Spain Nightlife
Spain is one of those places in the world that just likes to do things a little bit differently than everyone else. They have a long and rich history and culture. They don’t change their ways for anyone. Luckily for tourists, the Spanish really like to party and they mean to party all night long. So, if you are not a night owl, you better get used to staying up late before taking your trip to Spain.
While not all Spanish people take a siesta mid-day everyday, the myth about them partying until 7 in the morning is 100% true. The Spanish schedule is just a bit different than anywhere else in the world. Dinner usually occurs around 10 or 11 pm and is a long affair. This means that people don’t often hit the club scene until 3 or 4 in the morning. So if you find yourself in an empty discoteca around 1 am, there is a reason why.
Barcelona Hot Spots: Barcelona is a party hot spot in Spain. It is filled with awesome bars, clubs and discotecas, and has great live music venues. The Harlem Jazz Club, located near Plaza Jaume, is a great place to listen to live music in a small and intimate venue. The band is always so close to the crowd in this cramped space that all you can ever hope to hear is the great music. The club opens at 10:00pm but it is probably best to wait to show up until 2 or 3 in the morning as this is when the music and the dancing starts to get really good.
Another must visit place is Bar Marsella. This absinthe bar has been in business since 1820 and is famous for the place Earnest Hemingway used to come and drink his fill. It has a really cool feel with calm music, dark lighting, and the flaming cups of absinthe being served. Even if you don’t want to drink the slightly hallucinogenic drink, it is still really cool just to see.
Another great nightlife region to visit is deep within the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona, which holds some lesser visited clubs and bars. They are all really unique and will leave you with great memories of crazy nights in Barcelona!
Madrid Hot Spots: Madrid is the other obvious nightlife city in Spain. It has loads to do and really fun places to visit. A personal favorite thing to do in Madrid is dance at one of the many dance clubs. El Son bar in Madrid is a Cuban inspired club that teaches Salsa to the many customers each night! It is a fun place to go with a big group and has great drinks and wonderful, infectious energy. Whether you are dancing with the live band or simply just watching the amazing dancers shake their stuff, this is a fun night out for anyone.
Joy Eslava is another really fun club in Madrid. It is an events club by day and a dance club by late night. It holds comedy shows and other types of entertainment, and at night you can dance the night away to some really great international music! The drinks are great and the people never gawk at your dancing. It is truly an expression in the joy of Madrid, all in one bar! If you are just looking for a fun night out, your best bet is to walk down some of the side streets off of the Vía Gran, the must see street in Madrid. Here you can hop from club to bar without skipping a beat and is especially convenient if you are staying nearby.