Going Out at Night in Madrid
If you like going out at night Madrid has some of the most varied nightlife in Spain. Madrid is full of different types of establishments, which make it possible for everybody to find something they like. You can find everything from Irish, German and Scandinavian bars to reggae, jazz and of course traditional Spanish restaurants and tapa bars. Spanish nightlife in general starts very late no matter if you are going out for dinner or for 'fiesta'. Restaurants tend to start serving dinner at 20.00 until 23.00/24.00 and bars normally don't get busy until after 24.00. The bars and discotheques in Madrid are open all year, all week around (and almost at every hour of the day).
Eating Out
The diverse cultures and nationalities living in and around Madrid have made a great influence in the variety of cuisines served. It is possible to find everything from traditional and native food to international and exquisite cuisines.
Depending on your appetite and taste there are different opportunities, there can be recommended. If you are not very hungry or just want to grab something to eat before going out we recommend the classic Spanish 'tapa' or 'tapeo'. A tapa is a snack (hot and cold, meat or vegetarian), which will be ready in a very short time (Spanish fast food). There are restaurant specialized in tapas but normally you can find a small selection of tapas in any bar in Madrid. An area in Madrid, which is known for its variety in tapa bars is the city center around Sol, Plaza Mayor and Plaza Santa Ana. El Tapeo is another classic Spanish phenomenon and consists of a small tapa, which you don't pay for but receive when consuming a beer or a glass of wine in almost any bar in Madrid.
If you want to go out for a nice dinner in Madrid you can find everything from seafood, Basque cooking, paellas to Chinese and Italian food. For fish lovers we can recommend the restaurant Ribeira do Mio situated in Santa Brigida, which is specialized in seafood and with a good price/quality relation. If you are interested in other types of Spanish food we can recommend the area between Sol and Opera with a great variety of good restaurants (some a bit expensive although). For international food we can suggest the Brazilian restaurant Novillo de Plata (situated in Tellez y Novillo Carioca), which have a nice buffet and with a very good price. To try the Spanish wine we can propose the Bodega La Venencia in Echegaray, which serves wines from all over Spain served directly from the barrel.
Bars and Discos
Madrid is a city where people always and all over the town can find a place to go out for a drink or a 'Tapa' (a Spanish snack). One of the most popular areas to go out at night for young people in Madrid is Moncloa, located just next to the University campus. In the Moncloa district we can specially recommended the area called "bajos de Argelles" a place where you can find many different and interesting types of bars. The popular Spanish happening 'el botellon', where youngster get together to drink and chat in the street can also be found in this zone. 'El botellon' normally takes place in the park 'parque del oeste' just next to the Moncloa metro station.
Another of the great zones to go out at night in Madrid is Bilbao. This a more avant-garde district with trendy bars and exhibition halls mixed together. The two streets 'San Vicente Ferrer' and 'La Palma' are excellent example of the atmosphere in this zone. Although this zone is more trendy the classic 'botellon' can still be found in the two central squares 'Barcelo' and '2 de Mayo'.
A third and maybe the most popular zone (specially for tourists and foreign students) is Sol. This zone is a bit more expensive than the above mentioned and has many types of bars from the 'classic Spanish bars' for tourists to international bars and disco clubs. The streets Huertas and Echegaray are very representative for the 'marcha' (nightlife) in this zone. Also here you can find the 'botellon' situated on the central square Santa Ana.
Two other zones, worth mentioning for going out at night are Santiago Bernabeu (near the Real Madrid Football stadium) and avenida de Brasil. Both are places most visited during the summer for their outdoor terraces and live music.
Classified Ads
Surveys & Polls
Spain News