A super-cool terraza set in its own small park. The plentiful tables in the front bar are filled by midnight and the overflow swells on to the surrounding gentle slope of...

There's nothing funny about Bar de la Comedia. Instead expect a welcome change of pace on this frenzied strip. An international crowd do their thing to a steady soundtrack of...

This huge, multi-tiered church between Puerta de Toledo and the Palacio Real is difficult to miss. A monastery on the site, reputedly founded by Saint Francis of Assisi, was...

Camper than the Christmas lights with which it's decorated, this cabaret club is quite something. It's also something quite unusual. Drag queens, magicians, bolero singers and...

In the same plaza as the Hotel Ritz, Madrid's stock exchange is a landmark as well as a business centre. Enrique María Repullés won the competition to design it in 1884, with a...

Escape from the beer-crawl route that is Huertas by slipping into this superb jazz club. There's no cover charge, but the drinks are a bit pricey. A strong backer of Spanish...

As well as a sizeable summertime terrace outside, Corto has a great vibe inside, with a troupe of guest DJs spinning a varied selection of deep house, electro and...

This vast garden was named after a Muslim leader in the Middle Ages, Ali Ben Yusut, who attempted to capture the fortress that is now the Palacio Real. Unfortunately, it is...

A firm fixture on the scene, this frenetic flamenco bar plays a mixture of flamenco and rumba tunes, often to thundering effect as the crowd dance, stamp and clap both on and...

Housed in the 1872 Palacio de Linares, the Casa de América showcases Latin American art, both by established figures and emerging talents. It also has the important role of...

This exhibition space in the Retiro, close to the boating lake, is run by the local council and offers shows on a variety of subjects, ranging from children's books to wildlife...

Housed in a former barracks, built in the 18th century for Philip V's guard by Pedro de Ribera, the magnificently restored Conde Duque is a multipurpose cultural centre. Around...

This small museum is run by the ICO, a state credit bank. Its collection has three main parts: most important among them is Picasso's Suite Vollard series, a milestone in...

Spain's parliament, the Cortes, was built in 1843-50 by Narciso Pascual y Colomer on the site of a recently demolished monastery, which has led to no end of problems, as the...