Barcelona is one of Europe's nightlife capitals: cocktail bars topping world rankings, beach clubs, internationally famous electronic music festivals, concerts every night and a lively alternative scene. It is part of the Barcelona guide.
Hours
- 8-10pm: aperitivo and vermouth, or tapas.
- 9-11pm: dinner.
- 11pm-2.30am: bars and cocktail bars, which by law close around 2.30-3am.
- 1-6am: clubs, which fill up after 2am.
- On Saturdays the metro runs all night; on other days there are NitBus night buses.
The night-time districts
| District | Atmosphere |
|---|---|
| El Born | Refined cocktail bars, wine bars, trendy venues |
| El Raval | Alternative, historic and slightly decadent bars, like Bar Marsella, open since 1820, famous for absinthe |
| Gothic Quarter | Pubs, plaça Reial and its venues, small clubs |
| Gràcia | Bars in the squares, live music, local young crowd |
| Eixample | Elegant cocktail bars, the LGBTQ+ Gaixample |
| Poble-sec | Pintxos bars on calle Blai, theatres and concert halls |
| Port Olímpic | Clubs facing the beach, international crowd |
| Poblenou | Big electronic music clubs in former factories |
Cocktail bars
For years Barcelona has been one of the cities with the most venues in the world's best cocktail bar rankings. The Born and the Eixample are the key areas, with signature bars, speakeasies hidden behind anonymous doors and historic bars like Boadas, founded in 1933 near the Rambla, the city's oldest cocktail bar.
Clubs and electronic music
Along the Port Olímpic seafront are the big clubs, popular with tourists and Erasmus students, open until dawn. For electronic music there are clubs in Poblenou and Poble-sec, and Razzmatazz, five rooms in a former warehouse, is one of Europe's most famous venues. On Montjuïc some historic venues open outdoor terraces in summer.
Festivals
- Primavera Sound, early June, at the Parc del Fòrum: one of the world's leading indie and pop festivals.
- Sónar, in June: the festival of electronic music and digital arts, with Sónar by Day and by Night.
- Cruïlla, in July, with international artists of every genre.
- Grec Festival, in summer, open-air theatre, dance and music, including at Montjuïc's Greek theatre.
- Barcelona Jazz Festival, in autumn.
Live music and flamenco
Barcelona has dozens of concert venues: the Palau de la Música and Auditori for classical music, the Liceu for opera, Jamboree on plaça Reial for jazz, Apolo and Razzmatazz for rock and pop. For flamenco there are a few tablaos in the centre and on Montjuïc, with evening shows.
Summer and chiringuitos
In summer the night moves to the sea: chiringuitos, beach kiosks, serve cocktails and music until late, and many hotels open their rooftop terraces. Neighbourhood festivals, like Gràcia's in August, fill the streets until dawn. See beaches.
Safety
- In crowded venues and on the beach at night pickpockets are very active: no phone in your back pocket, no open bags.
- Never leave your drink unattended.
- Drinking alcohol in the street is banned and fined.
- Respect quiet in residential areas: Barcelona is also a city where people live and work.
See also eating in Barcelona and festivals and events.