Smart & Sexy Locals Tell You Where To Hang Out In Madrid & Barcelona

Planning a trip to Spain in the new year? Let these savvy local experts guide you to their favorite hangouts in Madrid and Barcelona.

Auston MattaAuston Matta, American expat living in Madrid who along with his partner David Brown runs the popular gay travel blog Two Bad Tourists

  • For a bar, we love La Kama located in Chueca. It’s a nice bar that’s packed any night of the week. Gymage is in Malasaña and it’s a cool rooftop terrace.
    Delirio is a late night club that’s also packed any night of the week.
  • For weekends the big parties lately are Kluster every Friday, which is a mature crowd and house music, and WE Party, which is an institution in Madrid now for 6 years. They are monthly, plus they do the 7 day New Years Festival and 6 day Pride Festival in July. It’s a bit like the White Party or Xlsior when they do the festivals.
  • For day time, we love Retiro Park. Great way to spend the afternoon strolling.

 

Juan Julia

Juan Juliá, Barcelona native and owner of the hetero-friendly Axel Hotel Group

  • If you like raw fish and seashell food, Espai Kru is the place for you. A must in Barcelona. Very cozy place, very helpful staff and nice treatment. Innovating cuisine, more than just a dinner, they surprise you with many creative combinations.
  • Hoja Santa has real Mexico taste and quality. With the tasting menu are all the flavors of traditional Mexican cuisine , first quality, very careful presentation and treatment.
  • SkyBar by Axel Hotel Barcelona is the ideal place to enjoy the coolest atmosphere of Barcelona and the most inspiring music and cocktails. The perfect place to hang out and meet fun people as a real local, to experience the best gay/LGBT scene in the city.
  • Cocteleria l’Ascensor  is a “clasico” bar in Barcelona’s nightlife. Standing in a small street, this modernist place welcomes you with open arms. The house Gintonic is simply perfect, fresh and balanced. They even offer you a nice Catalan snack (bread and tomato) with the drink.

 

Gurgen MikayelyanGurgen Mikayelyan, Armenian expat living in Madrid, communications director for Shangay (Spain’s biggest LGBT magazine) and co-owner of Greek deli Greek and Shop

  • The Malasaña area in the center of Madrid has now become a trendy area for all sort of crowds to go out, dine, etc. Madrid has become very mixed, so there s a great atmosphere, especially in Malasaña.
  • I have a place called Greek and Shop in Malasaña. In a short time it’s become a place to hang out for the gay community due to its original decor, location, food served, and good prices. It’s the place to be during the day to have coffee and sample some of the food we serve, including Greek specialities.
  • By night, there is a club on Saturday called Kluster. Very popular, tends to attract masculine, gym and bears type, but quite mixed really.
  • WE Party is probably the most popular disco… huge venue, lots of gym type boys and men, excellent music, famous DJs.

 

Lukas TeixeraLukas Teixeira, Brazilian expat living in Barcelona, model and PR envoy for local club The Black Room

  • Axel Hotel’s terrace bar because it’s the coolest gay bar in Barcelona.
  • Moeem because it’s always the most crowded local gay bar.
  • And for partying, The Black Room (where I work) because has the best house and the most fun crowd.
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