Nightlife
The nightlife in Madrid is varied and exciting with many cafés, tascas (cheap bars), theaters, movie houses and nightclubs to keep visitors entertained. El terraceo (terrace-hopping) is a way of life in Madrid. Most people only start partying at around 11pm and no one enters a nightclub before 1pm. Many places stay open till the next morning. Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Gran Vía and Chueca are some of the trendiest nightlife areas. Viva Madrid and Los Gabrieles are two of the most popular bars, but there are also many old tavernas around Los Austrias to explore.
Plaza Santa Ana and the surrounding streets have a few good spots and the seven-floor Kapital has a great rooftop bar. For clubbing, the Room is fantastic but only open Fridays, Joy Eslava Disco comes highly recommended and Lavapiés is popular with the bohemian crowd. There are wonderful flamenco performances at Casa Patas, and the Lope de Vega theater has excellent shows. Tapas and coffee bars are also very popular in Madrid.There are various Madrid nightlife coach tours offered, a good way to avoid queues and entrance fees at certain venues. Children are admitted in many bars, cafeterias and restaurants, as well as some pubs. There are flyers available from most hotels which list bar, club and concert information and discounts, as does the Guía del Ocio (available at news stands).
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
