You must have heard stories about the nightlife in Madrid. Clubs that don’t open until midnight and close around breakfast time, bars that draw you in with menus of spectacular cocktails and gorgeous food… With so many brilliant things to do in Madrid, you might think you’d be too tired to go out post-11pm. But make sure you don’t miss out. In Madrid, sampling the nightlife is just as integral to the tourist experience as visiting the city’s renowned museums, lingering at its restaurants or lounging on a sunny terrace with a cold beer.
Seven days a week, you can go out until the wee hours of the morning and end up eating churros with chocolate for breakfast in any café along with taxi drivers starting their shifts. You won’t have trouble finding the right spot to fit your mood among the bars, EDM-filled nightclubs and grungy pubs that have earned their place on the scene.
Looking for more information on Madrid nightclubs? Check out our club guides below.
Don’t forget – we also have a free mobile app that you can download here. Use the app to see who’s spinning, sign up for guestlists, buy tickets, and book bottle service!
Madrid Nightlife FAQ
What are the hottest clubs in Madrid?
The best clubs in Madrid are currently:
- Kapital
- Opium Madrid
- Cha Cha the Club
- Mondo Disko
- Fabrik
- Goya Social Club
- Nox Club
- La Riviera
- Gotham
- Sala Arena
- Teatro Barcelo
What are the best EDM clubs in Madrid?
Almost all the clubs in Madrid play some form of electronic music!
What are the best day drinking spots / dayparties in Madrid?
Best day drinking bars in Madrid include:
- Círculo de Bellas Artes
- The Hat
- Mercado San Antón
- Gymage
- El Viajero
What part of Madrid has the best nightlife?
The city offers a variety of “nights out” depending on your preferences and what you feel like doing:
- Huertas: One of the liveliest and most famous parts of the city. Huertas is very popular among tourists and foreign students. The streets that offer the best choice of bars and clubs are Calle Huertas and its parallel streets. The area is very close to Puerta del Sol.
- Malasaña: This area is located in the city center. During the 80’s it was the heart of “La Movida”, a socio-cultural movement in Spain. This neighborhood is now quite hipster with trendy and bohemian bars and restaurants. Its clubs are quite small and most play indie music.
- Chueca: One could describe Chueca as Madrid’s “Soho”. This small district is packed with great restaurants, bars and night clubs. It is also considered the best gay area to go out. The liveliest square is called Plaza de Chueca, which is surrounded by numerous terraces.
- Avenida de Brasil: Very near the Bernabéu Stadium, it is currently one of the best places to go out. The bars and clubs are larger than in Malasaña and Chueca and are usually more expensive. The DJs normally play commercial music and everyone dresses well.
- Argüelles-Moncloa: Moncloa and Argüelles are packed with university students, since a lot of halls of residence are in these two parts of Madrid.
What are the best gay clubs/bars in Madrid?
Chueca has long been the go-to neighborhood for those looking for the famous gay scene in Madrid. With its revamp, it is now jam-packed full of bars and clubs, which are stylish and fabulous. With a dynamic atmosphere, the bars and clubs are forever changing.
- Gris
- Cazador
- La Kama
- D’Mystic
- LL Bar
What time do clubs close in Madrid?
There are some venues that stay open until the sun comes up.
What are the best music festivals in Madrid?
- Paraiso
- Tomavistas
- Sound Isidro
- Unitersal Music Fest
- A Summer STory
- Mad Cool
- Tomavistas
- Dcode
- Madrid Salvaje
- Noches del Botanico
Is weed legal in Madrid?
First of all, it is illegal in Spain to traffic cannabis. Selling the drug can lead to one to three years of jail time as well as a fine, with steeper penalties for those selling higher amounts of the drug, as well as for past offenders.
That being said, it is legal in Spain to cultivate or smoke cannabis for your own personal use. As long as you consume the drug in the privacy of your own home, or elsewhere on private property, you’re not doing anything illegal. It’s also legal to buy and sell paraphernalia such as seeds and other hemp products.
You’ll also find people smoking at cannabis clubs, which have sprung up throughout the country as a result of the 2015 law decriminalizing marijuana in private spaces. Today, there are an estimated 700 cannabis clubs throughout Spain, and they come in all different forms.
Can you drink in public in Madrid?
No – unfortunately it is illegal to drink in public in Madrid.
Botellón is the Spanish version of a “pre-drink”. It typically takes place at night time when people meet at a public place in order to drink outside before heading for a night club. It is especially popular with the younger people here in Spain, as it’s the cheapest way to drink before a long night out in Madrid.
botellonBut is this kind of activity allowed in Madrid? The easy and rather disappointing answer for everyone who came to Madrid to party is, No! Madrid has introduced a law which prohibits drinking in public. Furthermore, shops aren’t allowed to sell alcohol after 22:00. Of course, this won’t stop the vendors in the street from selling those 1€ cervezas in the street, but if you choose to participate in this type of out-door drinking, you are at risk for a 600€ fine. The “Botellón” culture was very popular in Madrid up until the introduction of the new law, against which the Madrileños protested, however without success. The reasons for the introduction of this law are the particular noise and vandalism reductions on public places, streets and parks. Another reason is the reduction of unnecessary waste on streets.
So please, have fun during your time in Madrid. But, remember to drink responsibly, safely and smartly!