Describe host city: Students equally interact with the local and student community

Activities, Nightlife, Travel: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment

Personal comments:
I have to say, I truly believe that in general Madrid is has a wonderful social scene and nightlife. The most wonderful thing about it is that everyone goes out to have fun and really dance! Nobody really dances in the US. People are too proud or shy to move their hips a bit. However, this is far from the truth in Madrid, Espana! There everyone from the ages of 16 till death do you part, likes to get up and go out and enjoy life with a couple of canas (small beers) and good friends of course. A couple of my favorite dance spots were La Mona Lisa bar, Zuristan, Sol, and Kapital. Now all of these places that I've listed go up in size and energy level in accordance to the order I have arranged them in. Mona Lisa for example is a bar/nightclub with some of the best music and an unbeatable atmosphere! And the latters ones are great as well however they are much bigger and not as intimate. But they are always fun. As far as cafes go, this is a hard question to answer since Madrid is one big Cafe! That is what I loved so much about Madrid and most of Europe for that matter. Everywhere you go there are so many patios set up (when it's warm of course) where you can enjoy a wonderful Cafe con Leche in the sun or some great aceitunas (olives) with a wonderful Cana. That along with some Jamon Serrano are my personal favorites! That is probably the first thing that I would eat once landed in Madrid. But if I had to name my favorite cafe, it would have to be one of the Museo's de Jamon off of Sol. This place is typical to Madrid and Spain. It's cheap, personable, and you really get to see the Spaniards in action! I love the way the workers yell out the orders to the kitchen. I go there just to hear them do it! The atmosphere is wonderful, but I warn you, don't go in there if you are a Vegetarian!!

Describe host city: Students interact with the local community without much university involvement

Activities, Nightlife, Travel: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment

Personal comments:
Malasaña was my favorite spot for nightlife. It has a bunch of really cool music bars that have cheap drinks. My favorite bars were La Via Lactea and Morgensterns. Plus, there are primarely only other Spanish there so its more cultural. I also liked this Irish pub in my area Arguelles called Finbars. It was my local pub. There are a lot of concerts in Madrid in which a lot of American and Spanish bands play. One event not to miss in september is the Spanish Communist Party fundraiser. Its a big festival weekend festival, with a lot of food from every province of Spain, music from Spain, and it´s just one kick-ass party thats dirt cheap to get into, plus everything including the festival food is cheap. I guess it kinsa has to be since it is a communist fundraiser.

Describe host city: Students equally interact with the local and student community

Nightlife, Travel: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment

Activities: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment

Personal comments:
It was and I think it is a place I loved at the first sight "Los Gabrieles". I remember even the street _ Echegaray- a place where one can listen to the live flamenco shows. Best Cafes? I do not remember the name - but the place ...oh, yes!A place where you can drink the mejor cafe in the city (a native showed me the place), a cafe visited by the "literary" world of Madrid.And, as a recommendation is a cathedral at the outskirts of the city, where Goya - the spanish painter is buried - that little church almost un-noticeable if you do not know the address has something of the "unique" which the well known and too visited places had been stolen by the tourists

Describe host city: Student life dominates the city

Activities, Nightlife, Travel: Takes place mostly within the university/student environment

Personal comments:
I am not actually a nocturnal creature but when I do go out, I frequently go to the movies. Bars failed to captivate my interest although I´ve been there more than once or twice. The Circulo de Bellas Artes, where experimental films are shown, is also a good find. Lately though, I discovered a cozy watering hole in Starbucks where I can read undisturbed and enjoy the international ambiance. The place is conducive to cerebral activities while savoring the tempting smell of coffee beans. I think it´s a haven for bookworms who wants to take life a little slower.

Describe host city: Students interact with the local community without much university involvement

Activities: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment

Nightlife, Travel: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment

Personal comments:
What can I say? Madrid!Madrid!There's planty of night spots and in general places to go out and have fun!The best "night" spots are localizated through areas like: Malasaña, Plaza 2 de Mayo,Tribunal, Moncloa, Arguelles, Chueca, Santa Ana, Atocha, Sol, Gran Via, Latina...The list is endless!The place famous of it's cheap and delicious tapas is "Urgallo" near to Principe Pio metro station.The best place to have a coffe or churros con chocolate is for sure "San Gines" near to Opera metro station.

Describe host city: Students interact with the local community without much university involvement

Nightlife: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment

Activities, Travel: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment

Personal comments:
Madrid is already known for its movida, providing every kind of night entertainment one could wish for. Still, my best memories remain in the Lavapies immigrant quarter, where many people gather in the Columbian, Brazilenian and funky bars before swithching perhaps to some performances given in the numerous plazas. The best place to dicover contemporay sapnish music is the "Cafe la Palma" in Calle de la Palma . For a more relaxed atmosphere, the La Latina quarter is the most attractive, with it's cafes and bares de tapas, and magnific location in the Old Town of Madrd.

Describe host city: Students interact with the local community without much university involvement

Activities, Nightlife, Travel: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment

Personal comments:
I personally liked every thing in Madrid and all over Spain in general. I never went out and had a bad time. El Palacio and Joy Eslava were great for ambience and the sheer crowds they attracted, but I really enjoyed going to the small, hidden away places. In Spain a good personality gets you really far and I found it very easy to make friends and meet people everywhere I went.

Describe host city: Students equally interact with the local and student community

Activities: Takes place mostly within the university/student environment

Travel: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment

Nightlife: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment

Personal comments:
Our favorite pre-drinking bar was definitely the metro bar on calle Joaquim Maria Lopez in Moncloa, then we danced all night next door at La Notte which didn´t have a cover charge. In Madrid don´t miss Retiro Park, its beautiful. Great day trips are Toledo, Segovia and Escorial. Best restaurant to study with great food was VIPS!!!

Describe host city: Students interact with the local community without much university involvement

Activities, Nightlife: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment

Travel: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment

Personal comments:
El palacio: a night club where all foreigners go, it's good but a bit expensive Sol: very touristic part of Madrid with a lot of pubs, good but also a bit expensive Moncloa: cheaper but with a lot of teenagers the last one is my favourite one but I can't remember the name of this part of Madrid, it's more "special" and cheaper

Describe host city: Student life dominates the city

Activities: Takes place mostly within the university/student environment

Nightlife, Travel: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment

Personal comments:
It was a great experience, rich in several aspects: language, culture, travelling and social life. I integrate an international community of young people. People in Madrid are open-minded and out-going, there are so many places to go that I do not known which one is the best: Pacha, Ananda, Lateral, el Retiro...

Describe host city: Students interact with the local community without much university involvement

Nightlife, Travel: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment

Activities: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment

Personal comments:
Pick ONE in MADRID!? I just couldn't. We did SO MUCH. The clubs are amazing, especially Joy and Kapital. Cafes are everywhere, and the less touristy ones always had the best food. Really, you have to try to see everything...it's just too amazing a city to pick a few things.

Describe host city: Students interact with the local community without much university involvement

Activities: Takes place mostly within the university/student environment

Nightlife: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment

Travel: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment

Personal comments:
During the week, I made my way around the Moncloa area of Madrid. Sol was also an area where many congregated and later cruised to a local bar or cafe. I do not recall the name of the best cafe that I visited, but the downstairs was beautifully decorated as a lounge with a see through glass floor. Events not to be missed: "as Ferias in Sevilla and the big annual celebration in Valencia.

Describe host city: Students equally interact with the local and student community

Activities, Nightlife: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment

Travel: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment

Personal comments:
The 2 best areas in Madrid must certainly be Lavapiès,which is the immigrant's area with splendid Middle-Eastern and Latin American bars, and the one of La Latina,which has a unique realxed party atmosphere with lots of outdoor amateur and professional concerts. The architecture of the houses and the relatively scarce traffic in these 2 areas favours also a night out in them.

Describe host city: Students equally interact with the local and student community

Activities: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment

Nightlife, Travel: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment

Personal comments:
Areia on c/Hortaleza. Very chilled out bar, also does good menu del dia. Amazing mojito cocktails! Casa Mingo - chicken and cider, absolutely delicious and cheap. Ananda - outdoor nightclub next to Atocha.. very classy. only open in Summer

Describe host city: Students equally interact with the local and student community

Activities, Nightlife, Travel: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment

Personal comments:
My favorite night spot is probably Sol. I love El Cuchi, Moore's, and El Parque del Retiro! Not to be missed--the clubs (Joy in Sol and El Kapital) and the house of beer for socializing. El Museo Nacional Reina Sofia is also excellent!

Describe host city: Students equally interact with the local and student community

Nightlife, Travel: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment

Activities: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment

Personal comments:
Favourite Clubs: Kapital, Palacio Real Bar/Clubs: La Notte, Comedy Bar, Plaza Santa Ana. Favourite Spots: Puerta Del Sol, Temple de Bod, Santiago Bernabeu Travel musts: Granada, Toledo, Cadiz, Corodba, Barcelona.

Describe host city: Students interact with the local community without much university involvement

Travel: Takes place mostly within the university/student environment

Activities, Nightlife: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment

Personal comments:
My favorite night spots in Madrid included a club called Torrero - not to far from Sol, and another club called Bar Non - which played great music and happened to be popular with Spanish (and international) athletes.

Describe host city: Students equally interact with the local and student community

Travel: Takes place mostly within the university/student environment

Activities, Nightlife: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment

Personal comments:
palacio (disco) - every thursday international night + other events called something "international", santa ana (area) - you don't have to choose where to go exactly, there is nothing bus bars! ...

Describe host city: Students equally interact with the local and student community

Nightlife: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment

Activities, Travel: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment

Personal comments:
The Filmoteca, the best place to go if you like cinema and like see movies in its original version (plus, it's cheap). The Malasaña barrio and also Tribunal are probably the best spots if you like bars (and a wide variety too). There is a lot to do in Madrid!

Describe host city: Students interact with the local community without much university involvement

Activities, Nightlife, Travel: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment

Personal comments:
Bar Chapandaz in the district of Moncloa, a lot of latinamercan bars and restaurants, many discobars and so on. Madrid is one of the best places to go out at night, I have ever been to.