Check out our handy bullet list of Madrid tips for Stags and Hens
Plan your Madrid stag do in Spain’s capital and largest, most fun-packed city. Madrid is a town that parties all night with a compact city centre, stunning architecture and lots of action. Madrid nightlife is regarded by most in the know as the best in Spain. It has restaurants to please all tastes and budgets. And if you are organising a Madrid stag weekend you cannot choose a better destination.
Madrid delights the party animal, impresses the people-watcher and, well, has to be considered the Mecca for European football (pace Barça!). You can’t say you love football if you haven’t been to its famous Bernabeu Stadium. And the most Spanish of cities also holds a cosmopolitan charm and disregard for conventional timetables that few other cities in Europe can match.
- Spain’s capital has a total population of some 6 million (Greater Madrid), making it the 3rd or 4th biggest city in Europe. Madrid lies dead centre of Spain, (300 km+ from the nearest beach! ).
- It is bigger and chunkier than Barcelona for example!
- It has a mountain/meseta climate: very dry, with cold winters and sweltering summers. There are lots of sunny days and crystal clear blue skies all year – even in winter. Don’t expect outdoor swimming pools to be open except in high summer (June, July August).
- The city is a mix of higgledy piggledy old barrios with their own charm, and large wide elegant boulevards (Paseo de la Castellana, Paseo del Prado). The lively Gran Via (Main central street) is a mix of Oxford St, Broadway, Sauchiehall St and the Khaosan Rd.
- Madrid has a reputation for knowing how to party, and staying up all night!
- This means everything starts late in Madrid. Lunch can be as early as 1400 but usually starts at 1500. For dinner, aim for 2200 (few restaurants are open before 2100)
- No one goes for a drink before 2100/2200 !
- In general, despite its status as capital it is usually regarded as the most laid-back, likeable and welcoming of Spain’s largest cities.
- The airport is about 20 – 25 minutes east of the city, on the road to Barcelona
- Although land-locked the city has impressive natural areas: large parks (Retiro, Casa de Campo, Parque del Oeste)
- Madrid’s metro system is excellent and fast, making average journey time half or less than in other cities (much better than Barcelona for example).
- Taxis are also cheap and plentiful
The Local Flavour – what to try, what to see, what to taste, what is unique
Eating drinking and visiting is a must, here are our culinary and cultural Madrid Tips for Stags and Hens:
- See: Start at Puerta del Sol, the old town’s epicentre. See Palacio Real (the royal palace – and gardens), Plaza Mayor, Puerta de Alacala, El Retiro (park), Gran Via, Plaza de España, the Ventas Bull Ring. If you have time for an art visit three of the best galleries in Europe: The Prado, Thyssen and Reina Sofia.
- You MUST see Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid – for most fans, a football experience quite unlike any other.
- The Santiago Bernabeu (Real Madrid) football Museum is one of Europe’s biggest museum attractions by attendance figures.
- Visit one of the Serrano Ham “museums” – a tapas “must do”: see the legs of ham hanging ready to be munched with a glass of wine !
- In general Madrid is probably the best city in Spain for range of restaurants, food and above all tapas
- A mark of the “generosity” people feel when in Madrid is the “free tapas” you will receive in many bars when ordering a beer or wine…
- Beers: Mahou, San Miguel and Cruzcampo
- Madrid is the land of red wines: Rioja and Ribera de Duero being the best.
- Madrid is football mad: must-see Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid, but don’t forget Leganés, Rayo Vallecano, or Getafe! Real and Atletico are currently the top 2 teams in Europe in many people’s estimation.
- The character of the old streets of the central barrios of La Latina, Chueca, Plaza Santa Ana and Austrias.
- Check out the streets near Plaza Mayor (Calle Cuchilleros, Cava Baja) to fnd some of the best and most authentic tapas and restaurants in the world!
- Peckish? Grab a bocadillo de calamares (squid sandwich) with just a slice of lemon – delicious! Also try the patatas bravas (spicy potatoes for snacking) and the fried whitebait (boquerones).
- Madrileños, paradoxically for a landlocked city, are nicknamed “cats” – because they love fish (and stay out on the tiles all night….) MEOOOWWW!!!
- Sit out in a square, drink and gab like the locals. This appears to be done at all hours: try Plaza de la Paja, La Latina, Malasaña, Plaza Santa Ana….just about anywhere really.
- If you fancy something stronger with a late morning coffee (as Madrid people often do), order a “sol y sombra” (a rather tasty cocktail of brandy and anisette – copiously served in half-pint large brandy glasses…) If that doesn’t set the Madrid cats among the pigeons then nothing will. More Madrid Tips for Stags and Hens
Where to go out in Madrid
Madrid has several lively neighbourhoods full of bars and the action spills out into the streets: check the streets near Plaza Santa Ana or Plaza de Chueca, the Malasaña area, Calle del Pez, La Latina…or Avenida de Brasil near the Real Madrid stadium.
Great clubbing at Shoko, Sala Sol, Joy and Kapital (all central near Sol).
Calle Huertas is the pub crawl street.
For tapas hit the streets near Plaza de la Paja and Plaza Mayor.
Tips for Getting Around Madrid
- USE THE METRO – IT’S CHEAP AND QUICK.
- CABS ARE ALSO CHEAP – BUT DONT EXÈCT WONDERFUL ENGLISH FROM CAB DRIVERS
Forget tiki-taka, think tapa tapa !
For a top Madrid weekend choose Spain’s liveliest, gutsiest city Check out the all-night nightlife, the thousands of bars and clubs, the energetic Madrileños who party 24 hours. For stags there is nothing quite like the unique Madrid Baby Bull Running activity that includes lunch, drinks and much Spanish style mirth.
Add the Prado Museum Palacio Real or Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, and wash it down with a bottle of Rioja, and all-year sunshine. Many rate Madrid as one of the top European cities, and you can be sure that if it’s happening, it’s happening in Madrid.
A Madrid stag do is for true Champions
Those of us who live in Madrid reckon Hemingway got it about right. Here you’ll feel so Real. If you were ever to apply to join the league of Champions, well, Madrid must just about be the ideal place. If you visit the Bernabeu Stadium you’ll see a bit of silverware. Or watch the Real thing at the stadium.
Actually we’ve stopped counting how many European Cup trophies they have…it’s a bit intimidating, especially if your team are…well, crap. But you’ll get over it when you see the party spirit and the friendliness of the local Madrileños. Hemingway said Madrid is the Capital of the world. Find out why – read the drop downs to the left of this page (or above if you’re on a mobile or tablet.)
- Be on main street for nightlife Gran Via at 05:49 – do this and you won’t have to see Blade Runner 20149…
- Real Madrid…or Atletico are a must but what about Leganés, Rayo or Getafe for a change?
- Have “coñac” brandy for breakfast – or request a “sol y sombra” – brandy mixed with “Monkey” anisette: it’s put hairs on Sergio Ramos’s chest at least…
- Have spicy, spiffing tapas like “patatas bravas“ (but don’t expect the namby pamby white mayonnaisey stuff mixed in that you get in Barcelona)
- Stroll round the old town barrios like Malasaña or Lavapies (not just Sol and Centre)
Bubble Football in Madrid
Bubble football in Madrid is pretty weatherproof. A rainy (actually slightly snowy) Saturday in March in Madrid could not burst Freddy’s group’s bubble as they took part in a fairly mad and highly enjoyable Madrid bubble football activity. We picked the guys up outside their hotel near Puerta del Sol in Madrid City centre, and it was a 15 minute minivan ride to the outdoor venue.
Madrid had awoken to snow that morning so we had looked into the possibility of switching the venue to an indoor arena at the last minute. But there was no need when the weather cleared up nicely, and the stag group was well up pressing on. The lads took full advantage and bounced around the pitch in great style.
The stag’s bunny ears made him look quite fetching balanced on top of his bubble (and really, not a bit daft!). Our guide Abigail spoke warmly of the group “They were a happy bunch and well up for laugh”
As well as bubble football this group opted for a package including Madrid beer bike and Club Entry, They opted for Goya Club, one of the rising stars in the Madrid nightlife scene. All in all they enjoyed Madrid to the full, and didn’t let the rather inclement Madrid weather get them down. Not that you’d usually expect it to snow in March in Madrid.
TOP TIP: In fact, a more habitual discomfort of playing bubble football in Madrid is actually the heat (it can be sweltering Madrid in spring and summer). The traditional stag solution (cold beer) works fine, but choosing early evening slots for the activity is another slightly more sensible approach (…you can still have the cold beer). The bubble activity is available all year (but book in advance to avoid disappointment), and you’ll be safe from the elements inside your zorb!
Madrid Capea | Baby Bulls experience
A Madrid capea is all the rage with stag groups. It’s a test of courage, a fantastic runaround and all in all very genuinely Spanish day out. Our service provides it all: transport with guide, drinks, bull running and lunch. We’ll take you to an authentic bull ring where you can test your matador skills. But no animals are hurt!
Doing a Madrid capea for a weekend is pretty easy. Our guide will arrange to meet you in central Madrid and get you on the bus. You’ll have a briefing and get to know a few tricks. You may well become adept at dodging the horn and running away to the safety of the stockade.
Well, some of the great toreros amongst our stag groups got their start in this ring. And went on to cut ears and tails later that night…as we say in Spanish. There’s nothing like an afternoon dodging the horn to …eh… give you the horn. It’s something of a testosterone-filled occasion, but in the nicest possible way and equally enjoyable for the ladies participating. Man, woman, whatever your orientation, we’ve got the bulls, and now let’s see just how big your…senses of humour…are.
Matador for a day – top tips for a Madrid capea
- Saturdays work best for this activity
- If your Madrid bull-fighting experience coincides with a Real Madrid or Atletico home match you plan to attend, we can switch to the Sunday or Friday usually
- Remember its hot’s the ring in the early afternoon sun in Madrid (especially in summer). You can check out the Madrid weather forecast here.
- Keep your cool, and don’t let the Toro sense your fear!
If in doubt, run away and jump over the wall!
Book our Bullfight activity
You can check out the full details for this activity by visiting our baby bull running activity page here.
Or, book this activity as part of our Matador Stag package with accommodation and nightlife included!
Madrid Nightlife Going Out Tips
Madrid nightlife gives you so many options. To enjoy one, browse our site, click on the links in the menu above, or on the photos below. Contact us on info@thespainevent.com or use our contact form to the right of this page. Our consultants will contact you immediately!
Madrid Bars and Nightlife
The strange thing about Madrid’s nightlife is that, as eagerly attested by our team of tired-but-happy guides (party animals to a girl or boy), all clichés are true! It does go on all night, there are human traffic jams on Gran Via at 4 a.m., nobody does go out till 1 a.m., the clubs do not get going till 3.30 a.m., there is no point in expecting to get to bed before 9 a.m… It is undoubtedly the enviable energy of the party-mad Madrileños and Madrileñas that brings about this rather happy, and unique state of affairs. Our advice is just to relax, reset your body clock, and enjoy it!
A typical night in Madrid
The classic Noche Madrileña begins about ten with dinner or a tapas bar crawl around the streets near Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, or Plaza Santa Ana. Madrid has a bewildering range of Spanish and international eating places, and most tourists agree that Madrid prices are very reasonable. The drinking scene begins in earnest after dinner in the cocktails bars, pubs and flamenco clubs clustered thick around hubs like Calle Huertas and Calle Espoz y Mina (again very near Puerta del Sol). The gay/mixed scene of Chueca is another favourite, as is the bohemian La latina area.
To swim in a human tide of young barcrawlers and cheap booze prices, head for the grid of streets called Malasaña – home of Madrid’s 80’s culture renaissance, and still a friendly and laid-back drinking area. Dotted around the whole city centre you’ll find cafes, cocktail bars, Spanish and Irish bars. Don’t even think about a club until 3 a.m, and relish the fact that the folks back home have already been kicked out and helped to bed long before you walk in the door of your chosen Madrid night scene.
Hear what our customers say about Madrid nightlife
We were in a few tapas bars in the area called La Latina, it was already about 2 am but we were just sort of engulfed by this mass of people out in the streets, just milling around. I was a bit worried at first but it was all so matey and cheery, like a spontaneous street party, they were all friendly, really amazing…Stan, Middlesborough, organising a stag do in October 2012 took him to Madrid’s amazing night life
Gran Via – the great street for Madrid nightlife
You’ll eventually cross the inevitable Madrid nightlife artery that is Gran Via, with its perpetual New Year’s Eve, making it The Spain Event’s favourite street of all time anywhere in the world. Madrid has a lively club scene for all types of music and in particular nights and DJ’s depend on the dates, but perennial favourites are Sala Sol, Pacha, Joy, and Low Club. Those who do not wish to party till 9 a.m. will find a range of equally suitable bar-club hybrids that close “early” about 3 a.m.
Nightlife happens very late in this all-night city, so pace yourself! Waiting till late to go out does not mean you are missing anything, quite the reverse, it means you’ll peak at the right time, not too early. The top areas for going out are near Puerta del Sol, Plaza Santa Ana, and the La Latina area. Ask us about tapas tours and bar crawls.
Madrid stags alternative “to do”
We offer hundreds of organised activities to Madrid stags. But if there are 5 things you definitely must try and do while you are here, try these:
Stagger up (or down) Gran Via at 05:49
It’s Spain’s maddest street.Especially if you are just out of Shoko or Joy or Kapital clubs. A sort of Oxford street but in Blade runner. You’ll find pretty much everything happening here, with all sorts of services on offer. The high buildings on either side of Gran Via attain an eery beauty and majesty at this time of the morning (but don’t get run over by a taxi…) – and bumping into a friend is always on the cards while buying Chinese food served on the street.
See Real Madrid…or Atletico
It’s a sure bet that at least one of these two roister-doisters will be kicking a ball about while you’re here. So, however much you profess to be a Barcelona fan, you can’t come here and not go. The Bernabeu Stadium in particular is well impressive, and the football on offer is not that bad at all….we can help you with tickets.
Have brandy for breakfast
Now, this will not appear in the Michelin Guide or Lonely Planet for that matter. It’s maybe just us but we kind of approve of the diehard Madrileño traditionalists habit of supplementing their morning café con leche with a brandy or two (or..even better… a mix of brandy and anisette, known as a sol y sombra). Go for it! And have the churros or porras as well.
Make sure Patatas Bravas is in your diet
The most traditional patatas bravas are served near Plaza Santa Ana in tapas bar like Cafe Las Bravas. There is nothing fancy about them. They sum up Madrid at its best.
Stroll round the old town
Unlike Barcelona Madrid has never benefited from a swollen media reputation and excessive marketing. So most people are blown away by the marvels of this city. Have a walk (or bar hop) around and see some of its mind-blowing sights: Plaza Mayor and Plaza de la Paja, El Palacio Real, El Templo de Debod, El Retiro
Madrid Stag Match
Thinking about a Madrid stag match, I thought I would take some time out of my busy beer drinking in the sun schedule here in this beautiful capital city of Madrid to tell you gorgeous lot about this gorgeous place… Well to start off there are the two equally important factors involved in why this is such a great place, that I have just mentioned. Beer. Sunshine. The perfect combination. Madrid has hot, dry summers and loads of clear blue sky days so sitting back in the sun with an ice cold Mahou or San Miguel are a must and lets face it not a must that is too taxing or even the slightest bit annoying.
One of the many things that the Madrid lot do very well with their beer, now for some of you this may sound strange (eating is cheating may be a phrase you’ve come across or indeed used on several occassions), is food. Tapas goes perfectly with ice cold beer. Bocadillos de calamares (squid baguettes) are awesome, patatas bravas (spicy potatoes) will kick the butt of any pesky hang over and a plate of ham and cheeses you can either hog or share with your drinking buddies will all help to line the stomach for a day/night of drinking. Yep, it can be a hard life in Madrid.
If your Spanish is not up to scratch or you want a rest from sorting out all your mates, and trying to get them in line, then I recommend a guide. We had a really nice guide called Maria who took us on an excellent tapas/booze crawl which was well worth the very reasonable price.
Madrid stag match: Party All Night
Right, next up. The daytimes in Madrid are great. There’s always something going on. You can cruise around on a beer bike, highly recommended – you get Madrid sights with beer! Whoever came up with that idea needs a medal. Hang out in one of the many cool, beautiful parks dotted around the city, which is incidentally where a lot of the cool, beautiful Madrid women hang out. But this part of this I’m sure you’ll admit riveting little blog, is all about the nightlife. Madrid knows how to party. All night long. Everything starts late, mostly cause its so damn hot, people eat late and party until late, well early really.
Bars are the first stop and there are loads of trendy ones. I love all the bars in the old town, La Latina, which like most cities nowadays, is becoming the area to be seen in. It has a real young, vibrant, arty feel to it, juxtaposed against some gorgeous old architectural buildings and monuments. You can just feel the party vibe in the air. Plaza Santa Ana or Plaza de Chueca, the Malasaña area, Calle del Pez are all great areas to check out. And Avenida de Brasil near the Bernabeu stadium. Ah, yes the Madrid stadium, that leads me nicely onto my next point.
Things to do in Madrid: Football Fetish
Football. The Madrid stag match par excellence. You may have heard of the Madrid footy team before. They’re not bad. And their stadium isn’t too shabby either. It has to be seen, walked around and for the lucky ones sat in, stood up in, shouted and cheered in. The atmosphere in and around it is amazing.
Looking for For Real Madrid or Atletico football tickets. Click here.
If you’re up for just match with your own team, or to play against a local team form Madrid ask us.
Things to do in Madrid: Bonkers Bull Running
Another activity that is loads of fun and bonkers in a way that only Spain can achieve is the bull running. Now I don’t condone the real thing but baby bull running is different. They were not hurt in any way (the bulls not my mates) and having seen my mates run away from them at every opportunity, sometimes before the babies had even moved themselves, they (again the bulls not my mates) were definitely in charge (no pun intended). It is one of the funniest things I’ve ever done and the photos are priceless.
I hope my foray into a Madrid stag match has given you a bit of an insight into how amazing this happening, bustling, crazy, beautiful capital city is. There are so many great people to meet and so much to do, see, eat, watch and drink here that I always hate leaving and love coming back.
Claire Wilson
Choose from over 50 things to do in Madrid for groups (stag, hen or corporate). Browse our site and yu’ll see hundreds of suggestions using the menu above, or click on the links below. If what you want is not on the list use our contact form to the right of this page or call us. We’ll get straight back to you.
Madrid by Day – art, shopping, football and lunch!
By population Europe’s fourth largest city, Spain’s capital is a remarkably easy place to get around, with an underground system to envy and a ready supply of taxis that can be haled easily in the street. Things to do in Madrid is easy.
The city is one of Europe’s top centres for shopping, packed with lively lunch spots and a plethora of cultural sites, not to mention Real Madrid. Most visitors are surprised by how scenic and elegant a city Madrid is, especially under one of those awesome blue skies that made the city a mecca for great painters like Goya and Velazquez.
For shopping, you’ll find the best high street stores on Gran Via and near Puerta del Sol, with more exclusive ultra-trendy boutiques on Calle Fuencarral and Calle Serrano. More traditional goods and crafts can be found in the smaller shops near the Plaza Mayor. Some of the world’s greatest art treasures are on display in Madrid. You’ll find the best of them in Madrid’s three word-class museums, the Prado, the Thyssen-Bornemisza, and the Reina Sofia.
A diet of Madrid Football – Real and Atletico
Football fans will not want to miss out on a tour of Real Madrid’s Bernabeu Stadium and the fascinating Real Madrid Museum – a fundamental part of Europe’s sporting heritage. And with Atletico Madrid riding high in the Spanish Liga first division, you may also want to get tickets and visit the Wanda Metropolitan Stadium.
Try the Madrid Long Lunch
And do not deny yourself the pleasure of one of Madrid’s finest institutions: the 3-hour lunch! This usually involves an aperitif around 13:45, then at least three courses, copious red wine to wash down delicious cuts of meat, delicious fresh salads and cheeses, and usually a digestivo or local liqueur to send you delirious to your siesta!
Lunch lovers will also be delighted to find out that Madrid, although landlocked, is acknowledged in Spain as one of the best places to eat fresh fish and seafood, entirely due to the massive demand! ¡Buen provecho!
Things to do in Madrid – walk around!
Top Tip: Walk about! Like all great cities, Madrid is best discovered on foot. Start off at Puerta del Sol, and make sure you see Plaza Mayor, the Palacio Real, La Latina, Paseo del Prado and Chueca. If you do need transport, cabs are frequent and reasonable, or use the excellent modern Metro system which is safe, quick and clean.
Our Top 5 Stag Pranks
We’ve seen all sorts of ingenuity going in to the noble art of singling one man out and making him look like a total plonker. The extreme embarrassment of your stag through targeted stag pranks can bring on riotous moments of laughter and expose the flashman-style cruel streak not only in the best man (and father in law?) but in all of your group. Stag pranks come in all shapes and sizes, involve varying degrees of malevolence and can often involve carefully sourced professional services and….eh… the British Consulate.
Some stag joke ideas … and some candid feedback!
This article takes no moral position, it is both a word of warning as well as recommendation. We polled some of our guides around our office to find out what they thought based on almost 20 years of experience guiding stag groups around Spain.
Below is what they compiled as their top 5 five stag pranks. We have also added some comments made by the poor unsuspecting stags in the heat of the moment (names have been changed … for obvious reasons):
Mud wrestling (in chocolate or oil)
“It was a frankly awful predicament” –John, from Walsall.
This can cause extreme hilarity with the watching group and may in fact be not too unpleasant for the victim. It may be most excruciating for the father-in-law (because he doesn’t get to go…?). This consists of what appears to be a paddling pool full of goo (chocolate ? oil ?) in which, two rather scantily clad young ladies (usually) begin a wrestling match which tends to end with the poor stag in the middle in a sorts of fleshy, gooey and very naked sandwich. Definitely embarrassing, but not too harrowing !
Dwarfs in Spain
“I wouldn’t ever want to go through that again…” –Simon, from London
No, we don’t mean the FC Barcelona midfield and attack. This stag prank rates low on the morally acceptable league table, but that may not a principal consideration for the stag do you are planning. A diminutive but willing friend is found, and his or her presence is felt (for much longer than the stag may appreciate). This can range from handcuffing the little chap to the stag for a few hours, to finding a lady dwarf who will do a little striptease for your boy. Lovely. And terribly embarrassing.
False drugs bust
“The entire edifice I had constructed, my future married life, appeared to be crumbling in front of my eyes…” –Clive, Leeds.
It’s not normally good to have a brush with the local carabinieri (or Policia Local in Spain), so if you admire the long arm of the law, you may look at hiring a stunt policeman. This stag joke involves having a (fake) badge-carrying local copper (probably undercover) apprehend the dear stag, and give him a fairly embarrassing frisking (strip-searching can be arranged). If you can keep a straight face (and especially if you have planted some dodgy substances on the stag) this can be highly effective, and rates high on the harrowing count.
The Ugly Stripper
“My life was hell for 17 minutes” – Ravi from Yorkshire
The stag may suspect that a strip show will be laid on for him to enjoy at some stag of the weekend. So imagine his surprise, and disappointment, when the performer turns out to be obese, hirsute or…a just a bloke in drag. This stag prank will indeed provide surprise, and some duress to your victim, and hopefully not a taste of what is to come in married life.
The hard as nails football fan
“I was at ground zero…” –Stewart from Reading
Some stags have been known to show up wearing Barcelona shirts at Real Madrid matches…and vice versa. Definitely not recommended!
Tips on booking stag pranks in Spain
In general we recommend you remember you are abroad and certain stunts could lead to misunderstanding, and may be best carried out in relatively private circumstances (like the backroom of a bar ?) Most of all make sure no one tweets the photos (deleting from the phones before returning home is probably a good idea!). If you’d like more information or guidance on this dubious subject, get in touch.