Madrid Hen Night Ideas

We have a huge variety of hen night ideas in Madrid, such as a paella night, classic karaoke and even an opera dinner amongst many others. The city is awash with incredible bars, world-class restaurants and clubs which stay open until Madrid's many commuters start heading to work and beyond. Whether you want to dance until dawn or would sooner engage in cultural activities come nightfall, there really is something for everyone in this vibrant gem at the heart of Spain which is consistently popular with travellers, holidaymakers and party-seeking individuals too.

Your guide to hen nights in Madrid

Bars and Pubs

If you fancy simply relaxing, pubs in Madrid are cosy, intimate, very friendly and stay open until 2 and 3am, serving beer, wine and mixed drinks or get the best of both worlds in a disco-pubs which clear a space for an impromptu dance floor in the small hours and stay open until 6 or 7 in the morning. Calle Gran Via is where most party life kicks off, as is the financial district around the Paseo de la Castellana which famously never goes to bed. The multicultural Lavapes area and the Plaza de Bilbao are both worth a look too. Close to the Grand Va lies Areia Colonial which focuses on chilling out away from the city bustle and having a quiet drink and a chat with friends. The décor is decadent and Eastern-inspired and provides the perfect backdrop to tuck into one of their yummy, refreshing cocktails. When you're looking for something really special, don't miss out on the Dry bar by famous Spanish flavour fiend Javier de las Muelas in the Gran Melia Felix hotel, where expertly made traditional cocktails, as well as many original recipes, are concocted by expert mixologists.

More in Madrid

The nightlife in Madrid may well be legendary, but there's still so much to try out in this fiercely cultural, vibrant and diverse city when you fancy a night off from clubbing 'til the early hours. Located conveniently right on the Grand Via, check out the hip Circulo de Bellas Artes, or CBA for those in the know, and catch live music. Furthermore, Madrid could hardly be a better place to catch some Flamenco. Watch some of the best passionate Latin moves in the world at the Corral de la Moreria like a true Spaniard and we guarantee you'll be absolutely blown away in this totally authentic setting.

Moving About Madrid

It's no secret that Madrid is a big city and so attempting to stride across to your chosen bar, restaurant or party area in 6-inch stilettos and the residual heat of the day really isn't likely to work out. Luckily, the city is well-served by many fantastic public transport systems, primarily the underground Metro, which is the second largest in Europe next only to London. Tickets are cheap and the stations plentiful, with services running up until 2am in the week. At weekends, however, mindful of Madrid's insomniac party population, the MetroBho or 'night owl' night bus service runs between 1am and 5.30am and is absolutely perfect post-club. All of our accommodation for Madrid is located either within walking distance of the main party areas or close by to a convenient Metro station, making it really easy to get out and about at night despite the city's huge size.

Music and Moves

Although you'll certainly be able to get your fix of tacky Europop, Western chart hits and cheesy dance beats in Madrid, their music scene is mostly pretty cool. Madrileos are fiercely proud of their roots and heritage and so traditional Spanish music and more modern Latin beats really do feature predominantly and are pumped out in many of the major clubs - it may feel a little different at first, but get your salsa on and get down to those red hot funky beats! Live music, either in the form of traditional Spanish guitar in tiny bars where passionate ladies dance flamenco well into the night or quality jazz, blues and folk. As an overhang from the 80s and 90s, trance, house and techno is still really big business, so if you're into these trippy, high-frequency genres or just fancy giving it a try, you're in for a real treat. With over 120 discotheques, you'll be sure to find something which suits everyone in the city of Madrid, where partying really is a religion. It's worth noting that nightlife in the Spanish capital works on a completely different time frame to that of the UK, though. Because the weather is so hot, pre-club drinks kick off at around midnight and the party gets going in clubs around 2 and 3am, finishing up anywhere between 5am and lunchtime of the next day, so make sure you take an extra-long afternoon snooze and pace yourself well, ready for the night ahead!

Drinking in Madrid

Order up a 'copa', meaning mixed drink. Gin and tonic (simply ask for 'gintonic'), rum and coke or whiskey and coke are popular options, but beware of generous Spanish portions - those Latin barmen are a far cry from English landlords who measure their spirits in tiny cups. A 'verm', meaning vermouth is one rich traditional tipple which must be tried by every willing visitor and order up a 'caa' if you're ready to cool down with some seriously great value draught beer which definitely hits the spot in the heat. Madrid's locals have been set in their ways for years, but luckily for us, a recent surge of gastro-cocteleras which serve up yummy alcoholic-gastronomic delights have recently popped up all over the city. Try gastro bar 76 and choose from a menu that boasts over 100 cocktails made with only top quality spirits and ingredients in every colour of the rainbow. From bargain basement disco-bars which blast out pumping Eurotrash to ultra-modern, trendy bars right at the heart of the city, there's something to suit all tastes.

Dining in Madrid

The Spanish most definitely know how to eat and in summer don't often get around to lunch until around 3 and tend to have dinner at midnight because of the sweltering temperatures. World cuisines are certainly to be found in this diverse and multicultural city, but traditional Spanish food really is where it's at, so make sure to try out their fantastically prepared seafood, fresh from the huge fish market which is second only to Tokyo's in size and quality and hundreds of teeny tiny tapas dishes. If you're feeling indulgent, splash out on a 'mariscada', meaning seafood feast. Check in at a 'casa de comida' if you're looking for great examples of fine Spanish cooking like hearty local stews and traditionally prepared fish dishes. Generally, dishes are ordered by size in Spain, so choose your dish and ask for it as a 'racin', or 'full dish', right down to 'tapa' or 'pinxto' for a tiny mouthful. When you're out on the streets, churros and chocolate, a diet-busting traditional dish of long, thin doughnuts dipped in thick, custardy chocolate sauce is a real must. Madrid is a city of high gastronomy, so do consider setting aside a little cash to check out incredible restaurants like El Club Allard, Diverxo or Zalacain when you're in town. If molecular gastronomy and complicated Spanish phrases sound a little more taxing for the hen night than you had planned, then let us do all the hard work when it comes to dinnertime in Madrid. Book up a group-pleasing meal to keep everyone stress-free and indulge in a night of dinner, drinks and hunky strippers, a unique and cultural opera dinner or just tuck into a big plate of tasty paella!

Go with GoHen

Madrid really is up there with the very best tourist cities in Europe and makes for a perfect city hen break, as there's such a huge range of activities, clubs and bars out there for everyone to enjoy and a world-class nightlife which never stops. From the sexy strippers that your whole group will love to paella and flamenco for a true taste of Spain, you'll be spoilt for choice in Madrid. There are so many nightlife options on offer though, that you're more than welcome to craft and create your very own package to suit your group perfectly. Come and join the party in magical Madrid, the city that never sleeps!