20 dance clubs worth the night across Spain, editor-ranked. All Spain guides.

Sala Razzmatazz ★ 4.7 · Barcelona

poblenou · Carrer dels Almogàvers 122, 08018 Barcelona

Razzmatazz occupies a former industrial complex in Poblenou and runs five themed rooms across two weekend nights: RazzClub indie, Fuego urban, Human techno, Torax house and the rotating Pop Bar.

Tip: Doors at 01:00 Friday and Saturday; the five rooms share one wristband. Marina L1 or Bogatell L4 are the metro stops; queues are shorter at the Carrer de Pamplona 88 entrance for rooms 2 and 3.

Sala Apolo ★ 4.6 · Barcelona

poble-sec · Carrer Nou de la Rambla 113, 08004 Barcelona

Sala Apolo is the 1940s theatre on Carrer Nou de la Rambla in Poble Sec that runs Barcelona's longest-standing club nights, including the indie-rock Nasty Mondays running every Monday since 2004.

Tip: Nasty Mondays runs 00:30 to 05:00 every Monday with indie, rock and 80s pop. The smaller La 2 venue downstairs runs parallel programming on the same nights.

Bataplán Disco ★ 4.6 · San Sebastián

centro · Paseo de la Concha 12, 20007 Donostia

Bataplán Disco on Paseo de la Concha in San Sebastian is the city's defining nightclub since 1979, with seventies decor, a beachfront terrace and international DJ bookings during the Zinemaldia.

Tip: Doors Thursday 00:30 to 07:00, Friday and Saturday 01:00; closed Sunday through Wednesday. The terrace runs Easter to October; sea-side tables fill first.

Mondo Disko ★ 4.5 · Madrid

malasana · Calle de Barceló 11, 28004 Madrid

Mondo Disko has been the techno and house residency inside the Sala But complex on Calle de Barceló in Tribunal since 1999, booking international electronic DJs every Thursday and Saturday night.

Tip: Open Thursday, Saturday and holiday eves from 00:00; arrive after 02:00 for the peak set. Same building as Teatro Barceló; check the door which session is running.

Macarena Club ★ 4.4 · Barcelona

gotic · Carrer Nou de Sant Francesc 5, 08002 Barcelona

Macarena on Carrer Nou de Sant Francesc in the Gothic Quarter is the 80-capacity house and techno bunker with the DJ booth in the middle of the floor, programming local and international residencies seven nights a week.

Tip: Capacity is just 80 people, so weekends sell at the door fast; aim for 01:00 to 02:00 on a weeknight for an easy in. Cash bar.

Specka ★ 4.4 · Madrid

chamberi · Avenida del General Peron 32, 28020 Madrid

Specka on Avenida del General Peron in the Orense nightlife strip has run uninterruptedly since 1989, evolving from post-punk and EBM through trance into today's techno temple with weekly international bookings.

Tip: Friday and Saturday 23:59 to 06:00 only; Thursdays by appointment. Closer to the Orense club strip than to the centre; cab back is fastest after closing.

Fabrik ★ 4.4 · Madrid

centro · Avenida de la Industria 82, 28970 Humanes de Madrid

Fabrik in Humanes de Madrid is the city-region mega-club programming international house and techno headliners like Carl Cox and Sven Vath with Goa and Supermartxe residencies in a converted industrial space.

Tip: Outside Madrid city limits in Humanes; treat as a day-trip with a shuttle bus from the centre. Saturdays only, doors 18:00 to 22:00 depending on the event, closing 06:00.

Teatro Barceló ★ 4.3 · Madrid

malasana · Calle de Barceló 11, 28004 Madrid

Teatro Barceló sits on Calle de Barceló in Madrid near Tribunal, in the former Barceló theatre that ran as Pacha during the 1980s movida, programming house, dance, R&B and Latin across three floors.

Tip: Doors at 00:00 most nights; the Barceló Mondays indie session and Aquellos Anos Locos throwback nights are the long-running fixtures. Tribunal L1 L10 is two blocks.

Goya Social Club ★ 4.2 · Madrid

salamanca · Calle de Goya 43, 28001 Madrid

Goya Social Club on Calle de Goya in Salamanca runs an electronic-leaning club with a capacity around 350, programming house, deep house, tech-house, techno and vinyl-led disco and funk sets.

Tip: Doors Thu to Sat from 00:00 to 06:00; reservations through the website skip the queue. Velazquez or Goya L4 L2 are the nearest metros.

Joy Eslava ★ 4.1 · Madrid

centro · Calle del Arenal 11, 28013 Madrid

Joy Eslava on Calle del Arenal a few minutes from Puerta del Sol is one of Spain's oldest discos, in the converted 1871 Teatro Eslava theatre with balconies, programming nightly sessions 365 days a year.

Tip: Doors most nights at 00:00 to 06:00; the room fills after 02:00. The venue keeps its theatre tiers, so the upper balconies are quieter than the main floor.

Sutton ★ 4.0 · Barcelona

sant-gervasi · Carrer de Tuset 13, 08006 Barcelona

Sutton on Carrer de Tuset in Sant Gervasi has run since the 1990s as Barcelona's mainstream upmarket club, with a strict door policy, commercial house and hip-hop and a footballer-and-model crowd.

Tip: Smart dress required at the door (no sneakers, no shorts); reserve a table through the website to skip the queue. Tuset is a taxi ride from the centre.

City Hall ★ 4.0 · Barcelona

eixample · Rambla de Catalunya 2-4, 08007 Barcelona

City Hall sits at the base of Rambla de Catalunya by Plaça de Catalunya and runs a single rectangular room that has booked techno, house and tech-house seven nights a week since the early 2000s.

Tip: Open 365 nights a year; weekday queues are short. The smaller back room runs the chart nights, the main floor runs the international techno bookings.

Teatro Kapital ★ 4.0 · Madrid

centro · Calle de Atocha 125, 28012 Madrid

Teatro Kapital on Calle de Atocha next to Anton Martin is the seven-floor mega-club in a former theatre with capacity for over 3,000, with a different music style on every floor from commercial to reggaeton.

Tip: Open Wed to Sun from 23:00; the rooftop seventh floor is the lounge and smoking terrace and the easiest in. Strict smart-elegant door, no sportswear.

DOKA Donostiako Kafe Antzokia ★ 4.0 · San Sebastián

antiguo · Calle Erregezainen 20, 20008 Donostia

DOKA Kafe Antzokia in San Sebastian is the Basque-language cafe theatre that flips to a weekend club, programming everything from fado and Angolan theatre to rock, hip hop and electronic.

Tip: The room flips between concerts, poetry, theatre and weekend DJ club; check the doka.eus calendar before walking up. Plan a cab back, the night bus is sparse.

Opium Barcelona ★ 3.9 · Barcelona

barceloneta · Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 34, 08003 Barcelona

Opium runs beachfront on Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta next to Hotel Arts, with a daytime restaurant turning into a house and EDM club at midnight, including the WAA residency and CRIB urban nights.

Tip: Doors at 23:00; the club fills after 01:00. Dress code at the door (no sneakers). Cabs queue along the boardwalk; the L4 stop Ciutadella Vila Olímpica is ten minutes on foot.

CDLC Carpe Diem Lounge Club ★ 3.9 · Barcelona

barceloneta · Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 32, 08003 Barcelona

CDLC sits beachfront on Passeig Marítim in the Olympic Port and runs a lounge-restaurant in the evening that turns into a house and R&B club after midnight, with terrace sofas overlooking the Mediterranean.

Tip: Restaurant from 12:00, club kicks in around 01:00. The Bali-style daybeds on the terrace need a table reservation; cabs queue along the seafront for the post-05:00 exit.

Club Komplot ★ 3.9 · San Sebastián

centro · Calle Pedro Egaña 5, 20006 Donostia

Club Komplot on Calle Pedro Egaña in San Sebastian is the Reyes Catolicos area's Latin-leaning disco, programming reggaeton, salsa and bachata Friday through Sunday with a 00:00 to 07:00 door.

Tip: Open Friday to Sunday 00:00 to 07:00; closed Monday through Thursday. The room fills after 02:00 once the Reyes Catolicos crawl thins out.

Shôko ★ 3.8 · Barcelona

barceloneta · Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 36, 08003 Barcelona

Shôko on Passeig Marítim runs Asian-Mediterranean dinners in the early evening before the room flips at midnight to a house and hip-hop club with a beachfront terrace.

Tip: Restaurant from 13:00, club from 00:00 to 03:00 most nights. The terrace bar runs through the warm months and is the easier way in than the indoor floor.

Independance Club ★ 3.8 · Madrid

centro · Calle de Atocha 127, 28012 Madrid

Independance Club on Calle de Atocha runs a 1,000 square metre concert-and-club hybrid programming tribute concerts, themed nostalgia parties and DJ-led tardeos in the heart of the Atocha nightlife strip.

Tip: Sessions usually run Saturdays from 23:30 to 06:00 with themed parties; check the Independance calendar for the night. Next door to Teatro Kapital.

Otto Zutz ★ 3.7 · Barcelona

sant-gervasi · Carrer de Lincoln 15, 08006 Barcelona

Otto Zutz on Carrer de Lincoln in Sant Gervasi has run since 1985 across four floors in a converted industrial building, programming hip-hop, reggaeton and commercial chart nights for a young uptown crowd.

Tip: Wednesday to Saturday only; the top floor runs hip-hop, the main floor reggaeton and chart hits. Queues from 01:30; arrive earlier for the guest list.