Barcelona Nightlife
Barcelona's bars could be taken to form a guide to nearly every type of pub known to man. The city's diverse nature certainly extends to its nightlife and the pubs and bars of Barcelona run from traditional, wood-panelled establishments, through grotto-style hangouts to trendy and stylish beachfront places popular with the city's young business crowd.
Prices, too run from cheap to expensive, almost side-by-side in some cases, as traditional establishments sit hand-in-hand with the new young upstarts. A bottle of beer can be very cheap, but may in some cases run up to €3.
Barri Gotic, Barcelona's old quarter near the beach and including Las Ramblas, is one of the places where modern and traditional mix seamlessly together, due in no small part to the recent transformation of the beach area, where trendy wine bars sprang up to accommodate the influx of tourists following the Olympic Games in 1992. Closer to the old cathedral, however, and you will find bars with more character, where you can mix with the locals for a much cheaper evening.
A good deal of international bars can be found in Barcelona, with Irish pubs a particular favourite, not only with travellers. Although these can sometimes be over-priced to cash in on the novelty attraction, some really do offer a taste of Ireland and the blend of a Mediterranean atmosphere with that of the Irish is a truly unique experience.
Barcelona's clubs are geared to catering for the late eater – everything in the Catalan climate takes place at least a few hours later than in the UK and for that reason most clubs only begin to come alive in the early hours. Many clubs kick-off proceedings at around 1am, to allow for those finishing their late meals plenty of time to make it onto the dancefloor. At their best on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, the clubs of Barcelona are also open late, with the majority not closing until five or even six in the morning.
The Barri Gotic region hosts a number of top clubs, with a vast variety that can cater for all forms of clubber. From the plush former dance halls to the underground, grungy dance spots, the old town offers everything a party-seeker could want and more. Local youngsters, with money, tend to prefer the Maremagnum complex along the waterfront, where strobe lighting and pounding discos are the order of the day.
Barcelona also has a vibrant live music scene, with many bars and clubs hosting live bands and artists, especially at the weekend. The majority of these tend to start around midnight, although some bands do prefer to kick-off at the relatively early 10pm. Admission is often free, although can cost as much as €20 at the more popular venues.
The city's jazz festival takes place in November, which sees bands descend upon Barcelona's many bars and clubs to give the city an even greater air of cool. Jazz fans should plan a trip to coincide with the event, as it offers an opportunity to see local, regional and international groups playing at the same time, sometimes at the same venue.
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Nightlife
