Madrid
Bar Guide

Madrid's answer to Shoreditch or Williamsburg, where independent record shops share streets with gin bars and natural wine cellars. The bars here attract a younger crowd and stay open late without trying too hard. 34 listings in our Malasana guide. The gin and tonic culture is serious here: Copa de Balon glasses, premium tonics, botanical garnishes. Come after 10pm for the energy. See cocktail bars in Malasana.

Madrid's most energetic neighbourhood by night, where the bars spill out onto terraces and the street becomes the social space. Chueca holds some of the city's most serious cocktail bars alongside neighbourhood tascas that have been serving the same vermouth since 1960. 28 bars in our Chueca guide. The area peaks between midnight and 3am on weekends. Find hidden gems in Chueca.

The oldest part of Madrid, where the streets narrow around the Plaza de la Paja and every Sunday the Rastro market draws half the city into its tapas bars before noon. La Latina is vermouth territory. Come for the late Sunday lunch that turns into an afternoon session. 22 bars in our guide, all of them rooted in the city's culinary tradition rather than imported bar culture.

Madrid's wealthiest neighbourhood doubles as its most polished bar scene, with rooftop terraces atop luxury hotels and champagne bars in converted 19th-century mansions. The prices reflect the postcode. 19 bars in our Salamanca guide, including 6 rooftop venues with Gran Via views. Dress well. Reserve ahead. Come between 8pm and 11pm before the energy moves elsewhere. Rooftop bars in Salamanca.

Madrid's most diverse neighbourhood is also its cheapest place to drink and one of its most interesting. The bars here are informal, the crowds are local, and the music is genuinely good. 18 bars in our Lavapies guide. The neighbourhood gets overlooked by visitors, which is precisely why it makes our hidden gems list. Come on a Thursday when the bars are full but not overrun.

The historic centre holds Madrid's most dramatic bar settings, from rooftop terraces overlooking the Gran Via to basement cocktail dens beneath 17th-century buildings. 27 bars in our Centro guide, including the city's oldest bodega and its newest speakeasy. It works for everything from post-Prado drinks to a long night that ends at dawn. Date night bars in Centro.