Flamingo languages

Welcome to Madrid – Gay-friendly Party Capital of Spain!

Right after arriving in Madrid, you will discover why “Madrileños” are known as “Los Gatos” i.e. Cats: This city’s inhabitants certainly know how to party all night! In fact, the traditional way to finish one of those all-night-out-on-the-town experiences is to head straight from the clubs into one of the city’s numerous cafeterias for a typical “Chocolate-con-Churros” breakfast: The “Chocolate” part of this very Spanish breakfast consists of a coffee cup filled with a thick chocolate syrup strongly resembling a melted bar of dark chocolate, while the “Churros” part consists of dough fritters you are supposed to dip into the hot chocolate syrup and then eat, ideally without spilling too much chocolate all over yourself nor others in your immediate vicinity . Instant satisfaction guaranteed!

Madrid, Spain’s capital, has a thriving gay community and is a very open, cosmopolitan city that welcomes the full range of mankind, from its most traditional to its uttermost outrageous. “Live and Let Live!” seems to be the motto of the locals! Spaniards as a whole seem to be firmly focused on life in the present, and want to enjoy that present moment for as long as it lasts. They find it an absolute waste of time to regret what happened in the past, or worry about any disasters that may happen tomorrow, an attitude that certainly seems to contribute to a great party environment.

In late 2005, Spain legalised same-sex marriages, only the third country in the world to do so, perhaps much to the surprise of foreigners who had missed Spanish society’s speedy transition from conservative isolation to modern openness.

Madrid’s gay heart is the neighbourhood called Chueca (getting off at metro station Chueca brings you straight into the centre this neighbourhood). Chueca starts just north of the Gran Via, the major avenue bordered by some of the city’s most elegant 19th century /early 20th century architecture, cutting from east to west through Madrid’s centre.

The Chueca neighbourhood has experienced a real renaissance over the last decade: Previously very run down, and with a severe drug problem during the early 1990s, Chueca has undergone a complete makeover and is now the hippest barrio in Madrid. Even a decade ago, Chueca had a discreet presence of gay-oriented bars, but the area now bursts with the trendiest bars, clubs, restaurants and shops. The daytime atmosphere is a happy mix of charming tradition and modern consumerism, while the atmosphere at night is definitely wild!