If you’re looking for a good party any day of the week, Madrid is a great place to visit. Most establishments are open during the week and the weekends and are crowded with party-goers until the early morning hours. The good clubs get going around midnight. On the weekends, the main bar areas don’t calm down until after four in the morning – just in time to head to a breakfast of churros (deep-fried strips of batter) in true Madrid style. Madrid has traditionally had a large bar scene, and in the past several years, there has been an increase in the number of clubs. Traditional bars, called discobars, are cozy places with small dance floors in the back. They generally don’t have a cover charge but tend to have relatively high drink prices. The large clubs usually charge a cover, with prices varying with place and time. Most bars and clubs don’t have a strict dress code, except for the Pijo clubs that are popular with the wealthy families.

The area surrounding the Plaza de Santa Ana, especially a street called Calle Huertas, is an ideal place for party-hopping by foot in traditional bars. Look for Kapital, a seven floor club with a variety of music playing in different areas and a rooftop bar ideal for summer nights. There are many other taverns, theater cafes, and bars in the area.

The Malasaña bars offer a loud, high-energy party scene. Clubs there play music of all kinds; you can find anything from grunge to hard rock. For a taste of the university life, head to Argüelles and the streets around Calle Fernando VI and Alonso Martinez. The Plaza de Chueca is the heart of Madrid’s gay club scene, and the area is full of bars and cafes.

If you’re looking for more laid back nighttime entertainment, Madrid has a number of cinemas, many of which were built in the early 1900’s and have changed little since. The best venue for a classical concert is the Auditoria Nacional de Música. The Teatro Madrid, Teatro Lírico Nacional de la Zarzuela, and Teatro Albéniz are the main theatres for dance performances by Spanish and international companies. If you want to be the one on center stage, head to a tablaos, a flamenco club. There are a number of large flamenco clubs that cater to tourists and also smaller, more traditional and informal places.