|
| |
|
ENTERTAINMENT |
| |
To begin, select a topic in the navigation bar to the left
Nightlife
Madrid nightlife is a pretty serious phenomenon. This is one of the few
cities in Europe where you can get caught in traffic jams at 4am, when
the clubbers are either going home or moving on to the dance-past-dawn
discos.
As with everything madrileño , there is a bewildering variety of
nightlife venues - all of which are covered, to some degree, in the area
reviews following. Most common are the discobares - bars of all musical
and sexual persuasion, whose unifying feature is background (occasionally
live) rock, dance or salsa music. These get going from around 11pm and
will stay open routinely to 2am or 3am, as will the few quieter cocktail
bars and pubs .
Discotecas - which we've separated in the listings - are rarely worth
investigating until around 1am (the madrugada - early morning). Most of
them pick their clientele through a dress code exclusivity and you may
at times need to ingratiate yourself with the doorman. Being foreign,
oddly enough, seems to make it easier to get in. Entry charges are quite
common and quite hefty (¬3.50-18) at discotecas (and some of the more
disco-like discobares ) but tend to cover you for a first drink. Free
entries can sometimes be picked up from touts in the streets, in tourist
offices or bars. Be aware that many discotecas in Spain are fairly
ephemeral institutions and frequently only last a season before opening
up somewhere else under a different name, so it's a good idea to consult
La Guía del Ocio or Metrópoli for the very latest information.
Madrid listings and the madrugada
Listings information is in plentiful supply in Madrid. The newspapers El
País and El Mundo have excellent daily listings, and on Fridays both
publish sections devoted to events, bars and restaurants in the capital.
Of the two, El Mundo 's Metrópoli is the better - a separate colour
magazine, full of previews and details of the week's exhibitions, films,
theatre and concerts, and with extensive listings of clubs, bars and
restaurants (including opening hours and average prices - usually on the
high side of what you'll spend).
If your time in Madrid doesn't coincide with the Friday Metrópoli
supplement, or you want maximum info, pick up the weekly listings
magazine Guía del Ocio ( www.guiadelocio.com ; ¬0.90) at any kiosk. It's
not quite as clear or discriminating as Metrópoli , but it's functional
enough. The ayuntamiento also publishes a monthly "What's On" pamphlet,
En Madrid , which is free from any of the tourist offices and lists
forthcoming events in the city. Alternatively, try calling the English-language
telephone listings service on 914 811 248. In Madrid , meanwhile, is a
free monthly magazine - available in many bars - which bills itself as "Madrid's
English monthly for the Hip, Cool and Transient" and features useful
reviews of clubs and bars.
One word that might perplex first-timers in Madrid - and which crops up
in all the listings magazines - is madrugada . This refers to the hours
between midnight and dawn and, in this supremely
late-night/early-morning city, is a necessary adjunct to announcements
of important events. Tres de la madrugada means an event is due to start
at 3am.
|
| |
|
