And that's why this pub is on the list. It's a personal happy place.
But it's also more than that. It has everything you could want in a country village pub: ever-changing guest beers, good and inexpensive pub food, flagstone floors, log fires and a cosy feel throughout. And out the back there's even more: adjoining the grassy beer garden is the Brecon and Monmouthshire Canal, where narrowboats glide slowly past.
And all around you are the serene, beautiful Brecon Beacons. Find out more here . 11.
La Bodequita del Medio, Havana, Cuba This bar in Havana claims to be the birthplace of the mojito but is probably more famous for being one of the places Ernest Hemingway regularly drank. As a result, it's one of the most-visited bars in Cuba, but that doesn't mean it's not well worth a visit. 12.
The Haunch of Venison, Salisbury, UK The best thing about this incredibly old pub is that there is barely a level surface to be found anywhere inside it. Even the floors are so wonky that your glass sits tilted on the table. There are about 700 years of history here, but the beams you can see throughout are even older, and are thought to date from early sailing ships.
Local ales and traditional bar food are served. 13. Under the Hill Saloon, Natchez, Mississippi, USA You might argue that this understated bar is no different from hundreds of others all over the USA.
And in many ways you're right. But I've not been in those and I have been in this one. It's over 200 years old (which is ancient in American terms) and its patrons of yesteryear were reportedly the "cut-throats, prostitutes and thieves" who filled this area when it was a thriving port area where cotton was loaded on to boats on the Mississippi river.
Grab a beer and sit on the bench outside looking out over that iconic river — the border of Mississippi and Louisiana is in the middle of the water..
