Our Guide to Spain
Read our country profile for Spain, search our map for many verified venues and explore our City Guide!
Since the turn of the Millennium Spain has become a gradually more diverse country to go for a night out. In the past activity inevitably involved locating a bodega or a tapas bar, both of which usually only sold one beer on tap, and a few uninteresting bottles.
The Northern and Central European idea drinking without any obligation to consume food almost didn't exist outside of the odd hole-in-the-wall sports bar, late night clubs and the usual Irish themed pubs.
Spain has become steadily switched onto craft beer. Similar to Poland, the local offerings were so muted that the sheer exposure to the many other styles available was like someone pulling back a curtain they hadn't even recognised was there. Part of this was connected to beer's utility as a refresher, with flavour taking a back seat.
Some bodegas on the other hand are a slightly different proposition. These can be the most atmospheric places, the traditional, aged, candlelit venues with the local pub atmosphere you crave when you visit a new place. The sheer informality of the standing room creates a social space unlike what Northern Europeans will be accustomed to.
In the major cities you will find some kooky, off-beat alternative bars that match up well to the European bar scene. Barcelona, and central Valencia are typically good examples of the range of options you'd almost demand as a prerequisite for visiting a cosmopolitan city these days.
Service is nearly always pretty pleasant - as good as, and at times better than English service, while the price of drinks in Spain varies enormously depending where you are. In touristic places there is a harder job for bars to price their drinks to appeal to locals out of season and rinse tourists for all they're worth in season.
It almost goes without saying that Spain has a mixed focus with wine and vermouth equally as important as beer, not to mention cider in the north, poured from a flamboyant height. In the baking hot summers you'll be wanting to use some of that light tasting Estrella even if it's just holding the glass to your forehead.
Outside of the tourist areas, do not expect English to be spoken by most people aged over the age of 30, and this even goes for fairly major cities like Valencia and Bilbao. Traditional venues also rarely clearly display a full menu, making ordering tapas a bit of a minefield. It pays to look up online before you enter so you have a good idea what to expect and ask for. It also pays to learn a few key transactional phrases which will make life so much more smooth.
Spanish etiquette is simple - in informal places you simply get stuck in. It may seem intimidating at first, but go to the counter and tell them what you need. They want to serve you, they want to make their money, they want to keep the world going around. Don't stand on ceremony.
P.S -Clearly there are lots of holiday resorts in Spain which have become near-enclaves for English/German/Russian people. If you find yourself there, then they will usually have the tackiest impressions of their own sorts of bars and pubs. It's arguable whether any of that is really 'Spain', particularly as no-one serving there is Spanish or speaking Spanish. I will accept submissions in the cases of really good pubs and bars on these resorts.
The Northern and Central European idea drinking without any obligation to consume food almost didn't exist outside of the odd hole-in-the-wall sports bar, late night clubs and the usual Irish themed pubs.
Spain has become steadily switched onto craft beer. Similar to Poland, the local offerings were so muted that the sheer exposure to the many other styles available was like someone pulling back a curtain they hadn't even recognised was there. Part of this was connected to beer's utility as a refresher, with flavour taking a back seat.
Some bodegas on the other hand are a slightly different proposition. These can be the most atmospheric places, the traditional, aged, candlelit venues with the local pub atmosphere you crave when you visit a new place. The sheer informality of the standing room creates a social space unlike what Northern Europeans will be accustomed to.
In the major cities you will find some kooky, off-beat alternative bars that match up well to the European bar scene. Barcelona, and central Valencia are typically good examples of the range of options you'd almost demand as a prerequisite for visiting a cosmopolitan city these days.
Service is nearly always pretty pleasant - as good as, and at times better than English service, while the price of drinks in Spain varies enormously depending where you are. In touristic places there is a harder job for bars to price their drinks to appeal to locals out of season and rinse tourists for all they're worth in season.
It almost goes without saying that Spain has a mixed focus with wine and vermouth equally as important as beer, not to mention cider in the north, poured from a flamboyant height. In the baking hot summers you'll be wanting to use some of that light tasting Estrella even if it's just holding the glass to your forehead.
Outside of the tourist areas, do not expect English to be spoken by most people aged over the age of 30, and this even goes for fairly major cities like Valencia and Bilbao. Traditional venues also rarely clearly display a full menu, making ordering tapas a bit of a minefield. It pays to look up online before you enter so you have a good idea what to expect and ask for. It also pays to learn a few key transactional phrases which will make life so much more smooth.
Spanish etiquette is simple - in informal places you simply get stuck in. It may seem intimidating at first, but go to the counter and tell them what you need. They want to serve you, they want to make their money, they want to keep the world going around. Don't stand on ceremony.
P.S -Clearly there are lots of holiday resorts in Spain which have become near-enclaves for English/German/Russian people. If you find yourself there, then they will usually have the tackiest impressions of their own sorts of bars and pubs. It's arguable whether any of that is really 'Spain', particularly as no-one serving there is Spanish or speaking Spanish. I will accept submissions in the cases of really good pubs and bars on these resorts.
Ratings Key (0-10)
| Name | Location | Style | Rating |
| 4Pedres | Badalona | Craft Beer Bar | 8.7 |
| 15.000 Hops | Barakaldo | Craft Beer Bar | 7.9 |
| Aterpe | Barakaldo | Late Bar | 7.6 |
| Taberna Basterra | Barakaldo | Late Bar | 7.5 |
| Marsella | Barcelona | Historic Bar | 9.6 |
| Bar Pastis | Barcelona | Live Music Venue | 8.7 |
| Bodega Carol | Barcelona | Bodega | 8.7 |
| Le Gens Que J'aime | Barcelona | Cocktail Bar | 8.5 |
| El Bosc De Les Fades | Barcelona | Theme Bar | 8.4 |
| Quimet & Quimet | Barcelona | Tapas Bar | 8.3 |
| La Confiteria | Barcelona | Cocktail Bar | 8.2 |
| Antic Teatre | Barcelona | Courtyard Bar | 8.2 |
| La Capitana | Barcelona | Tapas Bar | 8.1 |
| Gran Bodega Salto | Barcelona | Bodega | 8 |
| Vermuteria Del Tano | Barcelona | Vermouth Bar | 7.9 |
| Casa Almirall | Barcelona | Historic Bar | 7.9 |
| Bodega Del Toro | Barcelona | Tapas Bar | 7.8 |
| Bar Leo | Barcelona | Café Bar | 7.8 |
| Pipa Club | Barcelona | Hidden Bar | 7.7 |
| Bodega Lluis | Barcelona | Tapas Bar | 7.7 |
| Meson del Café 1909 | Barcelona | Historic Bar | 7.7 |
| BierCaB | Barcelona | Craft Beer Bar | 7.6 |
| Bodega Sopena | Barcelona | Bodega | 7.6 |
| Can Codina | Barcelona | Bodega | 7.6 |
| Bodega Iturre | Barcelona | Tapas Bar | 7.6 |
| Bodegueta Cal Pep | Barcelona | Bodega | 7.6 |
| La Bona Pinta | Barcelona | Craft Beer Bar | 7.6 |
| Bodega Armando | Barcelona | Bodega | 7.6 |
| Garage Bar | Barcelona | Brewery Tap | 7.5 |
| Bodega Montferry | Barcelona | Tapas Bar | 7.5 |
| Vermuteria Santa Caterina | Barcelona | Tapas Bar | 7.5 |
| Kaelderkold | Barcelona | Craft Beer Bar | 7.5 |
| Bocadilleria Jazz | Barcelona | Late Bar | 7.5 |
| Manchester | Barcelona | Late Bar | 7.5 |
| L'Ovella Negra | Barcelona | Ex-Pat Bar | 7.5 |
| Bar Colombia | Barcelona | Café Bar | 7.5 |
| Bodega Joserra | Bilbao | Bodega | 8.5 |
| Residence Kafetegia | Bilbao | Cocktail Bar | 8.3 |
| Café Iruña | Bilbao | Grand Café | 8.3 |
| La Barmacia | Bilbao | Cocktail Bar | 7.9 |
| Rasputin | Bilbao | Theme Bar | 7.9 |
| Taberna Basaras | Bilbao | Wine Bar | 7.9 |
| Xukela | Bilbao | Pintxos Bar | 7.7 |
| Bar Fermin | Bilbao | Pintxos Bar | 7.6 |
| Avenida Taberna | Bilbao | Pintxos Bar | 7.6 |
| Saibigain | Bilbao | Pintxos Bar | 7.5 |
| Jazz Café | Córdoba | Jazz Bar | 8.4 |
| La Gloria | Córdoba | Café Bar | 7.6 |
| Lucas | Córdoba | Sandwich Bar | 7.5 |
| Sunset Jazz Bar | Girona | Jazz Bar | 8 |
| L'Elixir | Girona | Bottle Shop | 7.8 |
| La Pedra | Girona | Craft Beer Bar | 7.6 |
| Bohemia Jazz Cafe | Granada | Jazz Bar | 9.2 |
| Taberna Casa Enrique | Granada | Tapas Bar | 8.3 |
| Bodegas Castaneda | Granada | Tapas Bar | 8.3 |
| La Tertulia | Granada | Culture Centre | 7.9 |
| Taberna vinos Antonio Perez | Granada | Wine Bar | 7.9 |
| Cisco y Tierra | Granada | Tapas Bar | 7.9 |
| Mementomori | Granada | Theme Bar | 7.8 |
| La Loca de Gandocha | Granada | Tapas Bar | 7.7 |
| Bar Candela | Granada | Tapas Bar | 7.6 |
| Oldenburg | Madrid | Beer Specialists | 8.5 |
| De La Ardosa | Madrid | Tapas Bar | 8.2 |
| Taberna De Antonio Sanchez | Madrid | Historic Tavern | 8.1 |
| Kloster | Madrid | Beer Specialists | 8 |
| La Fontanilla | Madrid | Theme Bar | 8 |
| La Fontana De Oro | Madrid | Theme Bar | 7.6 |
| Taberna Cofrade Las Merchanas | Málaga | Theme Bar | 8.7 |
| Antigua Casa de Guardia | Málaga | Historic Bar | 8.5 |
| La Casa Invisible | Málaga | Culture Centre | 8.5 |
| La Tranca | Málaga | Tapas Bar | 8.3 |
| Colmado 93 | Málaga | Tapas Bar | 7.9 |
| La Farola de Orellana | Málaga | Tapas Bar | 7.9 |
| El Pimpi | Málaga | Historic Tavern | 7.9 |
| Central Beers | Málaga | Beer Specialists | 7.7 |
| Birra Deluxe | Málaga | Craft Beer Bar | 7.5 |
| La Madriguera | Málaga | Craft Beer Bar | 7.5 |
| Lorien | Palma | Craft Beer Bar | 8.5 |
| Bodega Bellver | Palma | Historic Bar | 8.5 |
| Etxeberria | San Sebastian | City Tavern | 8.4 |
| Manojo | San Sebastian | Wine Bar | 7.7 |
| Bar Txepetxa | San Sebastian | Tapas Bar | 7.7 |
| Etxebe Taberna | San Sebastian | Tapas Bar | 7.6 |
| Aralar Taberna | San Sebastian | City Tavern | 7.5 |
| Akerbeltz | San Sebastian | Craft Beer Bar | 7.5 |
| Modus Vivendi | Santiago de Compostela | Live Music Venue | 8.4 |
| Pub Momo | Santiago de Compostela | Late Bar | 8.2 |
| Avante | Santiago de Compostela | Late Bar | 7.7 |
| Garlochi | Seville | Theme Bar | 9.1 |
| Casa Moreno | Seville | Ultramarino | 8.7 |
| Cerveceria Internacional | Seville | Beer Specialists | 8.3 |
| El Rinconcillo | Seville | Historic Tavern | 8.3 |
| La Carboneria | Seville | Live Music Venue | 8.3 |
| El Comercio | Seville | Tapas Bar | 7.9 |
| Ajoblanco | Seville | Tapas Bar | 7.8 |
| Casa Ricardo | Seville | Tapas Bar | 7.8 |
| Gonzalo Molina | Seville | Tapas Bar | 7.7 |
| Urbano Comix | Seville | Theme Bar | 7.7 |
| Bicicleteria | Seville | Alternative Bar | 7.7 |
| Casa Morales | Seville | Historic Bodega | 7.7 |
| La Goleta | Seville | Tapas Bar | 7.7 |
| Bodega Soto | Seville | Neighbourhood Pub | 7.7 |
| Bodega Santa Cruz | Seville | Tapas Bar | 7.6 |
| El Chiringuito | Seville | Tapas Bar | 7.6 |
| Casa Vizcaino | Seville | Tapas Bar | 7.6 |
| Bodega Diaz Salazar | Seville | Historic Bodega | 7.5 |
| La Teresas | Seville | Tavern | 7.5 |
| Clan Sibaritas | Seville | Wine Bar | 7.5 |
| Bodega La Aurora | Seville | Late Bar | 7.5 |
| Cerveceria Lupolo | Toledo | Craft Beer Bar | 7.5 |
| Café de las Horas | Valencia | Theme Bar | 8.5 |
| Café Infanta | Valencia | Café Bar | 8.5 |
| L'Ermita | Valencia | Late Bar | 8.5 |
| Bodega Fila El Labrador | Valencia | Bodega | 8.5 |
| Bodega Valero | Valencia | Bodega/Rock Bar | 8 |
| Bodega Baltasar Segui | Valencia | Bodega | 8 |
| Bar Lapaca | Valencia | Alternative Bar | 7.9 |
| La Vitti | Valencia | Alternative Bar | 7.9 |
| Tulsa Café | Valencia | Late Bar | 7.8 |
| Café Sant Jaume | Valencia | Café Bar | 7.8 |
| Taberna La Somorra | Valencia | Bodega | 7.7 |
| The Market | Valencia | Craft Beer Bar | 7.6 |
| Bodega La Peseta | Valencia | Bodega | 7.5 |
| Bodega Los Hermanos | Valencia | Bodega | 7.5 |
| Casa Montana | Valencia | Bodega | 7.5 |
| Taberna Pottoka | Zaragoza | Tapas Bar | 8.3 |
| Los Victorinos | Zaragoza | Tapas Bar | 7.8 |
| Bodegas Almau | Zaragoza | Tapas Bar | 7.8 |
| Bar Bonanza | Zaragoza | Tapas Bar | 7.7 |
| Bar Estudios | Zaragoza | Tapas Bar | 7.5 |
| Taberna Del Blues | Zaragoza | Late Bar | 7.5 |
| La Republicana | Zaragoza | Café Bar | 7.5 |
| Bar El Sol | Zaragoza | Café Bar/Dance Hall | 7.5 |
| Ragtime | Zaragoza | Jazz Bar | 7.5 |
Cities
pop. 1,615,100
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
A large city with a diverse selection of bars, it is unlikely anyone who enjoys a drink on an evening will fall short in their pursuit. Whether you’re a craft beer fan, looking for brewery taps and multi-tap venues, a purist looking for historic bodegas or an alternative looking for a quirky refuge from the busy city, your needs are amply catered for. As this is a tourist hub, the hours of service are wider too, so it’s perfectly possible to have an enjoyable night out and be home by midnight, in comparison to other Spanish towns and cities where things are barely getting going by then. Prices are on a par with most major cities in Western Europe, meaning double or triple what you can expect to pay in other parts of Spain. The fun of exploring the wildly different venues makes up for this. Be sure to explore the districts too. Barceloneta, Gracia, Poble-Sec, Sants, etc all have their particular flavour as well as in-the-know destinations.
pop. 854,012
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Set in a steep valley along the Nervion river, Bilbao is not only its metropolitan centre but a sprawl of districts that stretch from further up the slope to the east right to Getxo on the Bay of Biscay. Connected by an effective Y shape metro system which make more distant places feel part of a contiguous whole.
Famous for Basque independence, steelworks, shipbuilding and Atletico Bilbao (whose colours you will find in almost every bar) this is a proud region with a solidly working class heritage. Visiting brings to mind the similarities it shares with the likes of Porto, Newcastle and Genoa.
Basque is widely spoken but the city is dual-lingual. You will find most transactions in Spanish with greetings, etiquette and the occasional vernacular spoken in Basque.
On to the bars, Bilbao's famous draw is pintxos, mini-dishes ordered to accompany a drink. These are displayed on a counter at the front for you to inspect. A common order is a glass of red or white, or a beer (order a Zurito here for a small beer (200-250ml) as opposed to a caña which here is more like a copa doble serving elsewhere in Spain (300-400ml). Large beers are uncommon. As usual, Vermouth is popular too and specific bars are known for house preparations. Don't overlook cider either, which is a common Basque drink poured in elaborate style. Out of town cider houses, Sagardotegi are essential for local flavour. However, the pintxos culture make bar surfing quite common, so like the bars of Andalusia it is customary to hop from place to place rather than getting a reservation and remaining somewhere for the evening. Prices remain fair.
Although Bilbao obviously does have a tourist season, it is striking just how few tourists there are even by late autumn. You will find locals occupying even the most centre, historic and typically touristic spots. This is a positive not only in order to experience its flavour, but it makes service and pricing fair, with locals quickly calling out any over-charging or scams. Service is not as bright and breezy as other places, and you may encounter occasionally sullen service, but overall it is simply straightforward. As with other Spanish cities, bars are busy and bustling - do not be a shrinking violet - get in there and tell the server what you want. A long weekend allowing you to explore the districts like Barakaldo and Getxo is easily justified.
pop. 327,636
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
Andalusia's Moorish inheritance is not seen in such concentrated glory as Cordoba's old town and Mezquita. During the day and during tourist season this creates a crucible of activity, but being a day-trip destination, it can become conversely deserted at night, with consequences for its bar scene. Eschew the blander old town options and go a little further out to find where locals go. These can be authentic tapas bars, rock pubs, Jazz Cafes. Life is out there, you'll need to go and search for it though.
pop. 100,266
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
Although Girona is trailed as lively on account of a large student population, the nightlife leaves quite a lot to be desired. It isn't as though this situation improves outside the historic centre either, either in Eixample or Salt. Barri Vell is where the bars are, and you'll struggle to put together a handful of worthwhile places to pass your time. Craft beer fans will be reasonably pleased by the offerings, fans of antigua bodegas much less so.
pop. 238,939
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Famous for the Alhambra, Sierra Nevada and tapas, this city is closer to the apocryphal 'real Spain' with tapas bars of different varieties dotted everywhere, normally offering a tapa with each drink, making this a remarkably affordable place to drink and eat. Wine and Vermouth holds sway as much as the city's beer, with craft beer not having made as deep inroads as Malaga or the major cities. The nightlife is predictably lively and excellent, however you'll need to pace yourself to leave space for the constant plates of food. Don't just stick to the centre either, as the university district is cosmopolitan, culturally vibrant and in places remarkably good value.
pop. 3,174,000
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Rarely have I been anywhere with so many bars. There seems to be no economic limit, thousands of venues, the majority of which are small one-room affairs on the ground floor only. So many of them are packed full – Spaniards have no qualms at all about close congregation, even while eating. Yep – eating - these are largely tapas bars, a format which dominates Madrid. Unlike Barcelona the hours are less relaxed – you will find some of these do not even open until 10pm onward. Tapas bars demand a certain level of understanding of the format, along with – in Madrid at least – a reasonable grasp of Spanish to ensure you get what you want. In some venues a beer will secure you a giant plate of food, while in others the beers are cheap and the plates get larger the more you spend. The ‘classic’ set up is a brushed aluminium bar top and single beer tap serving Spanish lager – usually Mahou – the pouring of which is taken to near religious levels (no-one pausing to ask why the beer itself has to be so awful).
Madrid has a host of reasonable ‘pubs’ in the centre, which have a nice lived-in character, but are not especially Spanish, while they also have a thing for Belgian & German beer (who doesn’t), and you can find some terrific bars which focus on those.
It’s incredibly busy out in town and sometimes a bit too stressful for its own good.
pop. 571,049
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Associated with tourists, the Costa Del Sol, ex-pats and beach strip clubs, Malaga's city is quite the opposite, in fact if you arrive off season you will find a beautiful balance of locals with enough diversity to make it feel relevant and cosmopolitan. This extends to its fantastic offering of bars from historic vermouth taverns with stacks of barrels, to tapas bars every bit as good as Granada, to several craft beer destinations. There are some offbeat choices as well such as Casa Invsible based in a commune.
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
Modern tapas/pintxos bars and non-descript cervecerias are the order of the day in the centre of Palma, a place where you could easily spend an unmemorable night out without doing your research. However, such places usually provoke a backlash and that comes in the form of the post-Millennium beer movement in Spain, which in tandem with the alternative crown yields a clutch of more characterful, distinctive venues. In addition to this, there are some enjoyable historic bodegas to be found.
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
Outside of Vitoria-Gasteiz, San Sebastian, where far more people are likely to visit, is the totem for Basque culture. While Bilbao is certain dipping your toe into it, and far more working class than the bourgeoise, liberal San Sebastian, the language and culture feels more holistic here. You hear Basque spoken both conversationally and transactionally, while in the hills surrounding the city, the pastoral culture with its cider production and farming is revived. The Sagardotegi in Astigarraga, accessible via a 14 minute bus ride are Cider Houses, famous for their enormous barrels and tradition of Txotx! shouted when the tap is released in an arc while you queue for your turn to fill it up. The centre is divded across its riverside, from the old town, to Gros, Amarra, Loiola, Egia and Antiguo. This is a large area to explore and requires time - far more than two days. The old town is still studded with Pintxos bars. Pintxo being skewered snacks of meat, seafood, cheese etc usually on a cutting of bread. These are displayed at the bar and you can point to anything you fancy, but be warned some do not have an obvious menu to assist you. However, it is much more tourist-friendly than Bilbao, with more visible information and English spoken, and even in winter you'll find a Western tourist population here. Part of the reason is due to its gastronomic culture, with over 50 Michelin star restaurants, a city that was put on the map decades ago due to that. Quite frankly we need to go back to explore more, but we found some up to date wine bars, craft beer taproom, pintxo bars and some quirks in and around it. It doesn't seem like there's a rock we'll lift up to find a hoard more bars, but it's quite likely there are some gems there waiting to be found. The centre of San Sebastian is lively with a good atmosphere as you wander around.
pop. 95,207
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
Literally a pilgrimage site; in the height of the ‘Camino’ season, thousands of outsiders arrive, having completed ‘The Way of St. James’, often staying in Santiago for one night only. Given this night is universally one of celebration, having made it the whole way (or cheated), many bars are needed to absorb and accommodate these daily spasms of revelry. Outside of the peak season, this dies down to the extent that locals rediscover and reclaim these venues. There is an enjoyably low-key atmosphere which provides space and ambience sometimes lacking later night in some permanently busy-busy Spanish cities. The bars themselves are a mixed bag, but several stand out, with varying themes and influences: Galician independence, courtyard/ruin pubs, antiques and haberdasheries, civic exhibitions and folk music. This adds up to a successful and intriguing combination. As with several other Spanish cities, don’t even bother visiting these venues until after 10pm, or even later in some cases.
pop. 688,503
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
A major city with sprawling modern outskirts and a sizeable classical centre. In many ways a gathering together of all the Andalusian hits. Absurdly lavish Cathedral, Moorish and Spanish palaces, grand parks and boulevards, beautiful palms and ferns in tiled courtyards. You'll find aspects of Malaga, Cordoba, Granada here while its size and depth gradually impresses on you. Nightlife is dominated by traditional bodegas, tabernas, bodeguitas & cervecerias with their timeless appeal: chunky wooden seats, framed photographs crammed in every inch of wall space, tiled bar, aluminium counter and the ubiquitous Cruzcampo beer tap. Flamenco venues run from the most formal dinner affairs to low key events venues. Of course, the city is big enough to offer alternatives to the traditional stuff, but even by mediocre regional standards Seville has a poor selection of multitap beer bars of either local brewers or world beers, likewise fewer cocktail bars than most. The outstanding venues lean into the city's religious traditional or are so beautifully authentic and unspoilt as to almost be as impressive as the flowery iconography. Learn to explore the little neighbourhoods that circle the old town and many bar crawls can be chained together without any long walks.
pop. 84,282
Nightlife Rating: ❤️
A tightly controlled conveyor belt of tourists arrive from Madrid by train, making their way up the hill to this extraordinarily beautiful hilltop town. Currently Toledo is still raking in money from their association with Game of Thrones, but it has been a honeypot for tourists for a lot longer than that. This is not an extraordinary city for bars, however. While you will find some tolerable English/Irish style pubs, and an enjoyable brewery tap, the hordes of middle classes seeking cafes and restaurants and - one can assume - spiralling rental costs, suppress any chance this place may have of becoming a hotbed of nightlife.
pop. 791,413
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
A major city that 'turns its back to the sea'. On a map Valencia seems a coastal city at first glance but the city centre is a good 20 minutes on public transport from the coast. A city of districts, each with its own flavour. The historic centre has a beautiful ensemble of Medieval, Baroque and Belle Époque era architecture which with sandstone, tiling, wrought iron and lavish detailing will have you even peering at the underside of balconies cooing at the beauty and artistry. The nightlife there is solid with a broad range of options, and even the more touristy are well worth a visit, standout destinations in the city. Not as infected by tourism as Barcelona or Madrid, locals can argue they still hold sway around here. El Cabanyal, the Barceloneta of Valencia, if you like, is a grid-pattern of streets adjacent to the promenade and the coast. It has been known for nightlife for years, but the hype is a little overblown. There are a few good standout tapas bars and alternative venues, along with the usual anonymous corner cafés and ultra-bland modern efforts. Ruzafa is known as a multicultural district and it is a dynamic part of the city, distinctly different, although nightlife veers to the cheap and tacky side of things. Benimaclet is perhaps the nearest thing to a less-discovered locals area, with some superior venues if you know where to look, studded away among the everyday. As far as the traditional Bodega goes, Valencia is nowhere near as endowed as Barcelona or Madrid, with only a handful to speak of, although they are almost all well worth a visit. From true wineries (shops operating as bars) to ones that morphed into pubs, this is where local life lets their hair down, pigs out and socialises with known faces. There are some true authentic hangouts that will leave a mark for your return. There is more to add, but this will do for now.
pop. 686,423
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
The most populous city in Aragon, a journey to Spain's North takes you across vast scrubland with comparatively less agriculture, and more windfarms. The famous Cierzo wind, alike the Mistral affects farmers as well as citygoers, described as far back as 2nd century BC as a wind "that fills your mouth and topples waggons and armed men". Zaragoza is a roman settlement (Hispanic interpretations of Cesar Augusta, its original name) and there are uncovered finds to explore, not least an impressive theatre and Roman forum. By far the showstoppers, sightseeing wise are the Cathedral interior and Basilica exterior, the icon of the city, but the remains of a vastly altered Mudejar palace, the Aljafería are also worth seeing and justify two days here. In the city centre, a maze of streets known as El Tubo is the epicentre of tapas in the city, though we didn't find the venues much to shout about on our visit. Instead, its most valuable bars are its oddities. A Basque bar, a Jazz venue, a tapas bar devoted to cheese specifically, and a few really stuck-in-time cafeterias. In amongst that there are some nice central tapas bars. You'll find the offerings a hybrid of tapas and pintxos, with the usual one lager tap (here being Ambar, a mild at best improvement upon Estrella). Craft bars are to be found scattered about. Be sure to explore the districts - Delicias, Centro, El Tubo, University and La Fuentes all have something going on. The seasons also make a big different to atmosphere, with late autumn and winter feeling like down time, something which you can't say about the likes of Madrid or San Sebastian. While Zaragoza won't stun like Sevilla or Barcelona, it puts up a decent show just behind the likes of Valencia and Malaga, it won't disappoint nor should it be overlooked.
Barcelona
pop. 1,615,100
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
A large city with a diverse selection of bars, it is unlikely anyone who enjoys a drink on an evening will fall short in their pursuit. Whether you’re a craft beer fan, looking for brewery taps and multi-tap venues, a purist looking for historic bodegas or an alternative looking for a quirky refuge from the busy city, your needs are amply catered for. As this is a tourist hub, the hours of service are wider too, so it’s perfectly possible to have an enjoyable night out and be home by midnight, in comparison to other Spanish towns and cities where things are barely getting going by then. Prices are on a par with most major cities in Western Europe, meaning double or triple what you can expect to pay in other parts of Spain. The fun of exploring the wildly different venues makes up for this. Be sure to explore the districts too. Barceloneta, Gracia, Poble-Sec, Sants, etc all have their particular flavour as well as in-the-know destinations.
Bilbao
pop. 854,012
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Set in a steep valley along the Nervion river, Bilbao is not only its metropolitan centre but a sprawl of districts that stretch from further up the slope to the east right to Getxo on the Bay of Biscay. Connected by an effective Y shape metro system which make more distant places feel part of a contiguous whole.
Famous for Basque independence, steelworks, shipbuilding and Atletico Bilbao (whose colours you will find in almost every bar) this is a proud region with a solidly working class heritage. Visiting brings to mind the similarities it shares with the likes of Porto, Newcastle and Genoa.
Basque is widely spoken but the city is dual-lingual. You will find most transactions in Spanish with greetings, etiquette and the occasional vernacular spoken in Basque.
On to the bars, Bilbao's famous draw is pintxos, mini-dishes ordered to accompany a drink. These are displayed on a counter at the front for you to inspect. A common order is a glass of red or white, or a beer (order a Zurito here for a small beer (200-250ml) as opposed to a caña which here is more like a copa doble serving elsewhere in Spain (300-400ml). Large beers are uncommon. As usual, Vermouth is popular too and specific bars are known for house preparations. Don't overlook cider either, which is a common Basque drink poured in elaborate style. Out of town cider houses, Sagardotegi are essential for local flavour. However, the pintxos culture make bar surfing quite common, so like the bars of Andalusia it is customary to hop from place to place rather than getting a reservation and remaining somewhere for the evening. Prices remain fair.
Although Bilbao obviously does have a tourist season, it is striking just how few tourists there are even by late autumn. You will find locals occupying even the most centre, historic and typically touristic spots. This is a positive not only in order to experience its flavour, but it makes service and pricing fair, with locals quickly calling out any over-charging or scams. Service is not as bright and breezy as other places, and you may encounter occasionally sullen service, but overall it is simply straightforward. As with other Spanish cities, bars are busy and bustling - do not be a shrinking violet - get in there and tell the server what you want. A long weekend allowing you to explore the districts like Barakaldo and Getxo is easily justified.
Córdoba
pop. 327,636
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
Andalusia's Moorish inheritance is not seen in such concentrated glory as Cordoba's old town and Mezquita. During the day and during tourist season this creates a crucible of activity, but being a day-trip destination, it can become conversely deserted at night, with consequences for its bar scene. Eschew the blander old town options and go a little further out to find where locals go. These can be authentic tapas bars, rock pubs, Jazz Cafes. Life is out there, you'll need to go and search for it though.
Girona
pop. 100,266
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️
Although Girona is trailed as lively on account of a large student population, the nightlife leaves quite a lot to be desired. It isn't as though this situation improves outside the historic centre either, either in Eixample or Salt. Barri Vell is where the bars are, and you'll struggle to put together a handful of worthwhile places to pass your time. Craft beer fans will be reasonably pleased by the offerings, fans of antigua bodegas much less so.
Granada
pop. 238,939
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Famous for the Alhambra, Sierra Nevada and tapas, this city is closer to the apocryphal 'real Spain' with tapas bars of different varieties dotted everywhere, normally offering a tapa with each drink, making this a remarkably affordable place to drink and eat. Wine and Vermouth holds sway as much as the city's beer, with craft beer not having made as deep inroads as Malaga or the major cities. The nightlife is predictably lively and excellent, however you'll need to pace yourself to leave space for the constant plates of food. Don't just stick to the centre either, as the university district is cosmopolitan, culturally vibrant and in places remarkably good value.
Madrid
pop. 3,174,000
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Rarely have I been anywhere with so many bars. There seems to be no economic limit, thousands of venues, the majority of which are small one-room affairs on the ground floor only. So many of them are packed full – Spaniards have no qualms at all about close congregation, even while eating. Yep – eating - these are largely tapas bars, a format which dominates Madrid. Unlike Barcelona the hours are less relaxed – you will find some of these do not even open until 10pm onward. Tapas bars demand a certain level of understanding of the format, along with – in Madrid at least – a reasonable grasp of Spanish to ensure you get what you want. In some venues a beer will secure you a giant plate of food, while in others the beers are cheap and the plates get larger the more you spend. The ‘classic’ set up is a brushed aluminium bar top and single beer tap serving Spanish lager – usually Mahou – the pouring of which is taken to near religious levels (no-one pausing to ask why the beer itself has to be so awful).
Madrid has a host of reasonable ‘pubs’ in the centre, which have a nice lived-in character, but are not especially Spanish, while they also have a thing for Belgian & German beer (who doesn’t), and you can find some terrific bars which focus on those.
It’s incredibly busy out in town and sometimes a bit too stressful for its own good.
Málaga
pop. 571,049
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Associated with tourists, the Costa Del Sol, ex-pats and beach strip clubs, Malaga's city is quite the opposite, in fact if you arrive off season you will find a beautiful balance of locals with enough diversity to make it feel relevant and cosmopolitan. This extends to its fantastic offering of bars from historic vermouth taverns with stacks of barrels, to tapas bars every bit as good as Granada, to several craft beer destinations. There are some offbeat choices as well such as Casa Invsible based in a commune.
Palma di Mallorca
pop. 404,700Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
Modern tapas/pintxos bars and non-descript cervecerias are the order of the day in the centre of Palma, a place where you could easily spend an unmemorable night out without doing your research. However, such places usually provoke a backlash and that comes in the form of the post-Millennium beer movement in Spain, which in tandem with the alternative crown yields a clutch of more characterful, distinctive venues. In addition to this, there are some enjoyable historic bodegas to be found.
San Sebastian
pop. 330,385Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
Outside of Vitoria-Gasteiz, San Sebastian, where far more people are likely to visit, is the totem for Basque culture. While Bilbao is certain dipping your toe into it, and far more working class than the bourgeoise, liberal San Sebastian, the language and culture feels more holistic here. You hear Basque spoken both conversationally and transactionally, while in the hills surrounding the city, the pastoral culture with its cider production and farming is revived. The Sagardotegi in Astigarraga, accessible via a 14 minute bus ride are Cider Houses, famous for their enormous barrels and tradition of Txotx! shouted when the tap is released in an arc while you queue for your turn to fill it up. The centre is divded across its riverside, from the old town, to Gros, Amarra, Loiola, Egia and Antiguo. This is a large area to explore and requires time - far more than two days. The old town is still studded with Pintxos bars. Pintxo being skewered snacks of meat, seafood, cheese etc usually on a cutting of bread. These are displayed at the bar and you can point to anything you fancy, but be warned some do not have an obvious menu to assist you. However, it is much more tourist-friendly than Bilbao, with more visible information and English spoken, and even in winter you'll find a Western tourist population here. Part of the reason is due to its gastronomic culture, with over 50 Michelin star restaurants, a city that was put on the map decades ago due to that. Quite frankly we need to go back to explore more, but we found some up to date wine bars, craft beer taproom, pintxo bars and some quirks in and around it. It doesn't seem like there's a rock we'll lift up to find a hoard more bars, but it's quite likely there are some gems there waiting to be found. The centre of San Sebastian is lively with a good atmosphere as you wander around.
Santiago de Compostela
pop. 95,207
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
Literally a pilgrimage site; in the height of the ‘Camino’ season, thousands of outsiders arrive, having completed ‘The Way of St. James’, often staying in Santiago for one night only. Given this night is universally one of celebration, having made it the whole way (or cheated), many bars are needed to absorb and accommodate these daily spasms of revelry. Outside of the peak season, this dies down to the extent that locals rediscover and reclaim these venues. There is an enjoyably low-key atmosphere which provides space and ambience sometimes lacking later night in some permanently busy-busy Spanish cities. The bars themselves are a mixed bag, but several stand out, with varying themes and influences: Galician independence, courtyard/ruin pubs, antiques and haberdasheries, civic exhibitions and folk music. This adds up to a successful and intriguing combination. As with several other Spanish cities, don’t even bother visiting these venues until after 10pm, or even later in some cases.
Seville
pop. 688,503
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
A major city with sprawling modern outskirts and a sizeable classical centre. In many ways a gathering together of all the Andalusian hits. Absurdly lavish Cathedral, Moorish and Spanish palaces, grand parks and boulevards, beautiful palms and ferns in tiled courtyards. You'll find aspects of Malaga, Cordoba, Granada here while its size and depth gradually impresses on you. Nightlife is dominated by traditional bodegas, tabernas, bodeguitas & cervecerias with their timeless appeal: chunky wooden seats, framed photographs crammed in every inch of wall space, tiled bar, aluminium counter and the ubiquitous Cruzcampo beer tap. Flamenco venues run from the most formal dinner affairs to low key events venues. Of course, the city is big enough to offer alternatives to the traditional stuff, but even by mediocre regional standards Seville has a poor selection of multitap beer bars of either local brewers or world beers, likewise fewer cocktail bars than most. The outstanding venues lean into the city's religious traditional or are so beautifully authentic and unspoilt as to almost be as impressive as the flowery iconography. Learn to explore the little neighbourhoods that circle the old town and many bar crawls can be chained together without any long walks.
Toledo
pop. 84,282
Nightlife Rating: ❤️
A tightly controlled conveyor belt of tourists arrive from Madrid by train, making their way up the hill to this extraordinarily beautiful hilltop town. Currently Toledo is still raking in money from their association with Game of Thrones, but it has been a honeypot for tourists for a lot longer than that. This is not an extraordinary city for bars, however. While you will find some tolerable English/Irish style pubs, and an enjoyable brewery tap, the hordes of middle classes seeking cafes and restaurants and - one can assume - spiralling rental costs, suppress any chance this place may have of becoming a hotbed of nightlife.
Valencia
pop. 791,413
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
A major city that 'turns its back to the sea'. On a map Valencia seems a coastal city at first glance but the city centre is a good 20 minutes on public transport from the coast. A city of districts, each with its own flavour. The historic centre has a beautiful ensemble of Medieval, Baroque and Belle Époque era architecture which with sandstone, tiling, wrought iron and lavish detailing will have you even peering at the underside of balconies cooing at the beauty and artistry. The nightlife there is solid with a broad range of options, and even the more touristy are well worth a visit, standout destinations in the city. Not as infected by tourism as Barcelona or Madrid, locals can argue they still hold sway around here. El Cabanyal, the Barceloneta of Valencia, if you like, is a grid-pattern of streets adjacent to the promenade and the coast. It has been known for nightlife for years, but the hype is a little overblown. There are a few good standout tapas bars and alternative venues, along with the usual anonymous corner cafés and ultra-bland modern efforts. Ruzafa is known as a multicultural district and it is a dynamic part of the city, distinctly different, although nightlife veers to the cheap and tacky side of things. Benimaclet is perhaps the nearest thing to a less-discovered locals area, with some superior venues if you know where to look, studded away among the everyday. As far as the traditional Bodega goes, Valencia is nowhere near as endowed as Barcelona or Madrid, with only a handful to speak of, although they are almost all well worth a visit. From true wineries (shops operating as bars) to ones that morphed into pubs, this is where local life lets their hair down, pigs out and socialises with known faces. There are some true authentic hangouts that will leave a mark for your return. There is more to add, but this will do for now.
Zaragoza
pop. 686,423
Nightlife Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
The most populous city in Aragon, a journey to Spain's North takes you across vast scrubland with comparatively less agriculture, and more windfarms. The famous Cierzo wind, alike the Mistral affects farmers as well as citygoers, described as far back as 2nd century BC as a wind "that fills your mouth and topples waggons and armed men". Zaragoza is a roman settlement (Hispanic interpretations of Cesar Augusta, its original name) and there are uncovered finds to explore, not least an impressive theatre and Roman forum. By far the showstoppers, sightseeing wise are the Cathedral interior and Basilica exterior, the icon of the city, but the remains of a vastly altered Mudejar palace, the Aljafería are also worth seeing and justify two days here. In the city centre, a maze of streets known as El Tubo is the epicentre of tapas in the city, though we didn't find the venues much to shout about on our visit. Instead, its most valuable bars are its oddities. A Basque bar, a Jazz venue, a tapas bar devoted to cheese specifically, and a few really stuck-in-time cafeterias. In amongst that there are some nice central tapas bars. You'll find the offerings a hybrid of tapas and pintxos, with the usual one lager tap (here being Ambar, a mild at best improvement upon Estrella). Craft bars are to be found scattered about. Be sure to explore the districts - Delicias, Centro, El Tubo, University and La Fuentes all have something going on. The seasons also make a big different to atmosphere, with late autumn and winter feeling like down time, something which you can't say about the likes of Madrid or San Sebastian. While Zaragoza won't stun like Sevilla or Barcelona, it puts up a decent show just behind the likes of Valencia and Malaga, it won't disappoint nor should it be overlooked.