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Madrid Gay Travel Guide
Madrid is the vibrant capital of a country that pulses with life and passion. Renowned as one of the most beautiful and exotic cities in Europe, most gay visitors end up here not because of the city’s modest gay scene, but because the city is just so darned fascinating! You first stop should be Puerta del Sol (Door of the Sun), the massive square in the middle of the city (and, indeed, in the middle of Spain!) It is always bustling with life, day or night. Your next stop should be Plaza Mayor, a 17th century arcaded square filled with shops, cafes, and tapas bars. Its murals and baroque architecture are simply stunning. The Palacio Real is the largest palace in all of Europe (3,000 rooms---they’re always looking for people who are good with vacuums). Museum buffs won’t want to miss The Prado Museum, one of the world’s finest art collections. And why not immerse yourself in the country’s national pastime, bullfighting? Come on, we know you love sequins! But if you’re not bold enough to jump in the ring with an angry bull, sequins or no, you should at least check out Las Ventas, Spain’s most famous bullfighting arena. Whether you’re a critic or a fan, you owe it to yourself to experience this, the most Spanish of all activities. And speaking of Spanish, it’s a great idea to know some. Virtually every publication is en Español, and not everyone you run into on the street will speak English. But you can struggle by with a few basic words in your vocabulary. (Cerveza = Beer. Bano = Bathroom.) The Metro is the cheapest and most convenient way to get around the city. Madrid’s modest gay district, Chueca, is remarkably compact, with virtually every gay establishment either on Plaza Chueca (at the Chueca Metro stop), or a block west on Calle Pelayo.
Gay Madrid Bars, Restaurants and Clubs
Before you hit the scene, pick up a free copy of Mapa Gay de Madrid at the Berkana Bookstore on Calle Hertaleza a few blocks from Chueca Square. After that, head a block back towards Chueca to Calle Pelayo. Once there, a great place to start is Troyans, a large bar with a friendly crowd. LL Bar is a cavernous space that gets popular later in the evenings. Madrid’s Eagle [C. Pelayo 30] is just a few blocks down. Out in Chueca Square, try Clip Bar. Within a few blocks in each direction a number of popular spots hide away, including Black and White, which attracts a young crowd, as does Rimmel. Cruising Bar (we still haven’t figured out what goes on here…) draws an after-work crowd that usually lingers until the wee hours. A few blocks farther, near Plaza de los Cibeles, is the enormously popular Liquid. The leather crowd favors New Leather Club, Hot Bear’s Bar, and Copper.
Madrid loves its clubs. Escape is probably the most popular dance club in Chueca, drawing a young crowd. Mito rocks until the sun rises. Sachas is one of Chueca’s largest. Sunrise is also popular. If you’re looking for mega-clubs, you may need to venture beyond Chueca. The Shangay Tea Dance on Sunday nights at Cool Club is Madrid’s biggest gay dance party. Strong Center is also popular, mostly for its Saturday night scene.
There are cafes and restaurants scattered around Chueca, all of which are heavily patronized by gays and lesbians. La Sastreria is a chic corner, also offering internet access. Momo serves lunch and dinner until midnight every day. Star’s Cafe has an extensive cafe menu and a popular bar. XXX Cafe isn’t as explicit as its name might convey, but they do serve until the wee hours.
Gay Friendly and Gay Madrid Hotels
Madrid boasts a number of gay hostals, or small hotels, and most feature private bathrooms!!! That’s pretty rare for guesthouses in Europe, which is why we chose to end that statement with three exclamation points. Hispa Domus offers 7 modest rooms in Chueca. Hostal Hispano is a larger property near the Mito danceclub. Hostal Odesa claims to be Madrid’s longest-running exclusively gay hotel, as well as offering some apartment rentals around Chueca. Pension Chueca has 8 simple rooms and free internet. Hostal la Zona has 14 rooms a few blocks outside the gay district. If you’re in Madrid for the scenery and not the bars, you’d best book at Hostal Puerta del Sol, perched right at the pulsing heart of the city, and completely and utterly gay. Hostal Adriano sits right between Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor, a little farther from Chueca.
Call an edirp.com gay travel specialist at 1-888-EDIRP-EZ (1-888-334-7739) or (214) 520-0345 (U.S.) to book any of the hotels mentioned above. Any hotels with links may be booked via our secure online booking system.
Madrid Gay Pride and other Gay Events
Madrid’s Pride celebration takes place the last weekend of June each year, and thousands of gays and lesbians from all over the country flock there to take part in the massive parade.
Travel guide by Benjamin Starr, a travel writer who claims the entire world as his home. When he's not at home, he can sometimes be found at a residence in Dallas, Texas. To contact Ben, email him at benjaminstarr@sbcglobal.net. |
