Gay Pride – European Headquarters, Madrid

Translation: My Liberty Guards Yours

Madrid Streets Have No Shame

by Justo Flores

If you are reading this article outside of Madrid City, my first recommendation is to get on the Internet right know and buy a ticket: You MUST come! From Wednesday to Sunday (even more: it depends on how much you can take!), Madrid is the European Gay Pride headquarters!

In Spain, this means that people are going to be filling the streets day and night celebrating the pride of being gay.

The epicentre of this phenomenon is Plaza de Chueca (subway line 5). Right there, on the corner, in typical Spanish fashion, you can enjoy a traditional vermouth – it’s a pity you won’t be able to see the stage from there as you could appreciate the meaning of “petardeo” (Camp)!

In spite of the exhilarating programmed shows and singers (they start around 7:00 pm), I recommend another site – the Plaza de Vazquez de Mella, in the same neighbourhood, a little more than 5 minutes on foot. The streets are so jammed that it’s not easy to move – luckily for us, all the bars are serving on all the sidewalks!

In this very open Plaza, you will enjoy different DJ’s from various clubs in town: from 10:30 pm to 3 am, more or less.

The place is just like a huge outdoor dance floor with more than six bars where you can get your mojitos and sangria. The plaza closes at 3 am, but the party continues.

It’s up to you if you finish in a mega disco, in a house party, or even in your own room. The streets are fully proud these days and they don’t sleep – neither should you.

See you around!