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Madrid has been named one of the 20 best nightlife cities in the world, according to a new ranking from Time Out.

 

The Spanish capital came 14th globally, making it one of just six European cities to break into the top 20. More than 24,000 people in 150 cities were asked about their local nightlife, with factors including quality, affordability, safety, diversity and how easy it is to find a sense of community all taken into account.

 

Madrid's biggest advantage may be something Spaniards already know well: the night starts late and finishes even later. Time Out notes that nights out rarely get going before 11pm, with some continuing until breakfast.

 

The city offers plenty of choice too, from traditional bars and casual pubs to major clubs and live music venues. Neighbourhoods including Malasaña, Chueca, La Latina and Lavapiés are particularly well known for their concentration of places to go out, while newer additions include cocktail bars offering tarot readings and palmistry alongside drinks and high-fidelity bars inspired by Japan's listening-bar culture.

 

And it's not just the experts who rate Madrid highly. 79% of locals surveyed gave the city's nightlife a positive rating, with 62% particularly praising its clubbing scene and 68% its pubs and bars. Affordability also scored reasonably well, with 78% of respondents saying it was cheap to grab a drink.

 

Madrid may have made Spain proud, but it still has some serious competition.

 

Bangkok took the number one spot, followed by Berlin, New York, Melbourne and São Paulo. Medellín, Johannesburg, Brighton, Beijing and Amsterdam completed the top 10. Porto came 11th and Athens 13th, putting Madrid sixth among the European cities on the list.

 

So if you're planning a city break and don't mind keeping the evening going long after most European cities have gone to bed, Madrid looks like a pretty good bet.

 

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