My 3 Favorite Rooftops in Madrid

With the hot summer nights in Madrid, the latest trend is rooftop restaurants. If you’re like me, you know how exciting it feels to discover a fun trendy place. With new restaurants popping up all over the city it is hard to narrow down which ones to visit. Different rooftop restaurants offer different things such as tapas, full course meals, or just drinks. While their popularity increases during the summer, they do also operate in the winter time.

For a place in central Madrid: Radio

The DJ at Radio with people on the dance floor | Nour Elshazly

Radio, located at the top of ME hotel in Plaza Santa Ana. Radio attracts a group of young adults who are very fashionable. Overall people at Radio dress business casually and are often in small groups. In the center of the rooftop. The music that is plays is moderately loud to create an almost club-like vibe. The type of music is light EDM music. The crowd on a Friday night has a big majority of English speaking customers. The people working at the rooftop also are familiar with English which makes it simple for tourists to communicate with the people who work there. If you’re worried about feeling too warm, don’t worry because there is a mist machine and releases a cold mist of water every minute. Theo has worked at                                                                                                                     Radio for the past four years. He let me know that Saturdays is their busiest day of the week, especially during the summer.

For the best view of the city: Azotea at Círculo Bellas Artes

The view of Madrid from Círculo Bellas Artes | Nour Elshazly

Another popular rooftop that is tourist friendly but also a common spot for locals is Círculo Bellas Artes. This rooftop is known for its view of Madrid and how busy it is. It is above a museum. There is a grass lounge area where people enjoy relaxing and sipping on their drinks and eating tapas. Behind the grass area, there is a screen that has tropical videos playing while they also have music going on in the background. There are cocktail tables where people can enjoy drinks and also an area where they have tables set up for people who are also having dinner. This rooftop also features mist machines to keep people cool. The waiters at Círculo Bellas Artes are also familiar with English which makes the ordering an easier process. While at the rooftop I talked to two girls who were friends that were spending the evening at this rooftop. Olivia, half-English, half-French and is here in Madrid on holiday. It was her first time at Círculo Bellas Artes and she was enjoying her time because of the music. Claire is her long-term friend who has recently moved to Madrid and has lived here for five months now. Claire regularly frequents this particular rooftop because she enjoys the view, the atmosphere and the people. The food offered at this rooftop has a wide variety that would satisfy different palettes.

For a view of the city while lounging by the pool: La Terraza de Óscar

View of the pool on the rooftop | Nour Elshazly

Terraza de Óscar is one of the few rooftops in Madrid that not only offers a view of the city, but also features pools on the rooftops. This restaurant is located on top of the Room Mate hotel in Chucea, which is known for its LGBT community. While there are not a lot of food options at this particular rooftop, there are over 30 drinks offered. This rooftop has plenty of different smoothie and cocktail options. If you are staying at the Room Mate hotel you will have free access to the pools on the rooftop. However, if you are not staying at the hotel then there are packages you can purchase if you did want access to the pool. The music played on this rooftop makes you feel like you are at a pool party and the waiters are dressed very casually in shorts and stripped t-shirts. Terraza de Óscar is a good option if you have a large group because you can easily maneuver the different lounge chairs and tables. This location is also convenient because they do not accept reservations and just operate on a first come, first served basis. The crowd here is mainly young adults who are dressed in almost beach-wear like clothing. While visiting Terraza de Óscar I came across an American girl from Los Angeles California, named Sylvia, who was staying in a nearby hostel. She expressed, “I like the rooftop because of how the weather feels cooler up on the roof and how it is similar to some of the rooftops that are located in Los Angeles.”

Radio; Located on the rooftop of the ME Madrid Reina Victoria Hotel; Plaza de Santa Ana, 14, Madrid; +34 912 764 747; Monday-Thursday 9:00pm-1:30am, Friday-Saturday 9:00pm-3:00am, Sunday 9:00pm-1:30am.

Azotea at Círculo Bellas Artes; Alcalá,42, Madrid; +34 913 605 400; Monday-Thursday 9:00am-2:00am, Friday 9:00am-3:00am, Satuday 11:00am-3:00am, Sunday 11:00am-2:00am.

Terraza de Óscar; Located on the roof of Room Mate Hotel; Plaza de Pedro Zerolo, 12, Madrid; +34 917 011 173; Monday-Friday 6:00pm-2:00am, Saturday-Sunday 4:30pm-2:00am.