Nightlife Tips for Madrid

Everyone obsesses over Malasaña. La Latina is where locals actually drink.

Start anywhere along Calle Cava Baja around 9:30pm. Order caña (small beer) and whatever tapa they recommend. Move every 30 minutes. That's the drill. The entire street transforms into an outdoor party Thursday through Saturday.

End at El Viajero's rooftop around midnight for proper cocktails and panoramic city views. Their bartenders know what they're doing, unlike the tourist cocktail bars in Sol. Metro: La Latina, Line 5. Exit toward Plaza de la Cebada.

Real talk: Skip the guidebook bars. Follow the crowd of well-dressed Spanish people in their thirties. They know where to go.