Photo: Ginkgo Restaurante & Sky BarBest Rooftop Bars in Madrid
Introduction
The Madrid rooftop bars List We Send to Friends
Most of Madrid's rooftop bars sit on top of something else: a hotel on Gran Vía, an arts centre on Calle de Alcalá, a market in Justicia. This list covers ten of them where you can go up for a drink, from Azotea del Círculo and Picalagartos to Ginkgo Sky Bar on Plaza de España and Oroya's pisco bar at The Madrid EDITION. For each we've checked what the venue itself says about its floor, its hours and its drinks, so you know what you're going up to.
The short answer
Key Picks at a Glance
In a hurry? These are the essential picks from our full ranking below.
- For a landmark rooftop over Calle de AlcaláAzotea del Círculo
the roof of the Círculo de Bellas Artes, with the Edificio Metrópolis and Gran Vía rooftops in front of you at sunset.
- For a Gran Vía sunset drinkPicalagartos
an Azotea bar on the ninth floor at Gran Vía 21, with cocktails from Luca Anastasio.
- For live music above Plaza de EspañaGinkgo Restaurante & Sky Bar
a terrace with signature cocktails, live music, DJs and shows, open late every night.
- For a morning startAzotea Barceló
opens at 10:00 with brunch every day on a leafy terrace at Calle de Barceló 6.
- For a pisco bar on the roofOroya
chef Diego Muñoz's Peruvian restaurant on The Madrid EDITION, with a pisco bar curated by Matteo Bernardo.
Before you order
A Guide to rooftop bars in Madrid
What is an azotea in Madrid?
Azotea is the Spanish word for a roof or flat roof terrace. In Madrid it's also the everyday word for a rooftop bar or restaurant, and you'll see "rooftop" and "sky bar" used for the same thing. Many sit on hotels, though not all: Azotea del Círculo is on an arts centre and Azotea Barceló is on a market.
Do you have to stay at the hotel to go up?
Several venues on this list are inside hotels, but each sets its own terms. At the Dear Hotel, the rooftop pool sits beside Nice to Meet You, so check with the hotel about access. Ginkgo says booking a table in advance avoids queues and entrance fees.
Rooftop bar or rooftop restaurant?
A rooftop bar is built around drinks and the view, with food as an add-on. A rooftop restaurant runs a full seated menu. Several venues here do both, so check whether you're booking the bar or the restaurant: at Picalagartos the restaurant is on the eighth floor and the Azotea bar on the ninth, with separate timetables.
What is tardeo?
Tardeo is the Spanish habit of going out for drinks in the late afternoon, before dinner. Rooftop bars that open in the afternoon suit it well, and several here open at midday or earlier.
How We Built This List
Years of Eating, Asking, and Going Back
We built this list from Madrid rooftop coverage in Time Out Madrid (English and Spanish editions), OKDiario, Un buen día en Madrid, CityLife Madrid, The Rooftop Guide, Madrid All Included, Lauren on Location, Esmibar and The Tour Guy, then cross-checked every name against the Madrid venues we've profiled. A venue made the list only if its own page documents a rooftop, top-floor terrace or sky bar where you can go for a drink, and only where the address in the sources matches the venue we profile. Several well-known rooftops that came up in our research, including the Riu Plaza España sky bar, El Viajero, The Hat and Skybar, aren't included, either because they fall short of the diner ratings we require for our guides or because we don't have a page for them yet. We left out venues where the view comes from a lower-floor room rather than a roof. Order follows how often each name came up across the sources and how much the venue is a drinks destination. Opening hours and prices change, so we give only what each venue publishes and tell you when to check with the hotel.
More on how we rank: our methodology and quality standards.
At a glance
The 10 Best Rooftop Bars, Compared
Quick reference table. Click any name to jump to the full review.
| # | Restaurant | Neighbourhood | Price | Distinction | Signature dish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Azotea del Círculo | Barrio de las Letras | €€€ | Repsol Solete | — |
| 2 | Picalagartos | Centro | €€€ | — | — |
| 3 | Ginkgo Restaurante & Sky Bar | Plaza de España | €€€ | — | — |
| 4 | Nice to Meet You Restaurant & Lounge | Universidad | €€ | — | Squid-in-Ink Croquettes with Chive Aioli |
| 5 | Cornamusa Cibeles | Estación de Banco de España | €€ | — | — |
| 6 | Azotea Barceló | Justicia | € | — | — |
| 7 | El Cielo de Alcalá | Recoletos | €€ | — | — |
| 8 | Sép7ima | Jerónimos | €€ | — | — |
| 9 | Oroya | Sol | €€€ | — | — |
| 10 | Quintoelemento | Kapital | €€ | — | — |
The ranking
10 Best Rooftop Bars in Madrid
Azotea del Círculo
1. Azotea del Círculo — Sunset over the Metrópolis dome from the Círculo de Bellas Artes roof
This is the rooftop of the Círculo de Bellas Artes on Calle de Alcalá, run by Azotea Grupo and long known as Tartan Roof. You go up by lift to a large open-air terrace with loungers, built around the view: sunset over the rooftops of Gran Vía and the Edificio Metrópolis. The cocktail list runs from a Negroni and an Espresso Martini to a Mojito and a Porn Star Martini, with spritzes and a low-alcohol option too. Chef Manuel Berganza's kitchen handles food. It opens at 10:00 every day and closes at 01:30, or 02:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. Reservations go through the booking widget on the venue's own site.
“Up here, there’s a lovely bar with a good list of Spanish wines, cocktails, and snacks.”— The Tour Guy
Picalagartos
2. Picalagartos — Gran Vía's top floors, with an Azotea bar on the ninth
Picalagartos is Azotea Grupo's rooftop at Gran Vía 21, spread over two floors of a historic building: a restaurant on the eighth and the Azotea bar on the ninth. They keep separate timetables, so check which one you're booking. The bar runs 17:00 to 01:00 Monday to Thursday, later on Fridays and Saturdays, and opens at 12:00 on weekends. Luca Anastasio's cocktail list goes from a classic gin and tonic to signatures such as On the Way to Italy. The lighting is moody and the mood is intimate, quieter than you might expect for a Gran Vía rooftop, which makes it a date-night option. If you want food, chef Manuel Berganza does tartare, artichokes and squid croquetas with alioli. €51 to €100 per person.
“so close to the iconic Telefónica building that you'll feel you can reach out and touch it”— Time Out Madrid
Ginkgo Restaurante & Sky Bar
3. Ginkgo Restaurante & Sky Bar — A Plaza de España terrace with live music, DJs and sunset cocktails
Ginkgo bills itself as an all-in-one rooftop: dining, signature cocktails, live music and shows on a terrace above Plaza de España. The view runs toward the Palacio Real, and sunset is what most people come for. It's built for groups and long evenings. The kitchen runs non-stop, from gildas and Iberian ham croquettes to sushi and sashimi, and weekends add brunch on the terrace. It opens at 13:00 on weekdays and 11:00 at weekends, closing at 02:00 (02:30 on Friday and Saturday). The house asks for a dressy-casual dress code and says booking ahead avoids queues and entrance fees. Groups of more than 10 can book a set group offer. Expect around €20 to €70 per person.
“spectacular panoramic views of the entire Madrid skyline, from the Royal Palace and the Casa de Campo to the neighbourhoods of Austrias and Malasaña”— Time Out Madrid
Nice to Meet You Restaurant & Lounge
4. Nice to Meet You Restaurant & Lounge — Dear Hotel's 14th-floor terrace, with 360-degree views
Nice to Meet You is the rooftop restaurant and lounge on the 14th floor of the Dear Hotel at Gran Vía 80, by Plaza de España. It's a big open-air terrace laid out as an urban garden, with 360-degree views over central Madrid, and the draw is sunset, with the view running across to the Palacio Real. Come for a cocktail as the light goes down, or stay for contemporary, cosmopolitan cooking: squid-in-ink croquettes with chive aioli, buffalo burrata with pesto, and an oxtail lasagna. It opens at 15:00 Sunday to Thursday, closing at midnight, and at 13:00 on Friday and Saturday, closing at 01:00. The terrace isn't climate-controlled, payment is by card or mobile only, and reservations are for meals. The hotel's rooftop pool is up here too, so check with the hotel about access. Expect €10 to €50 per person.
“animar el tardeo cóctel en mano o reservar mesa para cenar al aire libre”— Time Out Madrid (Spanish edition)
Cornamusa Cibeles
5. Cornamusa Cibeles — A cocktail bar and restaurant on the roof of Palacio de Cibeles
Cornamusa is a rooftop restaurant and cocktail bar inside the Palacio de Cibeles, part of Azotea Grupo, with a terrace over Plaza de Cibeles. It opened in late 2023. It runs as a restaurant and a cocktail bar in equal measure: Spanish cooking on one side, a full cocktail programme on the other, with separate restaurant, tasting, cocktail and wine lists published as PDFs on the venue's own site. It's listed in the Michelin Guide, which is a listing rather than a star. It opens daily from 13:00, the entrance, restroom and seating are wheelchair accessible, and you book online through CoverManager. Expect €26 to €50 per person.
“Azotea Cibeles es uno de estos lugares perfectos para observar nuestra ciudad desde lo alto, con calma y con una deliciosa bebida en la mano”— Un buen día en Madrid
Azotea Barceló
6. Azotea Barceló — A leafy rooftop on Mercado de Barceló that opens at 10:00
Azotea Barceló sits four floors up on the roof of the Mercado de Barceló, at Calle de Barceló 6 in Justicia. It's a terrace full of plants with misting sprinklers for summer, run by Azotea Grupo, and it opens at 10:00, so it works as a morning stop as much as an evening one. Brunch runs every day: 10:00 to 13:00 Monday to Friday and 09:30 to 15:30 at weekends. Luca Anastasio runs the cocktail list, mixing classics with more creative serves. The carta covers bar bites from patatas bravas and creamy Iberian ham croquettes to a lima-style ceviche, and it's in the under-€25-per-person band. It closes at midnight Monday to Saturday and 22:00 on Sundays.
“cócteles de autor, buena música, y una atmósfera de lo más agradable gracias a los chorros de agua”— Un buen día en Madrid
El Cielo de Alcalá7. El Cielo de Alcalá — The H10 Puerta de Alcalá roof, with cocktails until midnight
El Cielo de Alcalá is the rooftop terrace of the H10 Puerta de Alcalá hotel at Calle de Alcalá 66, in the Recoletos barrio. It serves Mediterranean-inspired tapas from midday, and cocktails are treated as a real part of the offer rather than a list stapled on. It's open every day from 12:00 to midnight, and the kitchen stops at 23:30, so the last half hour is for drinking. It's family-friendly. You book online through the CoverManager widget linked from the hotel's own restaurants page. The entrance and parking are wheelchair accessible, and cards are accepted. Expect around €26 to €50 per person, and check the menu linked from the hotel's page for what's on.
“one of the city's favourite hangouts in the warmer months”— Time Out Madrid
Sép7ima
8. Sép7ima — The Only YOU Hotel Atocha rooftop, with a DJ and a view
Sép7ima is the rooftop restaurant and bar at the Only YOU Hotel Atocha, on Paseo de la Infanta Isabel. Chef Joel Tomás Hernández's carta pays tribute to traditional Spanish cooking with an innovative touch. It's built around the roof, with a view and a DJ, so it's more a drinks-and-view stop than a quiet dinner. Its listed summer hours run 13:00 to 00:30 every day, with the kitchen closing at 23:30, plus breakfast from 07:30 to 11:00. The menu leans on Ibérico charcuterie and cheeses, plus small plates such as torreznos with avocado and cilantro mousse. Check the current menu and hours with the hotel. Around €26 to €50 per person.
“Tiene cócteles, tapas de autor, mantitas y vistas.”— Un buen día en Madrid
Oroya
9. Oroya — Peruvian cooking and a pisco bar on The Madrid EDITION roof
Oroya is chef Diego Muñoz's Peruvian restaurant on the fourth floor of The Madrid EDITION on Plaza de Celenque, in Sol, with a pisco bar attached and a summer terrace above called The Roof. Matteo Bernardo curates the pisco bar. Alabaster lanterns and heavy greenery give the room an Amazonian look, and the summer terrace plays cumbia. Diego Muñoz shares the menu with chef Danitza Alpaca, and it runs from grilled oysters and imperial ceviche to a 40-hour braised short rib. It opens at 12:00 every day, until midnight Sunday to Thursday and 01:00 on Friday and Saturday. Weekend brunch highlights regional Peruvian dishes. Reserve through SevenRooms. Expect €51 to €100 per person.
“Ponen la guinda su amplia terraza con unas atractivas vistas a la ciudad”— Un buen día en Madrid
Quintoelemento
10. Quintoelemento — Fusion plates and cocktails on top of Teatro Kapital
Quintoelemento is a rooftop restaurant at Calle de Atocha 125, on top of Teatro Kapital. Chef Juan Suárez de Lezo runs QE, its Japanese omakase space. The cooking is fusion and modern-creative, the room reads modern, stylish and trendy, and the view and the cocktails are both standouts. The energy is lively, with a curated playlist rather than live music. It opens 13:00 to 02:00 every day. The carta is seasonal, and the kitchen is vegetarian-friendly. The carta is listed at €26 to €50 per person and the tasting menu is €110, so look at the carta before you go. Dishes on the menu include a Gilda, a crispy duck roll taco and an Indian-style king prawn taco. Book by phone or through the venue's own site.
Also worth trying
Honourable Mentions
Ático
Justicia
The rooftop restaurant and terrace at The Principal Madrid on Calle Marqués de Valdeiglesias, in Justicia, listed as Recomendado in the Guía Repsol.
Tilda Neotaberna Castiza
Centro
A neotaberna inside Hotel Akeah on Calle de San Bernardo, with a separate drinks-only rooftop with views over Malasaña.
The bigger picture
The rooftop bars Scene in Madrid
Madrid's rooftop bars cluster in a few pockets. Gran Vía and Plaza de España have Picalagartos (Gran Vía 21), Nice to Meet You (Gran Vía 80) and Ginkgo (Plaza de España 3). Calle de Alcalá and Plaza de Cibeles have Azotea del Círculo on the Círculo de Bellas Artes and Cornamusa Cibeles in the Palacio de Cibeles, and El Cielo de Alcalá is further along Calle de Alcalá at number 66. Justicia has Azotea Barceló on the Mercado de Barceló, Sol has Oroya at The Madrid EDITION, and Sép7ima is at the Only YOU Hotel Atocha and Quintoelemento is on Calle de Atocha. Azotea Grupo runs Azotea del Círculo, Azotea Barceló, Picalagartos and Cornamusa Cibeles.
Practical tips
Know before you go
A short survival guide for eating rooftop bars in Madrid— everything we wish we’d known on our first trip.
- 1
Check which space you're booking
Some rooftops run a bar and a restaurant with separate timetables. At Picalagartos the restaurant is on the eighth floor and the Azotea bar on the ninth, so make sure the booking matches what you want.
- 2
Book where the venue takes bookings
Azotea del Círculo, Picalagartos, Cornamusa Cibeles and El Cielo de Alcalá all take online reservations through a booking widget on their own or their hotel's site. Ginkgo says booking ahead avoids queues and entrance fees.
- 3
Confirm hours with the hotel
Hotel rooftops can change hours by season. Sép7ima lists summer hours, so check before you go.
- 4
Don't count on the pool
Where a rooftop has a pool, it may be for hotel guests only. The Dear Hotel's rooftop pool sits beside Nice to Meet You, so check access with the hotel.
- 5
Check for closed months
Some rooftops close or shorten their hours in colder months. Check current opening times before you plan a trip around one.
Know the terms
Glossary
The vocabulary you need to order rooftop bars in Madrid like a local.
- Azotea
- Spanish for a roof or flat roof terrace, and the everyday word for a rooftop bar in Madrid.
- Sky bar
- A bar on a top floor or roof of a tall building, with a view over the city.
- Tardeo
- Going out for drinks in the late afternoon, before dinner.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
All restaurants on this list were independently verified as open and serving the dishes described as of .
What are the best rooftop bars in Madrid?
+
Azotea del Círculo, Picalagartos, Ginkgo Sky Bar and Nice to Meet You on the Dear Hotel's 14th floor are the names that came up most across the guides we read. Each has a rooftop bar or terrace where you can go up for a drink. Azotea del Círculo is on the Círculo de Bellas Artes.
Which rooftop bars are on Gran Vía?
+
Picalagartos is at Gran Vía 21, on the eighth and ninth floors, and Nice to Meet You is at Gran Vía 80 on the Dear Hotel's 14th floor. Ginkgo Sky Bar is a short way off, on Plaza de España.
Which Madrid rooftop bars open in the morning?
+
Azotea Barceló and Azotea del Círculo both open at 10:00 every day, and Azotea Barceló serves brunch daily. Sép7ima lists breakfast from 07:30 to 11:00 in its summer hours.
Which rooftop bars have live music or a DJ?
+
Ginkgo Restaurante & Sky Bar runs live music, DJs and shows, with the weekly agenda on its website. Sép7ima at the Only YOU Hotel Atocha has a DJ, and Quintoelemento plays a curated playlist instead of live music.
Do you need to book a rooftop bar in Madrid?
+
Azotea del Círculo, Picalagartos, Cornamusa Cibeles and El Cielo de Alcalá take online reservations. Ginkgo says booking ahead avoids queues and entrance fees, and Nice to Meet You takes reservations for meals.
Which rooftop bars are in the under-€25-per-person band?
+
Azotea Barceló and Picalagartos are both listed at under €25 per person, and Nice to Meet You at €10 to €50. Ginkgo is €20 to €70, and Azotea del Círculo, Cornamusa Cibeles, El Cielo de Alcalá and Sép7ima are €26 to €50.
Can you use a hotel rooftop pool without staying there?
+
The Dear Hotel's rooftop pool sits beside Nice to Meet You, so check with the hotel about access. Other rooftops set their own terms, so confirm with the venue.
Is there a rooftop bar with a Michelin Guide listing in Madrid?
+
Cornamusa Cibeles, on the roof of the Palacio de Cibeles, is listed in the Michelin Guide, which is a listing rather than a star. Ático at The Principal Madrid is listed as Recomendado in the Guía Repsol.
Explore
Map
About the author
Justin Mota
Guidavera founder
Justin Mota is the founder of Guidavera. He has lived in Spain for over 10 years and runs a native AI agency alongside building this platform. Food has always been the way Justin connects with friends, and Guidavera started as the list he kept sending to everyone visiting Barcelona. He built it for himself and his friends first, and now hopes it can transform the way people discover great food experiences everywhere.
More about Justin→