The main types of expat events
Not all events are built for the same thing. Know what you're walking into.
| Type | Good for | Not good for | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language exchanges | Practising Spanish, a first chat | Seeing the same people again | Free, buy a drink |
| Big Meetup groups | Meeting lots of people fast | Depth. Groups are huge and change every week | Usually free |
| Expat clubs and associations | Older or settled expats, families | Under-30s, last-minute plans | Annual fee |
| Dinner apps (Timeleft, etc.) | Getting out of the house, meeting strangers | Seeing anyone twice. Tables are rotated on purpose | Per event + subscription |
| Parties and club nights | A big night out | Remembering anyone's name | Ticket |
| Small community events | Recurring faces, real friendships | People who only want a one-off | Ticket or membership |
How to tell if an event is worth your evening
Before you buy a ticket, ask:
- Will I see the same people again? If the event is designed so you never do, it won't build friendships, however fun it is.
- How many people? Under 40 means you can actually talk to most of the room. Over 100 and you'll stick with whoever you came with.
- Is there something to do? A quiz, a game, a walk, a class. Structured activities make conversation easy. Standing around with a drink makes it hard.
- Who runs it? Events run by a real person or community tend to be friendlier than events run by a venue just to sell drinks.
Where to find expat events in Madrid
- Meetup. Huge selection, very mixed quality. Look at how often a group meets and read recent comments.
- Luma and Eventbrite. Newer communities tend to post here.
- Instagram. Most Madrid communities, including ours, post events on Instagram first.
- Facebook groups. Still useful for expat clubs and older communities.
- Language schools. Many run free social events for students and non-students.
- Your embassy or national club. The British, American, Irish and Australian communities all have clubs that run events and holiday celebrations.
What a good first event looks like
- Arrive on time or a bit early, when it's easiest to join a conversation.
- Talk to the host. Their job is to introduce you to people.
- Get one or two numbers before you leave, not ten Instagram follows.
- Message one person within 48 hours and suggest something specific.
- Come back to the same event at least twice before deciding.
How a Guiris de Mierda event works
Here's what your first one looks like with us, so you know what to expect:
- Before you arrive, our app asks you for one fun fact about yourself.
- When you walk in, a host greets you. Every single person, every time.
- During the night, you get a bingo sheet of other people's facts. Your job is to find them. It's the easiest excuse to talk to strangers ever invented.
- If you're on your own, our volunteers introduce you around.
- By the end, you'll have found at least one new friend. We call it the Guiri Guarantee.
Some of our regulars came alone for the first time years ago. Now the community wouldn't be the same without them.
The yearly calendar
Some times of year are much busier for events, and some are easier for meeting people:
- September and October: the biggest wave of newcomers. Lots of events, lots of new people.
- Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas: expat communities run their biggest parties, because everyone's away from home.
- January: a quiet month, but everyone who's staying has decided they're staying. A good time to join a community.
- August: half the city leaves. Events slow down but the people still around are often the most up for plans.
