Expo nightlife in Madrid

World of Leisure

The Region of Madrid offers leisure ideas to suit all tastes, with a wide range of options for tourists and local residents alike. The city of Madrid and the towns and villages of the Region are both true to their roots and open to the latest trends. Tradition and modernity are the two key elements in all the options available: have fun with the little ones at the different theme parks, discover the capital’s happening nightlife, choose a theatre performance or a film from the broad variety showing… These are just a few alternatives from the interesting range of leisure options available.

Everyone thinks of Madrid as the city to catch the latest musical on the Gran Via – our very own Broadway. On the streets of the city, the arrival of summer brings the opening of the year’s most fashionable terrace bar, and with each new season comes the exhibition of the moment. Nevertheless, Madrid is much more than the Spanish capital - each and every one of the towns that make up the Region of Madrid offers a varied agenda of musical, theatrical and film events, not forgetting the broad array of bars, cafés and restaurants.

Cultural tourism together with improvements in infrastructure mean that Madrid is now just a stone’s throw from other capital cities. Its airport (Barajas) is just 15 minutes from Nuevos Ministerios (almost in the city centre). Atocha station, meanwhile, is the departure point for high-speed intercity rail services. RENFE regional rail services connect many of Madrid’s 179 municipalities, with a wide range of alternatives. Here you will find an important reason why the region is so attractive – the friendly people and their infectious passion for life.

Leisure Centers Guide

Family leisure

The whole family can enjoy the host of leisure options available on any day in the Region of Madrid. There are all kinds of activities, from those of a strictly educational nature, to more unusual ones like spending a day in the snow in the middle of summer at the Xanadú Snow Park.

The little ones can learn with fun ideas that combine education and entertainment. There are experts in charge of children’s activities at museums, cultural centres, parks like El Capricho and El Retiro, and leisure attractions from the Faunia wildlife park to the Madrid Planetarium and Zoo/Aquarium.

Children and adults alike can travel back to times gone by with the tourist routes organised by the regional railways, on the “Tren de la Fresa” (Strawberry Train) (Madrid-Aranjuez) and the Cervantes Train (Madrid-Alcalá de Henares). Adults will have just as much fun as the youngest members of the family! However, there are magical moments in Madrid where the roles are reversed. Like those just before you climb aboard one of the rides at the Madrid Amusement Park or the Warner Bros. Park.

Nightlife

When night falls and the day seems to come to a close, the lights come on to usher in a different Madrid: this is the time for night owls and all those who, despite having to get up early the following day, want to enjoy some evening relaxation time with friends and family.

This is why Madrid is a region you can enjoy day and night. The city is known as one of the European entertainment capitals, and the array of pubs, clubs and terrace bars to be found all over Madrid ensure that the nightlife is always buzzing. These establishments are busiest at the weekends, but are well worth visiting on any day of the week.

Whether you want to have a beer at one of the traditional terrace bars around Puerta del Sol Square, try a cup of tea in some hidden corner of the Lavapiés neighbourhood, enjoy the most avant-garde side of Madrid in the bars of Malasaña, or finish the night at dawn in one of the clubs around Avenida de Brasil... Any option is a good one, and we would even recommend your risk combining them.

The night in Madrid is long – you just have to plan it well or go with the flow. Although it is never a bad thing to have some idea of where to end up.

Cafés and terrace bars

In Madrid, going for a coffee can be an art in itself. At its many traditional establishments, a simple sip can take you back to times gone by, or even carry you to exotic climes, as is the case with its Moorish tea houses.

Cafés, hot chocolate shops, hotel bars and traditional restaurants have conserved their original appearance over the years and are ideal places to get together and chat: if they were once alternatives for cultural expression, today they are still perfect venues in which to recover the art of conversation.

Plaza de Oriente Square, Calle La Palma Street, Paseo de Recoletos, the Lavapiés and Barrio de las Letras neighbourhoods... Each area has its own legendary establishment, which also serves as an oasis of peace and quiet in the midst of the city’s hustle and bustle. The most traditional ones, with names that still evoke history (Gijón, Pombo, Comercial...), conserve all their former charm. They are ideal places to talk with friends, taking you back in time, perhaps to the 19th century, when every corner, street and avenue had its own special point of reference.

The excellent weather means that you can enjoy a good cup of coffee outdoors at terrace bars open almost all year round. Throughout the Region of Madrid you will find people alongside a steaming cup, enjoying the passing of time in good company and unbeatable surroundings.

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Shows

Nightly events, all year round. This region has a large network of venues which place it at the forefront of European music, theatre and dance. To get the most out of Madrid nights, start with the array of cultural entertainment on offer.

A good cultural guide will avoid you getting lost in the numerous options available. The options are endless, with everything from the most traditional to the most avant-garde, for all different ages.

The city of Madrid has always been an important stage for new works of theatre, opera and 'zarzuela' (Spanish opera), as well as musical events of all styles, from classical to rock and pop. This can be seen in the large number of theatres and concert halls to be found throughout the region, along with the permanent programme of classical music, opera and 'zarzuela'.