Barcelona

Barcelona’s nightlife is rich and varied, with a strong clubbing scene.  You can start your evening out in one of the many bars and restaurants before going to a club or a show. Bars generally close at 3:00 am. People in Barcelona don’t usually go to a club before 12:00 pm. Or you can enjoy the evening with a drink on the beach in the summer. To find out what’s on, get a copy of Guía del Ocio, which lists all entertainment in the city.

Bars, clubs and live music:

Barceloneta
Baja Beach Club - Club and restaurant
Address: Pg. Marítim de la Barceloneta, 34
Entrance fee: 15€ (free if you eat there)

Located at Barcelona’s beach, the Baja Beach club is both a restaurant and a club. You can enjoy your dinner until 11 pm and then go clubbing for free.  Wide range of music.

Barri Gotic
City Hall
Address: Rambla de Catalunya, 2-4
Entrance fee: 12€

The City Hall attracts young, fashionable people who like electronic music. Fridays and Saturdays are devoted to techno and house music. One of the attractions is the huge dance floor.

Eixample
Dry Martini
Address: Aribau, 162-166

The Dry Martini is supposed to be one of the best cocktail bars in the world. Known for its extensive range of cocktails and elegant interior, the bar is popular with people in their late twenties and thirties.

El Born
La Paloma
Address: Tigre, 27
Entrance fee: 6€

La Paloma is located in a former dance hall and is a remarkable place from another age. Rather kitsch, it is the place to come on Thursday and Friday nights if you like electronic music with Latin beats.

Montjuic
La Terrazza
Address: Av. Marqès de Comillas (Poble Español)
Entrance fee: 15€

La Terrazza has its dance floors and bars outside, so is only open from May until October. Situated in the Poble Español on Montjüic, it attracts tourists and Spanish people alike. The music ranges from finest house to garage.

Poble Sec
Tinta Roja
Address: Creu del Molers, 17

Located in a former dairy farm, the Tinta Roja offers a cozy and bohemian atmosphere.  A real “art space”, the Tinta Roja is at once a bar, art exhibition venue, theatre, dance and music hall.

Santalo / San Gervasi
Otto Zutz
Address: Lincoln, 15
Entrance fee: 15€

The club has a stylish interior design and three floors, each one offering a different atmosphere. The music varies from house to garage.

Tibidabo
The Danzatoria
Avinguda del Tibidabo, 61, 08017 Barcelona
Tel: 932 116 261

The Danzatoria bar/nightclub is a must see. The attractively refurbished mansion has a huge terrace and four floors where different types of music are played –techno music upstairs and hip hop downstairs. Smart dress seems to be the norm. It is a great place to go in the summer when you can enjoy the stunning views from the terrace, and the garden.

Theatres and concert halls in Barcelona:

Gran Teatre del Liceu
Address: La Rambla 51-59
Tel : 93 485 99 13

Barcelona’s great opera house first opened in 1847, but only the façade on the Rambla and the foyer adorned with paintings of singers, dancers and dancers remain from the original building. It underwent major refurbishment and modernisation after being destroyed by a fire in 1994 and is now one of the most technologically  advanced theatres in the world .With 2292 seats, it is one of the largest opera houses in Europe.
Apart from opera, you can see world-class dance companies, classical music concerts and recitals.

Teatre Nacional de Catalunya
Address: Plaça de les Arts, 1
Tel. 933 065 700

Even if you do not intend to watch a play – most are performed in Catalan – it is worth having a look at the building. Inaugurated in 1996, the theatre was designed by the Catalan postmodern architect Ricardo Bofill. Climb the large staircase that leads up to the entrance, and step into the bright, airy foyer and auditorium housed under the metal roof.

Teatre Lliure
Box office: plaça margarida xirgu (Mondays to Fridays: from 9am to 8pm)
Tel: 932 289 747

Considered one of the most prestigious theatres in Catalunya, it first opened in 1976 in Gracia and transferred to its present location in Montjuic in 1991. It specialises in modern theatre and performances in Catalan.

Palau de la Música Catalana
Address : C/ Sant Pere Més Alt 11,
Tel: 902 442 882

The magnificent concert hall was designed in the Catalan modernista style by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, who received an award from the Barcelona City Council in 1909. Between 1982 and 1989, the building underwent extensive restoration, remodeling, and extension and it was declared a Unesco World Heritage site in 1997. It is the main venue for classical and choral music in Barcelona. Performances include symphonic and chamber music, jazz and Cançó (Catalan music)

Flamenco shows

Several venues offer shows on a regular basis.

Tarantos
Gothic quarter,  Plaza Real,
Tel: +34 93 319 1789

Tarantos is one of the oldest flamenco houses and has been running since 1963.

Tablao Cordobes
In the Ramblas 35
Tel: +34 93 317 5711

Tablao Cordobes offers 3 shows every evening. The entrance includes a buffet dinner.

Tablao de Carmen
near the Fira and Plaza España on Montjuic Hill
Tel: +34 93 325 6895

The Tablao provides a charming setting. There are 2 shows per night and meals are served at the tables during the show. Non-dining options are also available.

Palacio de Flamenco
Calle Balmes 139
Tel:+34 93 218 72 37

The stylishly refurbished Palacio de Flamenco offers some of the best Flamenco in Barcelona and the venue is impressive. There are two shows every evening, with or without meals. 

You can see the sardana, Catalunya’s national dance, on Plaça de la Seu on Saturday nights (6.30pm, in front of the cathedral) where ordinary Catalans get together to enjoy the dance.

Two major pop music festivals also take place in the city every year:

Sónar Festival
The Sónar is a three-day event, described officially as a festival of Advanced Music and Multimedia Art. Music is by far the main aspect of the festival. The festival usually starts on a Thursday in the third week of June and attracts around 80,000 visitors.

Primavera Sound Festival
The Primavera Sound Festival usually takes place between May and June. It is now held in the Parc del Forum . The festival attracts approximately 60.000 visitors. During the week prior to the festival, showcase nights take place in clubs and venues across the city.

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