194 Best Nightlife in Spain

An illuminated red globe marks this speakeasy-style cocktail bar, tucked away on a narrow side street. With its cool jazz soundtrack and tiny tables topped with flickering candles, the space oozes sophistication but the vibe is relaxed thanks to the friendly staff.

Having the the most intriguing natural wine list in town is this newcomer postage-stamp bar's claim to fame. Go for the spontaneously fermented oddball varietals; stay for the Argentine-inflected pintxos and ever-rotating vegetable-heavy menu. Reservations are a must.

Sporting the original sign and glass shelving of the pharmacy that once stood here, Balius Bar has retro-chic decor, great music (check out the live jazz sessions on Sunday evenings), and top-notch cocktails.

The marble bar of this former codfish shop once served as a display for fish; now it presents some mighty fine (and affordable) cocktails, along with beer and wine. If things get too crowded downstairs, there’s another floor above — if you can manage the impossibly narrow spiral staircase.

One of Malasaña's most popular nightclubs, for both its live shows (funk, jazz, and more) and late-night DJ sets, BarCo is a guaranteed good time. Acoustics here are a rung above the competition's.

This unassuming stall inside Mercado de San Fernando is a wine-industry hangout—one of the city's top spots for sampling hard-to-find natural and biodynamic wines. Pair whatever wine the bartenders are drinking lately with Bendito's well-priced cheeses and charcuterie such as mojama (cured tuna) from Andalusia and ribbons of smoky cecina (beef "ham") from León. 

For a space so small, Café Berlín packs a huge acoustic punch and draws an international eclectic crowd. Before midnight, catch nightly live music acts in a panoply of styles (flamenco, swing, soul, and more); from around 1 am on, drop in for the disco-inflected DJ sets that ooze good vibes until 6 am.

Madrid's best-known jazz venue is swanky, and the musicians are often internationally known. Performances are usually 9–11 nightly, and tickets can be bought at the door or online.

Ask a local flamenco aficionado where to catch a rollicking, foot-stomping show and they're likely to recommend this brick-walled tablao, which is intimate enough that everybody feels like they're in the front row. A handful of Spanish dishes are available, but suffice to say, flamenco is Cardamomo's forte.

As the name implies, there’s a jazz soundtrack and a wide selection of local and international craft beers available here, on tap and by the bottle. The stone walls adorned with antique paintings and clocks give the space a warm ambiance.

For trendy twentysomethings, there may be no buzzier place to be than this converted multifloor movie theater that erupts into epic DJ-fueled parties. Buy tickets online ahead of time.

Drop by this kitschy bar for live music and Basque comfort food in the evenings; there's usually an impressively smooth band playing rock, blues, or jazz. Lunch on the outdoor picnic tables is wonderful when the weather is nice.

Specializing in local wine from Catalonia, this charming wine bar—an escape from the rowdy watering holes in nearby Passeig del Born and Plaça Comercial—also has an impressive tapas menu. 

Diminutive in size but huge in personality and warmth, Elephanta is that rare neighborhood spot that offers a little something for everyone. Patrons enjoy an extensive menu of quality gins and seasonal fruity cocktails in a dimly lighted retro space peppered with comfy mismatched furnishings. Music varies though the ambience is always chill.

In a former pastry shop, this vintage bar has retained so much of the 19th-century Moderniste facade and interior touches (onetime cake display cases are now filled with period memorabilia) that visitors might experience the sensation of time standing still. Divided into two equally inviting spaces, the front is usually packed with regulars, while the granite-topped tables in the back are popular with groups.

A former ice factory on Cabanyal Beach has been transformed into this industrial-chic drinking spot, complete with soaring ceilings, exposed brick walls, and vintage furnishings. Inexpensive drinks and bar food and a seaside terrace attract a trendy crowd, as does the free live music most nights.

This unpretentious natural wine bar has a wonderful team of sommeliers who are keen to share their knowledge. There's no formal wine list; just describe what you like and they’ll bring you a glass—or you can browse the bottles from small Mediterranean producers that line the red-brick walls. The best seats are out on the back patio: a plant-filled oasis in the heart of this bustling barrio.

Serving natural wines mainly from France and Spain, with many varieties from the nearby Penedes and Alella regions, this delightful bar also offers a nice selection of upscale tapas. The waitstaff is friendly, multilingual, and highly knowledgeable about the history and terroir of the wines. The cozy interior has an attractive rustic-chic design, but try for a seat on the terrace, right on Barceloneta’s lively market square.   

Bohemia meets the Moulin Rouge at this intimate, below-street-level bordello-inspired bar with turn-of-the-20th-century memorabilia like fringed lampshades, faded period portraits, and comfy wicker sofas cushioned with lush red velvet. There's usually jazz playing in this laid-back spot where guests linger over reasonably priced cocktails (whiskey sours are popular).

The age-old technique of maceration rules at Macera, where bartenders treat spirits like blank canvases, imbuing them with surprising flavor combinations. Gin is steeped with fresh cilantro, lime, and jalapeño until it achieves a zippy grassy piquancy. Whiskey might be infused with almonds, fresh cherries, mint, or vanilla bean.There's a second, clubbier outpost on Calle de Ventura de la Vega 7 in Barrio de Las Letras.

A mish-mash of retro furniture and black-and-white vintage photos decorate this cozy wood-paneled bar, a great spot to chill with a glass of wine or vermouth and nibble on tapas before or after dinner.

Conceptualized to celebrate wine culture at its finest, this spectacular space, aptly called "Wineworld" in Catalan, features a ritzy wine bar complete with tablet wine lists, a cavernous culinary space, a reference library, a vertical garden, and the pièce de résistance: a vast cellar housing a mind-blowing 3,500 vintages from around the world. Small plates of regional jamón and inventive riffs on classical Catalan cuisine complement the vino. Wine tastings, both traditional and creative, are held regularly for groups or individuals looking to become oenophiles.

Opened by a trio of vermouth aficionados, Morro Fi (loosely translates as “refined palate”) began as a food blog that morphed into a bar determined to educate people about enjoying vermouth (they even produce their own brand) with select tapas. The result? Locals and the odd expat routinely spilling out into the streets, drink in hand, while indie music blares.

Venture forth through the narrow cheese shop and you’ll discover a cozy bar in the back, where an inviting log fire burns on chilly evenings and pilgrims gather and swap stories and pin handwritten notes to the walls (there are literally thousands). The pinchos (snacks) that come with drinks are more than generous: hunks of freshly baked bread with assorted charcuterie and cheeses.

Reminiscent of a '50s-style gin joint—black and white with red quilted booths and framed prints—this small-but-swanky bar regularly draws in the crowds due in large part to entertaining master mixologists (nattily dressed in suspenders and ties) and their out-of-this-world experimental takes on cocktail classics.  

When it comes to wine, the team at Pepa really know their grapes, and they excel with natural wines, though there's also vermouth and artisanal beer if you're in the mood for that. The food is excellent, too, and it's all served in an old converted library.

This club, with its wild color palette, huge dance floor, and better-than-average cocktails, is best known for its branded DJ nights, some of the most popular in the city. La Discoteca (formerly Chá Chá; tickets via  dice.fm) on Fridays and Mondo Disko (Thursdays and Saturdays) rage until dawn with house and electronic music often by international DJs. 

This trendy cinema-bar hybrid occupies a former adult-film theater. The first floor is a high-ceilinged bar with bleacher seating, deck chairs, cushy sofas, and an ivy-covered wall. Upstairs, there's a quieter lounge with velvet walls and warm neon lights; continue to the top floor and you've reached the main attraction, a 55-seat cinema with cocktail service that plays art-house films (buy tickets online in advance). The Spanish movies don't have subtitles, but there are frequent screenings of undubbed English films. 

Perhaps more akin to a laboratory than a cocktail bar, SIPS draws from a menu influenced by seasonal ingredients and uses state-of-the-art techniques to mix a range of classic recipes and signature concoctions. Those in the know head to the back room, which seats just 14 people, for a truly immersive cocktail experience.

Madrid's most famous nightclub, Kapital has seven floors—each of which plays a different type of music (spun by top local and international DJs, of course)—and room for 2,000 partiers, plus a small movie theater and rooftop terrace. Dress to impress: no sneakers, shorts, or tanks allowed. VIP tables overlooking the dance floor (approximately €200 for four people) are a worthwhile splurge if you can swing it.