Entertainment Guide to Madrid

Madrid likes to party, but perhaps without quite the same level of enthusiasm that it partied in the 1980s during the movida madrileña (the period after 35 years of dictatorship when artistic, intellectual, and social life exploded with new-found freedom). The weekend starts on Thursday evening when people head for their favorite bars. On weekends, crowds from the suburbs and surrounding towns join the party. Madrileños don't tend to go out on the town until after midnight and rarely arrive at clubs before 3a. However, even if your entertainment tastes are more sedate, you won't be disappointed (unless you were planning on having dinner at half past six!).

The best way to discover Madrid's nightlife is to explore the neighborhoods. There are people on the streets all weekend long. Moncloa tends to attract students; Malasaña sees many teenagers and the 18-30 crowd; Huertas is normally full of people in their 20s and 30s; Bilbao and Alonso Martínez cater to all age groups; Chueca is the most progressive area, home to the gay community; and the neighborhood around Salamanca has lots of quiet (and expensive) bars for the yuppies.

Discos & Clubs

Discos and clubs stay open very late, many of them past 6a. After a night out at Joy Madrid, for example, it's a Madrid tradition to go for early morning fritters and hot chocolate next door at Chocolatería San Ginés. Other clubs worth visiting are Palacio de Gaviria and Kapital. The Malasaña district is full of bars and clubs and tends to attract the younger folk. It's easy to party all night in any of the places around the plaza del 2 de Mayo. Black & White is one of the best-known gay discos in the city.

Galleries & Museums

The city is brimming with art galleries of every taste. For example, Galería Capa Esculturas specializes in sculpture, presenting the hottest new artists. Galería Estiarte shows promising new graphic artists, and for international flavor, Galería del Cisne features contemporary Catalan artists. The tony Salamanca district and Alonso Martínez also contain a number of galleries.

There are museums devoted to every subject from famous painters to famous motorcyclists. The three most important collections of art in Spain are all within walking distance of each other in what's known as Madrid's "Golden Triangle." The museo del Prado is the most famous and exhibits Spanish masters El Greco, Velázquez, and Goya. The Thyssen Bornemizsa shows Van Dyck, Van Gogh, Dégas, Dalí, Carpaccio, and Kandinsky. The Centro de Arte Reina Sofía specializes in contemporary Spanish art, such as Picasso's Guernica and works by Miró and Dalí. You're sure to find something of interest among the many smaller, quirkier museums such as the Museo de los Bomberos (Firemen's Museum).