Many cities in Spain have Whiskerias , nominally “whiskey houses.” But if you look closely, you will notice that many men (and few women) come and go. Whiskey is not all they are looking for.
Similarly, when driving between cities in Spain, you are likely to see a series of bright neon signs that simply proclaim ‘club’. But in these clubs, the clientele is more likely to be older truck drivers than young people partying on a night out. Is this the place to stop for a quick dance and drink when you travel from Madrid to Barcelona? Not if a dance floor is all you’re looking for.
It is an easy mistake for tourists to make. You walk into what you assume to be a whiskey house for a drink. It seems logical.After all, a coffee shop sells coffee ( coffee ), a brewery sells beer ( beer ), and a bakery sells bread ( bread ), so it seems safe to assume that a whiskey shop sells whiskey.
But if you walk through the door and stick your head in, you probably won’t see anyone drinking whiskey there. Instead, you will likely see a group of women, waiting expectantly for their next customer.
A whiskey bar is a brothel or brothel in Spanish. This is where prostitutes (or whores in Spanish slang) can do their business without being bothered by the police.
Legality of prostitution in Spain
Prostitution is not exactly illegal in Spain, but it is not regulated either. The issue is not addressed in the country’s penal code, so it exists in a kind of legal vacuum. This means that it is not highly regulated either, as in the Netherlands.
However, pimping is illegal. This is street prostitution. Interestingly, brothels, as they are explicitly labeled, are illegal in Spain and have been since 1956. That is why they call themselves whiskerias and clubs . This is a kind of legal loophole in the system.
What you are likely to see inside a Spanish brothel
Inside a brothel, you will likely see a bartender and you probably won’t use drugs openly. There is not necessarily a beefy goalkeeper. In fact, a brothel can feel quite relaxed, straightforward and not intimidating.
The difference between a Whiskeria and a club
The out- of- town version of w hiskeria is the club . These specifically target long-distance truck drivers who may feel a bit lonely on the road. Some inner-city brothels are also called clubs, but don’t assume that every club in a city is a brothel.
If you’re looking for a fun night out and don’t want to risk accidentally ending up in a brothel, head to some of Madrid’s hottest clubs. Some popular clubs include Ocho y Medio, Pacha and Moma 56. Another popular nightclub in Spain (the variety of boogie clubs) is Nitsa Club in Barcelona. This is a standard nightclub, with music, drinking, and dancing. No legal prostitutes. Common sense should tell you if the club in question is what you are looking for or not. Generally, if it just says “club,” you’ll probably want to steer clear unless you’re looking for a brothel experience.
