Azotea del Circulo de Bellas Artes on Calle de Alcala is the iconic Madrid rooftop bar atop the 1926 arts centre, with a 360 degree skyline view and a Spanish-Mediterranean carte from breakfast through cocktails.
Tip: Around 5 euros for the elevator up; busy at sunset, quieter for the noon coffee. The terrace runs to 01:30 weeknights and 02:00 weekends.
Address: Calle de Alcala 42, 28014 Madrid
The 360 Rooftop Bar on the 27th floor of the Hotel Riu Plaza Espana in the Edificio Espana on Gran Via is Madrid's highest hotel terrace, with panoramic skyline views and a famous glass balcony walkway.
Tip: Open daily 11:00 to 01:00 with kitchen to 23:30; last entry midnight. The glass balcony is the photo stop; queues build at sunset.
The Hat Rooftop on Calle Imperial sits on top of a Plaza Mayor adjacent hostel and serves cocktails and small plates with a southern skyline view, popular with the centre's twenty-something traveller crowd.
Tip: Tipple-and-tapas terrace open most days from 13:00 to 23:45; closing earlier on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Walk-in only, the room is small.
Picalagartos Sky Bar on the ninth floor of the NH Collection Gran Via at the corner of Calle de la Montera runs a terrace with 360 views, a cocktail programme by Azotea Group and a separate eighth-floor restaurant.
Tip: Sky bar is first-come first-served, no reservations; the eighth-floor dining room takes bookings. Smart casual at the door; the corner Gran Via view is the photo seat.
La Terraza del Casino on the top floor of the Casino de Madrid on Calle de Alcala has been Paco Roncero's two-Michelin-starred tasting-menu rooftop since 1990, redesigned by Jaime Hayon in tropical blues and greens.
Tip: Tasting menu only, dinner-led reservation through OpenTable or the restaurant; bar in the Casino room before the meal. Smart-elegant attire required.
Ginkgo Sky Bar on the 12th floor of the VP Plaza Espana Design hotel on Plaza de Espana runs a 360 degree terrace with a glass-floor swimming pool, Japanese-Mediterranean tapas and a year-round cocktail programme.
Tip: Open from 13:00; the pool is the photo seat. The floor-to-ceiling glass walls slide back in summer. Reservation through the venue site is the easy way in.
Terraza de Sabatini on the rooftop of the Apartosuites Jardines de Sabatini on Calle de Bailen serves cocktails and tapas with a direct view of the Royal Palace and the Sabatini Gardens, summer-season only.
Tip: Bar open May to September; reservations on the hotel site. The seat to ask for is the south-facing corner with the full palace facade in view.
The 360 Rooftop Bar on the 27th floor of the Hotel Riu Plaza Espana in the Edificio Espana on Gran Via is Madrid's highest hotel terrace, with panoramic skyline views and a famous glass balcony walkway.
Tip: Open daily 11:00 to 01:00 with kitchen to 23:30; last entry midnight. The glass balcony is the photo stop; queues build at sunset.
The Hat Rooftop on Calle Imperial sits on top of a Plaza Mayor adjacent hostel and serves cocktails and small plates with a southern skyline view, popular with the centre's twenty-something traveller crowd.
Tip: Tipple-and-tapas terrace open most days from 13:00 to 23:45; closing earlier on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Walk-in only, the room is small.
Picalagartos Sky Bar on the ninth floor of the NH Collection Gran Via at the corner of Calle de la Montera runs a terrace with 360 views, a cocktail programme by Azotea Group and a separate eighth-floor restaurant.
Tip: Sky bar is first-come first-served, no reservations; the eighth-floor dining room takes bookings. Smart casual at the door; the corner Gran Via view is the photo seat.
La Terraza del Casino on the top floor of the Casino de Madrid on Calle de Alcala has been Paco Roncero's two-Michelin-starred tasting-menu rooftop since 1990, redesigned by Jaime Hayon in tropical blues and greens.
Tip: Tasting menu only, dinner-led reservation through OpenTable or the restaurant; bar in the Casino room before the meal. Smart-elegant attire required.
Ginkgo Sky Bar on the 12th floor of the VP Plaza Espana Design hotel on Plaza de Espana runs a 360 degree terrace with a glass-floor swimming pool, Japanese-Mediterranean tapas and a year-round cocktail programme.
Tip: Open from 13:00; the pool is the photo seat. The floor-to-ceiling glass walls slide back in summer. Reservation through the venue site is the easy way in.
Terraza de Sabatini on the rooftop of the Apartosuites Jardines de Sabatini on Calle de Bailen serves cocktails and tapas with a direct view of the Royal Palace and the Sabatini Gardens, summer-season only.
Tip: Bar open May to September; reservations on the hotel site. The seat to ask for is the south-facing corner with the full palace facade in view.