Let's see
what possibilities Madrid has to offer us in terms of nightlife for those of
our readers who would prefer to investigate by themselves. If you would
prefer to discover all the possibilities Madrid has to offer in a secure and
safe manner, avoiding all queues and entrance problems, check out our
Madrid Nightlife Guided Tours.
First we can
divide entertainment establishments into several categories and further down
the page you can read all about the more popular areas of Madrid for going
out.
CAFETERIAS:
It's almost impossible to be on a street in Madrid and not see a cafeteria
or bar in front of your nose. It's been said that just the city of Madrid
has more such establishments than the entire country of Norway, and
personally I think it could be true. Cafeterias are basically bars but
always offer the possibility to order sandwiches, canapés,
tapas and
"raciones" (larger dishes). They are usually brightly lit and very popular
for "meriendas", a mid-evening snack the Spanish will often take to keep
them going until their late dinners. They are also likely to be full
mid-morning, serving coffee or orange juice with croissants, toast or
churros. Opening hours will vary a lot, but they will generally stay open
until midnight.
BARS:
Similar to cafeterias - perhaps the only difference being that some bars
won't serve food, though this is very unusual. They are usually good
places for a few light beers or wines, together with some free "tapas" where
possible. Many will have their own tapas speciality. Again, opening hours
will vary with each bar, but only more local bars in residential
neighbourhoods will close before midnight.
PUBS: will
open until around 2 or 3 in the morning, serving beer, wine, "copas" and
often cocktails. Occasionally some things to eat, but this would be the
exception rather than the rule. A "copa" is a mixed-drink, served with ice
and usually in a long glass, though not always. Be prepared for a very large
dash of alcohol in comparison with custom in some other countries. Typical
copas are Gin & Tonic (pronounced "gin-tonic", the same as in English but
without the "and"), whisky and coke, rum and lemon, vodka and orange etc.
Pubs are generally more intimate places, with darker lighting, background or
sometimes live music and comfortable seating. Madrid also has a growing number of
Irish pubs.
TERRAZAS:
Although the term could quite rightly be applied to any café-terrace, in
this case we are referring to a more "up-market" phenomenon of the summer months in Madrid. As soon as the
sun heats up the city enough to be out in shirt-sleeves at night, many
open-air terraces suddenly sprout up around the Paseo de Castellana and
Parque del Oeste areas. They are an alternative to the pubs and usually
serve a more "yuppie" crowd with beers, wines and "copas" until the early
hours. Loud music often accompanies the revellers.
DISCO-PUBS:
basically a pub with a small dance floor. Will often stay open until 6 or 7
in the morning, serving beers and "copas", although recent licensing laws
oblige many to close at around 3.30am. There is no entrance charge.
DISCOTECAS:
discotheques, obviously, charging an entrance fee and often difficult to get
in if you don't look cool or trendy enough. A dress code exists at many
discos, although it is perhaps wisest to ask somebody who's been there
before getting out the top-hat and tails. Certainly men will often wear a
shirt and even suits. Women will usually wear lighter clothing.
The best or at least most famous discos are probably
Joy Eslava and
Palacio Gaviria on Arenal street, Empire in the Paseo de Recoletos,
Kapital
in Calle Atocha (7 floors and 3 different musical environments) and
Pachá in Barceló street. The Palacio Gaviria has special nights for
foreigners (usually Thursday, but ask first), where all nationalities come
together to practice their Spanish and strut their stuff. Many
gay discos
and pubs can be found in the
Chueca area of Madrid. Reduced admission or free drinks are available at many of Madrid's
nightclubs with the Madrid Card.
DISCOTECAS
LIGHT: for 14 to 18 year olds, with opening hours of approximately 7pm until 10pm.
AFTER-HOURS:
After-hours are discotheques that open at around 6am in the morning and go
on until around mid-day.
TABLAOS:
Simply put, tablaos are flamenco bars or restaurants. They are often small
establishments with a few tables and a small stage. Some will serve dinner
before or during the show, and others will simply provide drinks. Possibly
the best flamenco show in Madrid can be seen at the
Corral de la Moreria restaurant. Read our
page about flamenco for the addresses of some other flamenco
establishments.
Madrid does, of
course, offer many other possibilities in terms of nightlife. There are
theatres and cinemas in abundance, not to mention the incredible
number and variety of
restaurants, offering Spanish cuisine, international cuisine, French cuisine, Italian cuisine, Mediterranean food, all types
of Asian and vegetarian food, or special restaurants with opera singers or
actors performing while you eat ... even so-called "erotic" restaurants with
imaginatively shaped bread rolls and deserts.
During the Carnival, an important fancy-dress party is held at the
Circulo de Bellas Artes.
Lastly we can also
identify several areas of Madrid with an abundance of establishments and
venues for a night out. While these areas are perhaps the most famous or
popular, the list certainly doesn't include all areas - almost every
neighbourhood has some possibility for an evening's entertainment.
ALONSO
MARTINEZ: the area around the Plaza de Santa Bárbara, the Glorieta de Bilbao and Alonso Martínez
is occupied by a large number of tapas bars, pubs and restaurants.
ARGUELLES/MONCLOA: As you would expect from a
University area, these
districts are frequented by students and a younger crowd and contain mostly
bars and pubs.
CASTELLANA:
the slightly more up-market area around the Paseo de Castellana, Paseo de
Recoletos and the Paseo del Prado includes quality restaurants, "terrazas"
(see above) during the summer months and several popular night spots.
CAVA BAJA:
within walking distance of the
Plaza Mayor, this street and the ones nearby
include some traditional Castilian restaurants such as Casa Lucio and
Botin, many new, modern wine bars and several tapas establishments. The area
is very popular on Sunday mornings before lunch.
HUERTAS:
more popular at night, with several pubs and disco-pubs (see above) open
until the early hours much to the chagrin of local residents. Many
cafeterias, wine-bars and restaurants make this lively area a possibility
for all ages and will cater for all tastes.
MALASAÑA:
this is the name given to the streets surrounding the Plaza de Dos de Mayo,
home to a myriad of bars, cafeterias, pubs and restaurants. Many
establishments have live music and in the summer months the cafés bring
tables and chairs outside to form terraces, especially in the Plaza, where
you will also be able to purchase some interesting "products" from the local
dealers. Mostly a young crowd and perhaps not the best choice for more
"mature" night-dwellers.
PLAZA MAYOR:
although the many cafeterias and restaurants located within the Plaza Mayor itself can be a tourist trap and little expensive, it's still worth enjoying the occasional drink here if you can sit outside at one of the terraces on a nice day, enjoying the street theatre in the Plaza or simply people watching before moving on. In the area immediately surrounding the square there are many pubs, restaurants, and tapas bars for every taste and budget.
SANTA ANA:
the Plaza de Santa Ana and surroundings include many tapas bars,
"cervecerías" (although the name may suggest only beer is served, wines and
spirits are also available), restaurants and pubs and is a lively area at
night and especially just before lunch on weekends.
If you would
prefer to discover all the possibilities Madrid has to offer in a secure and
safe manner, avoiding all queues and entrance problems, check out our
Madrid Nightlife Guided Tours
