Spanish Steps - Fact file - Ir de marcha

From the clubs of Ibiza to the bars of Barcelona, the Spanish have developed a reputation as party animals.

Nightlife in Spain can be pretty animated. At 5 am many popular discotecas, dance clubs, are only just getting warmed up, and in Madrid some clubs don't even open until 5 am. There are even post-disco clubs that open at 7.30 am.

Local fiestas such as Saint's days and national holidays provide the perfect excuse to hit the bars and clubs, and in the summer months, the warm climate provides an ideal setting for outdoor partying. Most Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, thousands of young people take to the streets in order to ir de marcha, go out partying.

The average night begins at around 11 pm or midnight and often starts with an outdoor get-together in the streets downtown. Thousands crowd the plazas throughout the main cities each night of the weekend to enjoy the festivities and free-flowing booze.

From here, clubbers move on to a tapas bar for a quick snack, and then on to the club for the real partying. Hardened clubbers will party way past sunrise, often leaving one club at 5 am or 6 am and moving on to another.

The nightlife scene is varied, with music halls, clubs, cafés, cocktail bars and in some cities tablaos de flamenco, flamenco cabarets, all playing a role. It can be hard to tell bars and clubs apart, since bars often have a dance floor and not all clubs charge for entry. Where there is an entrance fee, this often includes una consumición, a free first drink.

But a true night of partying isn't over until breakfast the following morning. As people stumble out of las discotecas, many head for a café or bakery for churros con chocolate, plain deep-fried fritters served with thick hot chocolate.