Gay Madrid: Things to Do in Spain
sydney on Jun 21st 2009
We always see glossy articles about the fashionable and stylish Barcelona, but Madrid, the capital city of Spain, is an awesome gay destination too! It is located on the river Manzanares in the center of the country. With numerous museums, art galleries, shops, restaurants and nightlife, Madrid is a must see if you’re planning a gay Europe adventure.
Vertical Garden in Madrid
Spain is really progressive in terms of gay marriage and anti-discrimination laws, and it hosted EuroPride in 2007 – the biggest and baddest gay pride parade Europe had ever seen. This also means that gay Madrid is a welcoming, friendly place to be out and proud.
Where to go in Gay Madrid:
The Cheuca district (pronounced Choo-aye-kais), is the gay centre of Madrid, and most of the gay bars, shops and cafes are located here. Also, a lot of the city’s gay population lives in the neighbourhood. In recent years Madrid has earned quite the reputation as a wild party scene, so if you want to hit the town you’ve come to the right place. There are several sex bars and there is an “anything goes” vibe to many of them. Most clubs close at 4 am or so.
Pubs/Bars
Acuarela Cafe
Calle de Cravina 10
Quiet and artsy, it’s the perfect place place for a pre-party cocktail.
Cafe Stromboli
Calle de Hortaleza 96
Decor is very 1970’s, but music and crowd is current. You can get great coffee here during the day, or a drink at night.
Mama Ines
Calle de Hortaleza 22
Depending on your mood, hit the stylish Mama Ines for brunch, a light snack or a dance party depending on the time of day.
Truco
Next door to the Acuarela Cafe
This bar attracts predominantly women, but many straight people come to drink here, too.
Clubs
Cool Ballroom
Calle de Isabel la Catolica 6
Hopping gay club that occasionally hosts large gay bashes.
New Leather
Calle de Pelayo 42
The name says it all, one of the numerous gay clubs in the area.
Ohm Dance Club
Plaza del Callao 4
Word has it that lots and lots of staight guys and girls are here on the weekends. Check what night it is, as theme parties are a frequent occurrence here.
Pasapoga
Gran Via 37
Pasapoga is in an old music hall, and is home to a variety of functions in the early evenings. But come late night, it’s a gay dancing hotspot.
Queen Madrid
Calle de Barbieri 7
Queen Madrid is a classic Madrid dance club, but isn’t as packed as it used to be.
Rick’s
Calle de Clavel 8
This bar draws a crowd, and it’s a favourite among locals and visitors. Doors don’t open till 11 pm most nights.
Strong Center
Calle de Trujillo 7
Mostly for the men, this is one of those “anything goes” clubs, with a dark room for playing. This sex club slash disco draws a large crowd.
Sweet
Calle del Doctor Cortezo 1
Glam look , pretty popular gay dance club most nights.
Truck
Calle de la Libertad 28
The energy here is fun and lighthearted, and you’ll hear a mix of tunes from the 1960s.
Why Not?
Calle de San Bartolome 7
This one’s been around for a long time, and it draws a gay and straight crowd who want to dance, dance, dance.
Filed in Spain
