Barcelona Nightlife

Nightlife

That is what we all come here for (apart from shopping, Gaudi, beaches and the sun.) Barcelona has a very good nightlife, simply because there are lots of foreigners, students, and tourists. You can find every kind of night club you are looking for, from jazz to tourist techno trash. Here are a few suggestions about some areas to visit.

Barri Gòtic & Las Ramblas

The combination of the central location, the atmosphere of Medieval Spain and the many tourists and newcomers make this an ideal area to start with. There are a lot of clubs, bars and pubs in the gothic area. Although the quality is mixed and there are numerous tourist traps, there are notable exceptions such as Rita Blue on Plaza Sant Agusti, which is a pretty funky bar, restaurant, club. Try also "Bosque de los Fades" (The forest of fairies) which is a small pub/café near the wax museum at the end of Las Ramblas. In this area in particular remember to keep a close eye on you your possessions in bars and pubs. Never leave your bag on the back of a chair, and don´t leave wallets or purses on the table. There are pickpockets operating in the centre. Expect to be approached for money by "buskers".

L'Eixample

L'Eixample is the neighbourhood north of the city centre. Plenty of great bars and clubs here, but they are scattered around somewhat, mostly on the western side. Big gay scene too.

Maremagnum

This waterfront shopping center is Barcelona's biggest mall - half shops - half clubs. By day it makes for a nice stroll with friends or family over the narrow wooden walkway from the end of the Rambla. By night the many clubs, pubs and bars take over. There is everything from Techno to Irish pubs to Salsa and the party isn't over till the fat lady sings or a tourist falls in the harbour on his way home. Prices are somewhat high, but usually no cover charge.

Port Olímpic

A stretch of clubs in the Olympic yachting marina. Same sort of concept as MareMagnum. Nice in the summer when most of the bars have outdoor terraces open. Great for groups of as none of the clubs or bars here have a cover charge, although the drinks are somwhat pricey to compensate.
Enjoy!!

There are some really nice coffee shops that offer alcoholic drinks as well, which is really good if you want a place where you can sit quietly, or if you want to go out with a business associate etc. Most cafès are open until 1am, but you can always find a bar open late if you're not ready to go home yet.

Most cafes also offer food, from bakery goods to full meals. The meals don't tend to be of restaurant quality, but they are cheap and cheerful.

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Barcelona is a city known for its nightlife, so it comes as no surprise that there is a huge variety (and in many areas, huge concentration) of bars and pubs, covering pretty much every theme and appealing to all tastes and budgets in Barcelona.

There are all kinds of bars in Barcelona. Some have a small dance floor, some a small restaurant, and some have live music. Barcelona Bars are usually open until 2 to 3am, although late licensed bars that stay open until the metro starts running again at 5am can also be found.

Watch out for the local hang outs, bars packed with old Spanish people playing cards that look at you funny when you walk in (local bars for local people). Acceptance in such an establishment is probably the biggest sign of integration you’re likely to come across. There are plenty Irish/ English pubs with good Guinness and usually English speaking bar staff, each with their own particular atmosphere and often also offering quiz nights, language exchanges and live gigs.

Bar owners in Barcelona tend to put a lot of effort into making their establishment as comfortable, impressive and unique as their budget (and creativity) allows. Go for a wander in the Gothic and Born districts, check out the Raval and Gracia, and be prepared for some very special little surprises that will keep you coming back. If you are looking for a mad pub crawl and have a lot of money to spend, you could try the Port Olympic. Most bars down there also pose as clubs, and the drinks are rather expensive.

A lot of bars and pubs have an outdoor terrace, where drinks will usually carry a surcharge. Although some bars require payment on ordering, most bars leave settling the bill til the very end. Bear this in mind when getting the rounds in, and make sure you keep count of what your table has ordered… Bars have been known to “accidentally” charge for a few drinks that weren’t ordered, especially if you’re a foreigner. Tipping is greatly appreciated, but not expected.

The nightlife in Barcelona will not disappoint, so get out there are try discover as many bars as you can! Here’s a few cool places to check out to get you started:

Wine Bars in Barcelona are pretty much the same as everywhere. Some winebars offer Tapas or a selection of light food to acompany the wide variety of wines. Prices run from moderate to expensive, and they often catch you off guard on the extras, such as a bottle of water, extra bread, cheeses etc. Great places to take a friend or business associate, sample some of the exquisite wines from Spain or all over the world. But do make sure you are prepared for the bill...

Late bars are not clubs but they are either chill-out bars or lively after hours bars. Some of them have a small dance floor, so you can dance the night away as well. Usually late bars have chill-out music; some people go to late bars after the clubs close, some people use the late bar if they don´t want to dance but are looking for a lively place. Late bars can be open unofficially or officially up to 10 am!!!

Barcelona has a vivid gay scene with many bars and clubs throughout the city, especially around L'Eixample and Gracia.

Where to party?
The moment you enter the area of L´Eixample, north of the city centre, you're greeted with a few rainbow flags and banners hung with pride from the lamp posts and stores. The neighbourhood is incredibly historic, safe and friendly but remember this is not New York or London so don´t expect the pot of club gold at the end of the rainbow. However, click your heels and you never know - you´re in the right area at the very least.

The Low down on the Low!!
We don't mind straight people, as long as they act gay in public, Right?
Well Barcelona has got it down to a tee. Gay clubs are packed with straight people acting gay; it´s bizarre and very confusing. Remember, prostitution is prominent in gay Spain so be careful, the gay clubs are a rainbow flag to the Spanish straight bulls.

When to go out?
Nightlife, gay or straight, starts very late, particularly at the weekends, so be sure to start out your night at one of the many gay cocktail bars, coffee shops or trendy outdoor restaurants. In the warmer months the gay streets of L´Eixample are more like a runway show, so eye candy a plenty before hitting the bars.

Look at going out at around 10pm for dinner or drinks
Bars get busy at 12.30ish (not before) so don´t even think of entering a club before 2am!! Clubs close at around 6am. Then there are countless "After hours".

Freebies
Free passes to clubs are always available from the door staff at the bigger bars at around 1am. Sadly they don´t have many "girls passes" so ask early or you will pay dearly... Be warned!

"After Hours" free passes are available from PR people as the clubs close. Again be warned, the after parties may be out of the city centre. A taxi there will be easy and inexpensive, but getting back could be tricky.

Some Bars around town:

Schillling on Calle Ferran (tables out the back as opposed to in the front of bar)
Dietrich on Consell de Cent, 255 (Dance Floor and Nightly Drag Shows)
Zafron (Lesbian - Gay Bar)on Casanova, 68
Matchin on Casanova, (just above Gran Via)
All free woman on Casanova (just above Gran Via)
Cafe de le Calle on Carrer de Vic, 11 (meeting place for lesbians & gay men)
Bahia on Carrer de Seneca, 12 (predominantly lesbian bar open until about 2.30am)
La Rosa on Passatge de Brusi, 39 (predominantly lesbian)
Some Discos/Clubs around town:
Metro on Carrer de Sepuulveda, 185 (gay and lesbian with a 5 to 10 Euro cover charge)
Martin´s on Passieg de Gracia, 130 (gay men only)
Arena on Carrer de Balmes, 32 (young cruisey gay crowd)
more info to follow soon!!!

Nightlife in Barcelona has a stronger clubbing than live music scene, and there's plenty of offer every night.  It's said that the weekend starts on Thursday here in Barcelona, or even on a Wednesday for the serious party animals… and as far as the city’s clubbing agenda is concerned there’s plenty going on to choose from every night! 
Barcelona currently has a particularly strong house and electro scene, which is reflected by the number of clubs that keep that vibe alive all week.  This is in part thanks to the mighty Sonar festival, and the experimental creative buzz in the air.  Every other person in this city seems to be a DJ…!

There is a good variety of clubs and music styles on offer here, although electronic beats tend to take centre stage.  However, rock and metal fans, and hip hop and indie kids are also well looked after. There are plenty Latin clubs with their salsa, meringue, samba and other funky beats.  As well as regular weekly club nights, Barcelona is firmly on the global agenda and attracts a lot of big name live performers and DJs all year round.

Clubs and discotecs tend to open their doors between 11pm and 1am, although the dance floors are often empty until 2 or 3am.   Look out for the free entry passes to some of the biggest name clubs in the bars and shops around the city centre, or being handed out by PR girls and boys on the Ramblas at night.  These passes allow free or discounted entry to nights that would otherwise set you back up to €18.
When the clubs kick out at 5am, 6am, or 7am, there's always a ready crew flyering for the afterclubs where those that aren't yet ready to mix with the day crowd can continue larging in until the afternoon.

Barcelona’s club scene is divided into two distinct seasons: the summer, and the rest of the year. Summer clubs include outdoor terraces, some are on the beachfront or have a sea view, and some even have a pool!  From October onwards the action is more focused on the dance floor. 

A few of the clubs worth checking out are listed below, and you can also find a good monthly clubs listing section in the Barcelona Connect magazine.  Get out there and keep onking!

You're the best man! Again! The year before last it was a stripper, last year two strippers. This year it's going to be three? Be more imaginative! Barcelona is just perfect to have your batchelor or batchelorette party. Grrreat weather in Summer, still great in spring and autumn and the nightlife scene has everything on offer. During the day there are loads of historical and cultural things to do and see, not to mention the rollercoaster rides on Tibidabo, and at night the city transforms into a party animal with hundreds of bars (if not thousands including all the tapas bars on every corner) , restaurants offering cuisine from all over the world at any price and any quality, and night clubs where less is more! And of course, if you insist you can still get that stripper of yours!

Find below some more information on Event organisers and Places tailored to making that stag night or hen party one the bride or groom will never forget.