Nightlife in Madrid

Some interesting zones to enjoy night, or day, in Madrid. Places where the mayority offer of bars, pubs and clubs is concentrated.

Madrid has an intense nightlife that takes place in diverse districts of the city. There is party for all tastes, so you'll enjoy very different places before you find the one you like most, because there are many differences between one disctrict and another. You also have to know that nightlife in Madrid is very dynamic and the "on" places change every now and then. There are, anyway, certain "classic" districts that always have their party assured.

Now, a brief comment of some of the zones to party. We can't tell you which's the best, in the end all depends on your preferences or interests.

Huertas (metro Sol)

It's a very visited district by tourists. It's fine to have cañas and tapas, for it's good concentration of bars. It has two zones: one between the Puerta del Sol and Santa Ana Square, full of very popular tapas bars. You can have a beer and a tapa in each place. In some bars the tapas are free (they serve it when you take a beer) and in others not. You needn't ask for the tapa, if it's free they'll serve it anyway. Although it wouldn't be considered unpolite to ask if the tapas are free or not. The other zone extends between the Santa Ana Square and Huertas street, with a big amount of night clubs and bars. They're fine and very varied. There are pubs where they play Spanish and international pop music, salsa, flamenco, electronic music and others.

Malasaña or the Fuencarral zone (metro Bilbao or Tribunal)

It's a much more underground zone, with rock music and alternative or foreign pop. It's very amusing, it has a great atmosphere and less tourists. You can find various urban tribes in this district. Its centre is the Dos de Mayo Square, and in the Velarde street there are some classic pubs, like Via Lactea, with great atmosphere even during the week.

Chueca (metro Chueca)

It's the gay district, though many heteros come here to party because it has many bars, discos and on restaurants. Reccomended for visitors of all sexual tendencies.

Gran Vía (metro Callao)

It's not a clearly defined party zone, but there's always nightlife, very touristic. In its surroundings there are very interesting night clubs.

San Bernardo (metro Noviciado)

San Bernardo street has on both sides many bars, mostly in the surroundings of San Vicente and La Palma streets. The Café La Palma is very famous, in La Palma street, they offer concerts and it's quite pleasant. There are some similar bars nearby. Malasaña is on the other side of San Bernardo street, so you can walk from one zone to the other.

Moncloa (metro Moncloa)

This disctrict is very near the universities, though you'll find more teenagers. There's a place called 'los bajos de Argüelles', where all the rocker teenagers from fifteen to twenty in Madrid meet each weekend. In its surroundings the are more bars of different atmosphere.

Lavapiés (metro Lavapiés)

In this district the immigrant population has grown quite a lot, maybe this is the reason why Lavapiés has conserved its villagish and plain atmosphere. The nightlife here has a very interesting mixture of people of different social classes and nationalities. It's o.k to come here at night because there are many bars and it's a bit cheaper than other districts in the city. The bar that closes last is called Candela, it plays flamenco music. We have to remark that it's not the best flamenco bar in Madrid, but it's fine to see something different. Remember to go after two or three in the morning. To have a drink sat down there's a bar with no name in Salitre street with De La Fe street, beside a church.

La Latina (metro La Latina)

It's quite a good zone, though sited to the south of the city in a proletarian district. It's quite on to have coctails and beers. There's lot of life in the street, mostly on Sundays, because people visit the Rastro market (very reccomended with a huge offer of the most unthinkable things, but careful with pickpocketers!) and after come here to have their cañas.

There are more party zones, but we have only commented the most known ones, which have variety enough to find a place to your satisfaction. You can enjoy other places exploring by yourself or asking people you get to know.

By the way, in Madrid it's forbidden to drink in the street after 10 p.m. To have drinks at parks or in the street is called 'botellón' in Madrid (huge bottle would be the translation) It's forbidden, but everybody does it. In certain zones where it was very usual to do it there are policemen taking care that you don't throw your rubbish or make too much noise. Take care, you might be fined!

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