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Night life in Spain

The nightlife in Spain can be extremely limited in rural areas where most bars and clubs are closed by midnight but in the more urban areas such as Puerto Banus there is lots to do. Cinema is now a more established way for many Spaniards to spend their evening and for an up to date listing for cinemas on the costa del sol click here.

The nightlife in Spain is the most vibrant of any country you are ever likely to visit, bars and clubs never seem to close and families live every single minute of their lives to the full.

The Costa’s and islands have their own inimitable kind of nightlife, which caters to tourists and locals alike, although many visitors think that it exists solely for their benefit. But the fact is that Iberians know how to enjoy themselves (they sleep less than any other European nationality) and nightlife is a very important facet of the Spanish way of life. A case could be made that it is the nightlife capital of Europe, if not the world.

Spanish Nightlife Glossary

Pub
Pronounced 'puff.' These are establishments catering to 'early' revellers - until about 3 am, depending on bye-laws. The word originally meant a place decorated to look like the inside of an English pub, with dark colours and fake leather upholstery, however if you visit one in this condition these days it means it is in desperate need of refurbishment, for they are now more likely to be your staple type of nightlife locale as a visitor, they tend to be themed, with no expense spared on sound systems, and offering every possible incentive for you to part with your money.

After
these are after-hours bar, places that open at six or seven in the morning, as the clubs are closing.

Club

Beware of this one, for it can literally mean a Brothel, although in the past few years it may well be a club more in keeping with what one may imagine. In the event of it being the former enter one at your own risk, drinks are expensive, the employees very pushy and generally speaking they can be devoid of any culture whatsoever. You will find them everywhere, most noticeably strung out along main roads, where they are exceptionally well illuminated.

Copa

This word means 'glass' as in the recipient, but also refers to almost anything you drink in a pub, especially in a tall glass.

Disco-Pub

A late-night bar where great care is taken over the quality of the music and sound, these are likely to have a DJ or at least a waiter who acts as such and very possibly even a dance floor: in smaller towns and cities, particularly, disco-pubs have the same function as discotheques.

Discoteca

This is an easy one, and the place you want to go if you feel like burning off some calories from all those tapas eaten during the day. here the entrance price will normally include your first drink, which you can make last all night if at all possible, and as with any international discos the more exclusive the disco, the greater the difference between the entrance price and drinks prices.

Lifestyle Links for Spain