What the F*ck is Botellón?!
Bar in the car, BYOB, or a hidden flask full of the strong sauce – we’ve all got our own budget boozing tactics. But throw in a little good weather, some strapped-for-cash youth and a culture that likes to knock ‘em back and you’ve got yourself the ultimate outdoor bender-fest: botellón. Where do you sign up?
The Spanish South might be known for those stupidly hot flamenco dancers that shake what their madres gave them, but one of the best things to come out of the region is botellón. Literally translated as “big bottle,” botellón and all its trashy glory came to life in the 80s when small groups of working class locals would gather in plazas to get tipsy for cheap. Given Spain’s love affair with the fiesta, it’s no surprise the tradition spread through the country like herpes Freshman year. Now younger Spaniards toast (over and over again) to drinking and socializing without breaking the bank. We agree – it’s the levelheaded thing to do.
Binging Logistics
Come weekend time, from 11 pm to as late as 3:30 am, Spanish plazas, parks and alleys fill with 14- to almost 30-year-olds looking to binge on a budget before heading to more expensive bars and clubs. Say what? Yeah, in the land of the 18-year-old drinking age and living in casa till you tie the knot, parents just don’t keep tabs on their teens like they do back home. And rather than drinking until their feet are numb, the Latins traditionally tend to keep their shit a tad more under control.
The bottled beverages vary, but like many important things in life: size matters. Often called “ir de litros,” or going out for liters, large quantities are the name of the game – from beer to juice mixtures and every other absurd fusion under the scorching Spanish sun. Most famous are the kalimotxos – a Basque beverage of mixology genius, which combines coke and dirt-cheap red wine. The gnarly blend might not sound like a match made in heaven, but it handily shortens the distance between sober and drunk without going bankrupt.
OTP Tip: Should you run out of drinks past purchase hours, keep an eye out for the lingering foreign street vendors hawking emergency cervezas.
Botellón Hotspots
If you put a tracking device on any shitty bottle of Spanish alcohol, it would lead you to impromptu booze sessions taking place on university campuses across the country. Other hotspots include Plaça del Carmen in Barcelona and plazas throughout the La Latina, Chueca and Malasaña neighborhoods of Madrid. But really, come Thursday night, all squares, beaches and parks are fair game. You, alcohol, and public open space equals botellón paradise.
OTP Bonus: Macro-Botellon is when people text and email groups across the country to meet. This turns into a swarm of drinking and saliva-exchanging.
The Spaniards may like to party, but not everyone thinks outdoor botellóns are the ultimate in cheap social awesomeness. Apparently the line for good times gets drawn at all-night noise and the layer of trash and barf that covers city streets. Also, while the country has typically rolled its eyes at the drink-till-you-drop mentality of other cultures (psh, who could they be referring to?), the meat head binge custom is now gaining popularity in Spain too – something the responsible types aren’t super stoked about.
The Crack Down
To shut the paella-holes of cranky citizens, regional governments have set up some ways to reign in the rowdiness – from outlawing the festivities all together, to limiting hours of alcohol sale, creating designated spaces and giving out fines. But, as long as the summers are hot and the liquor is flowing, the nearest botellón will likely still go down just right around the corner. In the end, this is Spain, amigos – a land that likes to have a smoke and look the other way.
When getting smashed at bars and discotecas starts to lose its luster – or when the money well runs dry – hit the streets with the Spanish teens. Bring your big bottle and make yourself at home – things are gonna get muy sloppy.
Uncomfortable when not traveling, and overly obsessed with cheese and Spanish grandpas.
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Ahhh…the botellon…one of the many things I miss about Spain.
Got get my botellon on, sounds right up my Spanish alley. Now only got to work on improving my Spanish pick-up lines by drunk.
P.S. I’m not really a creep.