Every two years, young performers from all over the world flock to the European Youth Circus to show off their skills, putting Wiesbaden at the centre of the global circus and variety scene. The panel of judges sift through more than 100 applications from 20 or so European countries, and chooses which of these artistes will perform in the show. Young performers between the ages of ten and 25 years then appear before audiences and the panel of judges in four competitive events and two gala shows.

Located in the heart of Berlin's government district, Tipi am Kanzleramt offers audiences a break from political debate with its contemporary take on 1920s variety theatre. The Tipi am Kanzleramt will always give you a great night out, whether it's home-grown stars doing chansons , cabaret, variety acts, dance, daring acrobatics, musical comedy, entertainment and magic or performances by international artists such as Australian hip-hop circus artistes the Tom Tom Crew and Vienna's own living cartoon Ennio Marchetto.

At the Bar jeder Vernunft in Berlin , the Roaring Twenties seem to come alive once more. Ignore the nondescript exterior: inside you will find a real mirror marquee, a glittering concert hall, whose countless mirrors transform it into an infinite, magical world, making it perfect for sophisticated variety shows including songs, cabaret and comedy. Insider's tip: it's well worth arriving in good time, so that you can treat yourself to some great food and drink in the tent or beer garden ahead of the show.

If your laughter muscles are in need of exercising, then the Quatsch Comedy Club Hamburg is the place to go on a Friday or Saturday night. And because exercise is only any use if it's done regularly, the Club changes its line-up every week – ensuring that visitors quickly become regulars. Resident at the Neue Flora Theatre, the Quatsch Comedy Club provides night after night of side-splitting entertainment for approximately 300 guests.

The Quatsch Comedy Club Berlin is widely regarded as the birthplace of German stand-up comedy, which the Club's founder Thomas Hermanns made popular in Germany in the early nineties. Hermanns' show was originally a stage act but has since become a hugely successful television programme too. Every Thursday to Sunday (Thursday to Saturday in July and August), visitors to Berlin can come and experience these hit shows for themselves – and join in the laughter live, of course!

Auch das Rheinland will lachen: Deshalb hat der Quatsch Comedy Club nach Berlin und Hamburg ein weiteres Standbein nach Düsseldorf gesetzt. One weekend every month, a host and four different comedians take to the stage at Düsseldorf's Capitol theatre and make the crowd go wild.