But First, WHAT ARE TERRACE BARS? During the nicer weather months in Madrid (April through mid-october) and throughout Spain, terrace bars are put outside of some bars or restaurants - those which have space outside, that is. Many many plazas in Madrid have terrazas. During the busier summer months, available tables and chairs can be difficult to find. Terrace table and chair sets vary from hard plastic, to shiny alluminum, to wood-and-metal.

WHAT CAN YOU EAT OR DRINK AT TERRACE BARS? Some terrazas only serve drinks while others serve tapas, raciones, or full-blown meals. It all depends on the restaurant or bar.

ARE TERRACES CHEAP? Not usually. Your average terrace bar will charge you 10-15% more for the priveledge of sitting outside. The waiter has to work harder and walk farther, afterall. Terraces in the Plaza Mayor, for example, are catering nearly exclusively to tourists wanting to enjoy the incredible plaza views while consuming average-to-low-quality, high priced food and drinks. Still, the service at these places is usually very very professional and (still) very Spanish. The cheapest prices in bars are usually found while standing inside at the bar.

IN SHORT: Terraces, while more charming, are almost always more expensive when ordering food & drinks. Most often they'll hand you the "terrace menu" which reflects higher prices than inside at the bar. Other times the menu will state something like "Terrace Prices 10% more".

COMMENTS: Spanish-owned/staffed tapas bars for all madrileños and tourists alike, popular with both. This place is an ABSOLUTE MadridMan FAVORITE!. A free tapa, bartender's choice, is almost always given with a beer, wine, or vermouth order. Other options include for-pay raciones - larger portions - which are listed on signs behind the bar along with their prices. El Brillante's "Claim To Fame" is, without a doubt, their "bocadillos de calamares" or "fried squid sandwhiches". Just delicious, large, filling, cheap, and if you're unlucky, a little rubbery too. No "cañas" (small glasses of beer) are served to the terrazas as they are at the bar - only larger beer-mug sizes.

El Brillante boasts terraces on the front & backsides of the bar. The frontside faces the Atocha Train Station and Ministerio de Agricultura which are nicely illuminated at night - as well as hundreds of stopping buses and belching exhaust pollution. The backside terraza is much quieter on the pedestrian plaza shared with the Museo Reina Sofia museum. My only alert to sitting at the terrazas is you might feel "rain sprinkles" falling from otherwise clear skies. This harmless and all-natural (but gross) "liquid" is likely to be the spit from "fun loving" adolescents hanging out of the Hotel Mediodia balconies - the hotel above El Brillante. This has happened to me NUMEROUS times so be forewarned. On the backside terrace there are several tables UNDER shade umbrellas.

name: CIRCULO DE BELLAS ARTES
website: www.circulobellasartes.com
address: Calle Alcalá 42 : CLICK for map
metro: BANCO DE ESPAÑA
food type: Spanish
style of terrazas: nearly the length of the Circulo de Bellas Artes Theater building itself
prices: 3 to 20 ?
credit cards: yes
has restaurant?: No
MadridMan Number of Visits: 3