Celebrating a birthday in Madrid can be an ordeal if you do not know what to do. And if you decide to have a party at home it is likely that your house will end badly and the relationship with your neighbors, worse. So scrutinizing all the possibilities of an event to celebrate that you are still in the world seems the most sensible option, even more so in a city with so many options.
Renting a space
One of the first options that comes to mind is to move the party to a local, and within this there are two other alternatives: rent a space for hours in which music, food, drinks and so on are on your account or explore the option of some bars and restaurants that already have a modus operandi with prices, space and even closed menus to celebrate birthdays in Madrid.
1. Café del Rey
With a capacity of up to 100 people (there’s no telling how long your list of friends can be) the terrace of Café del Rey is perfect for the good weather. It’s actually a tiki bar with hammocks and surfboards, more typical of a Caribbean beach bar than the center of the capital. The daiquiris and other more exotic cocktails go luxuriously with the chill out music and the white sand that carpets the patio. Its cocktail menu for events with an open bar for two hours is one of the most complete in the city.
📍 Paseo del Rey, 22 (Principe Pío).
💸 F rom €40
2. Off Latina Space
Yes, it is also a theater, but Off Latina has two rooms and a bar that they rent for all kinds of events, including birthdays, perfect for not giving the bummer in your building. If you also want to forget about preparations, there is the possibility of hiring the catering service and / or drinks at the bar.
📍 Calle de los Mancebos, 4 (La Latina)
150 € per hour. A minimum of three hours.
With a brunch
If in the millennial imaginary there is a hedonistic plan par excellence, that is a brunch morning. What for previous generations was an aperitif of vermouth and tapas, now occupies a hybrid of breakfast and lunch with a cocktail to top it off, which has conquered the weekend menus of many restaurants and cafes in the capital. There is no better way to start a day of celebration.
3. Casa Suecia Brunch
Since its renovation, Hotel Casa Suecia has become a gastronomic hot spot in the capital. Casa Suecia’s restaurant has its own bakery, so you can imagine how delicious and freshly made their pastries are. As if that wasn’t enough, they also make their own yogurt: could this be the most artisanal brunch in Madrid? Maybe. Go, order it and top it off with a good cocktail, it’s a special day.
📍 Calle del Marqués de Casa Riera, 4 (Sol-Chueca).
💸 30 € with this plan.
4. Carmencita Brunch
Although there is a lot of brunch offer in Madrid, there are few specialized places. Carmencita Bar is one of them. Meeting point for hipsters, foodies and lovers of eggs benedict (theirs are some of the best we’ve tried). Their brunch has several options to choose from, although there is also a closed menu perfect for those who prefer to let themselves go.
📍 Calle de San Vicente Ferrer, 51 and 57 (Malasaña); Calle Sombrerería, 6 (Lavapiés) and Calle de la Cava Alta, 32 (La Latina).
💸 F rom 15,5 €.
A special dinner
Let’s say your birthday falls on a weekday and you have to work, is there a better way to save it than having a nice dinner? If we get fancy, it’s the perfect excuse to try one of the Michelin-starred restaurants in the capital. But if you want to discover your next top restaurant, versatile and unpretentious, these are the proposals:
Yugo The Bunker: Japanese cuisine with Michelin star.
Yugo the Bunker is the symbiosis of experience and product quality that can only result in one thing: one of the best gastronomic evenings, whatever your culinary background. This restaurant, with a Michelin star, replicates the experience of eating in a Japanese bunker and brings together some of the best cuts of fish that can be found in Spain in its sea bass belly nigiri or the ora king salmon usuzukuri.
📍 Calle San Blas, 4 (Las Letras)
💸 Tasting menu from 145 €.
6. Yeca Estrit Fud
It’s hard to compare Yeca Estrit Fud, so it’s best to let its menu speak for itself. Among its highlights is the chicken green curry with pumpkin – the level of spiciness suitable for all palates and perfectly balanced with the sweetness of the pumpkin. Or the Thai beef, lime and herb salad. Another Vietnamese-inspired dish is the Banh Xeo (crispy pancakes with bacon, shrimp, sprouts and herbs).
One advantage is that you will not waste time choosing among their dishes, their menu is reduced (just eight dishes and a dessert). Another advantage: you will spend about 20 € per head to eat what in another restaurant they would sell you for a much higher price. It is a small place (literally 4 tables and they do two shifts for lunch and dinner) so it is advisable to book.
Paseo de la Chopera, 33 (Arganzuela)
Around 20 € per person.
Spas
If we continue in our ode to the most superficial pleasure, the road leads us only here. No need to explain, it’s your birthday, it’s time to enjoy.
7. Hammam Al Ándalus
The Hammam, a classic, is one of the best known thermal baths in Spain. The one in Granada, inaugurated twenty-two years ago, was the first modern Arab bath in the country. In Madrid it is located on Atocha Street and is built on the ruins of an ancient Roman cistern. The Mudejar inspiration of the place, the dim light, the perfumes and the Sufi music, undoubtedly, transport the sense to that Andalusian tradition as the name indicates.
Calle de Atocha, 14 (Downtown)
Relaxing experience with thermal baths, Turkish bath and massage 55 €.
8. Four Season
A whim is a whim and this is an expert level one. It is the largest urban spa, in the first Four Seasons hotel in Spain, is undoubtedly one of the best options to celebrate a birthday in Madrid. It is all splurge and luxury. Its four floors make a total of 1,400 square meters, among which there is an indoor pool with the best views, a solarium from which you can see the Plaza de Canalejas, rooms for the most exclusive treatments and a gym open 24 hours.
Calle de Sevilla, 3 (downtown)
Treatments from 95 €.
A getaway
Sometimes the best thing is to be able to dedicate the time you want to be with someone and there is nothing like a getaway near Madrid to concentrate only on that, on being.
9. La bodega del Quintín
If in addition to sharing an experience, you take something from it, the better, so a one night plan with wine tasting, cheese tasting, dinner and breakfast, is an ideal plan to celebrate a birthday near Madrid without having to think about every detail. Just make a reservation and let yourself be carried away by the tannins of wine.
Calle Toril, 2 (Villarejo de Salvanés)
Basic pack for two people 130 €.
10. El Toril Glamping
In El Toril you can forget about light pollution and sleep seeing real stars, plus you’ll only be an hour and a quarter from the center of Madrid. Its bubble rooms, with transparent walls and ceiling, are equipped with telescope and private jacuzzi. It’s the perfect opportunity to take a nice hiking route and return to the tent for a relaxing bath, or even a spa session.
📍 Velada, Toledo
Bed and breakfast for two people 225 €.
Courses by taste
In a world where almost everything we do has a practical purpose, sometimes you have to do things for knowledge and pleasure. If you imagine a parallel life in which you would do many things for no other reason than this, it is time to take advantage of your birthday to learn what you really want.
11. Espositivo Academy
Espositivo is a painting workshop and exhibition gallery that brings together painting dilettantes from 8 to 64 years old. There are intensive courses, others last the whole year and even a master’s degree. They can range from beginners to people who want to improve and explore their skills. Sculpture, drawing in movement, watercolor, are some of the options you can find entering this highly sought after academy.
📍 Calle Palafox, 5 (Chamberí)
Depends on the course.
12. Marta ceramics
And in this trend of using your hands again to create something tangible and beautiful, or at least try to, there are workshops like Marta Cerámica. Their courses are very flexible, ranging from two hours to annual courses. They also have a firing service and private classes.
📍 San Anastasio Street, 2 (Arganzuela)
Ceramic experience from 240 €.
Picnic
If you are lucky enough to have a birthday in spring or early autumn, this is a very pleasant and economical option.
13. The Casa de Campo Lake
To sit and enjoy the sun, food and flowers, the surroundings of the lake are ideal for picnics and you can also observe the emblematic Edificio España from some points. If they are too crowded and you want to have the party in peace, there is an area near behind the tennis courts with tables and a gazebo, surely, with less people and much greenery. It is possible that on the way you will find a rabbit hole, the area is crowded, but you have to be attentive.
📍 Country House
14. El Pardo picnic area
If you prefer a picnic area so as not to put the birthday banquet on the ground, one of the best is located in El Pardo. Following the Senda Fluvial del Manzanares you reach this forest. Crossing the Puente de los Capuchinos and bordering this magnificent mountain that is one of the best preserved Mediterranean forests in Europe, once at the dam near Mingorrubio, you will find an area of tables designed for outdoor dining.
📍 San Anastasio Street, 2 (El Pardo)
Treat yourself
It’s great to get gifts, but buying what you really want is a perfect prize for another year on earth.
15. Wow
Wow Concept is in the heart of Gran Via and is the evolution of the concept store to luxury shopping center. It has a selection of beauty and fashion brands difficult to find in Spain; risky, very linked to design and high prices. They also have a floor dedicated to decoration and another dedicated to technology and video games. Here you don’t buy necessities, but whims.
📍 Gran Vía Street, 18 (Downtown)
16. Taschen
Having a Taschen bookstore in Madrid is a privilege that you have to take advantage of from time to time and giving yourself a book as a gift is the best way to do it. This publisher focuses on art, design, architecture, photography and film publications. And many of its editions are collector’s editions. Examples of the latter are the Dali Tarot book or, one of the most popular, The Personal Archives of Stanley Kubrick. So it is the perfect place to buy a gift for that ascetic friend who boasts of coffee table books.
Calle de Barquillo, 30 (Chueca)
An experience in the dark
To develop creativity you don’t need to have the light on.
Neon Brush
Are you looking for something different to have fun with your partner, family or group of friends on your birthday? Write down on paper with a pen what Neon Brush proposes: a painting workshop with fluorescent lights that, in addition to playing a cool playlist, includes two drinks and all the necessary material to bring out your most creative side. Grab your brush and have a laugh among neon lights!
Calle de Irún, 23 (Principe Pío)
A private movie theater
Artistic Metropol is one of the cheapest cinemas you can go to in Madrid, but you can also rent a room for you and your friends for your birthday. The price per person is 5€ and you have to gather a minimum of 10 people, who can enjoy the movie of your choice for two hours, even if you want they can also project a small personal video that you have prepared for the occasion.