Must see nightlife in Madrid

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The only things guaranteed at this grand old Madrid dance club (housed in a 19th-century theatre) are a crowd and the fact that it’ll be open (it claims…

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The city’s oldest cafe has a special place in the hearts of many madrileños. Open for more than a century, it’s still pulsing with life. Any day of the…

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One of the grand icons of the Madrid night, this chocolate con churros (Spanish doughnuts with chocolate) cafe sees a sprinkling of tourists throughout…

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We could go on for hours about this long-standing cafe-bar, but we’ll reduce it to its most basic elements: nursing an exceptionally good mojito or three…

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This place is a Madrid landmark, complete with its 1930s-era interior, and its founder is said to have invented more than 100 cocktails, which the likes…

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La Venencia is a barrio classic, with manzanilla (chamomile-coloured sherry) from Sanlúcar and sherry from Jeréz poured straight from the dusty wooden…

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This breezy little Chamberí bar has many calling cards – among them, great music and a sense of being a real old-style Madrid neighbourhood bar. But we…

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One of the most important hubs of barrio life in Chueca, this cafe-bar has become to modern Chueca what the grand literary cafes were to another age. It’s…

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You could come here for the tapas, but we recommend Taberna El Tempranillo especially for its wines, of which it has a selection that puts numerous…

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Café Belén is cool in all the right places – lounge and chill-out music, dim lighting, a great range of drinks (the mojitos are especially good) and a low…

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Great cocktails, muted early-20th-century decor and a refined air make this one of our favourite bars down Malasaña's southern end. Prices are reasonable,…

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Killer cakes backed by killer cocktails served in a subterranean cavern frequented by in-the-know locals – Plaza Menor is a fab place for an intimate…

This bar defies labels – literally. Macera’s crew distils all of their own spirits, which makes for both an impressive cocktail list and a striking…

This rooftop bar occupying the top floor of Dear Hotel has a spectacular view of Plaza España and Malasaña. Come any time of day to sit down with a…

When Sergi Arola's empire collapsed and the celebrated Le Cabrera cocktail bar went with it, Madrid lost one of its best cocktail maestros, Diego Cabrera…

This graceful old cafe has been serving coffee and meals since 1888 and has long been favoured by Madrid’s literati for a drink or a meal – all of Spain’s…

Javier and Zoë, a Spanish-Australian couple, named their cafe after St Georges Road in Zoë's native Melbourne, and the Aussie legacy doesn't end there…

Out in the otherwise sedate streets east of El Retiro, this fine neighbourhood bar is one of the best places in Madrid to try vermut (vermouth), from the…

Once a haunt of writers and intellectuals, this architectural gem blends Modernista and art-deco styles, and its interior could well overwhelm you with…

Close attention to every detail makes Boconó special – coffee is roasted on-site and fanatics have a choice of styles: espresso, AeroPress and Chemex,…