Barcelona’s Nightlife Scene

It may lack the diversity of the London scene or the cutting edge of the experimental Berlin nightlife, but considering it’s only Spain’s second biggest city Barcelona certainly packs a helluva party punch – and whether you like to get high with the hippies, or get down with the glitterati you’ll find more than enough going on after the sun goes down… in fact, if you want to keep pace with the locals, you’d best be prepared to see the sun come back up again.

A metropolitan city of close to two million people (five if you include the whole urban area), there isn’t one area to sample Barcelona’s nightlife but rather a whole host of happening neighbourhoods to check out.

The the VIP Night Tour is the perfect intro to the party scene

Read on for the best barrios for going out and the best venues in each district, along with the general vibe… by the end of the article you’ll have all the info you need to start your own nocturnal adventures!

Going Out, District by District…

Below you’re find our tips on the best venues for going out in each of Barcelona’s main districts… so wherever you find yourself in the city, you can locate the best pubs and bars in the barrio.

Las Ramblas

A natural starting point for newcomers is, of course, Las Ramblas. Barcelona’s busiest boulevard by day, Las Ramblas is also heaving by night, especially in the early stages of the evening when the street performers are still playing their trade and the pavements throng with locals and tourists heading out for drinks and dinner, or perhaps the theatre.

Restaurants at this time are spilling over with customers fuelling themselves on tapas and other treats (although you’ll find better quality for cheaper elsewhere! Check our eating out section for suggestions), whilst the strip also has plenty of bars and clubs.

Boadas was the city’s first ever cocktail bar

For cocktails served up by white-tuxedoed barmen try Boadas, or else the Kiosk La Cazalla – the city’s smallest bar since 1829 – is fun for novelty factor. For beers, sports and good times, the ever-lively Old Irish Pub is a reliable point of call.

The Gothic Quarter

Generally speaking Las Ramblas (above) is merely a crossing point to greener nightlife pastures, and for the more authentic local venues you’ll have to negotiate the labyrinthine alleys of the Gothic Quarter. Here you’ll find scores of sassy little spots hidden away in dark corners, such as the stylish Milk Bar, which has a great cocktail menu, the grungy Nevermind, a favourite with skaters, and the nostalgic Polaroid, full of 1980s memorabilia.

Like all the best bars, Milk is hidden on a narrow Gothic street.

Naturally, you’ll also find a handsome selection of Irish and British pubs, such as the friendly and flirty Flaherty’s, where you can mingle with (i.e. chat up) fellow tourists as you share a 3-litre beer tower.

Flaherty’s is a great hang out in El Gotico

Plaza Real (Royal Square) is a great place to orientate yourself in this neck of the woods, with famous clubs like Jamboree, Sidecar and Tarantos perennial faves with the backpacker crowd that congregate here. The latter actually hosts the flamenco part of this highly-rated Flamenco & Tapas Night.

A flamenco show can be a fun way to start a night out.

El Born District

For a slightly more sophisticated slice of Barcelona’s nightlife, the equally pretty, but slightly less touristy, El Born is also very central and here you’ll find all manner of trendily-attired nightowls crowding into cafes and bars – especially in the district’s heart, the Passeig del Born.

Passeig del Born is full of lively bars, such as Miramelindo

Check out Miramelindo, for a Cava cocktail, or trawl the square and the surrounding backstreets for a slice of the action. Famous cocktails bars like Paradiso and Mariposa Negra can also be found in this district.

If you’re still going strong at bar closing time, then a night at Magic Rock Club is a Barcelona rite of passage.

El Raval District

If you can’t identify with Born (get it?), then the edgier Raval is the other side of the Ramblas, where street kids play cricket or football and generally run riot as Bohemian imbibers stroke their side whiskers and order another chupito or two.

Find Ambar at the bottom of the Rambla del Raval

The heart of the district is the tree-lined Rambla de Raval where hip bars like Ambar are interspersed with kebab joints. Close by the street of Joaquim Costa is full of hip venues, like Betty Fords and 33 / 45 and a great place to go bar-hopping.

Meanwhile, in the area surrounding the MACBA museum, skate fashion rules supreme. Pierced and tattooed kids practice tricks on their boards before later heading down to the area around Carrer Nou de la Rambla, where legendary clubs like Moog (famous for tech/minimal DJs) and Sala Apolo (host of several midweek parties) are located.

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L’Eixample District

If the Gothic Quarter, Born and Raval make up Barcelona’s Old Town, then 80% of the rest of the city is made up of L’Eixample, which means ‘The Addition’. This grand, grid-patterned section of the Catalan capital rose up during the industrial revolution in the beautiful Modernista architectural style and is largely residential… but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing going on!

Young wild and free at Belushi’s

Finding a good bar in L’Eixample is more about knowledge than luck, on account of its huge size, but a great place to start is Belushi’s Bar, which is just off Plaça Catalunya (the city’s central square) and the perfect place to kick off the night before heading clubbing. Be prepared for a young international party crowd and liver-endangering drinks promos.

With a similar vibe to Belushi’s, the popular George Payne Irish pub is great bet to start or end the night, with sports screenings, generous drink promos and resident DJs playing until 2 or 3am depending on the night.

Catalan craft beers and American hot wings at CocoVail

Meanwhile a slightly older and more mature (and we mean slightly) gather at CocoVail Beer Hall, an American-style boozer where 20 and 30 somethings share sturdy communal tables and order one (or dozens) of the 24 craft beers on tap. Another great place to warm up for the night.

For cocktails, with a good-looking local crowd, slide over to Slow Barcelona (which also has an suave club upstairs), where you can imbibe some of the best gin or vodka tonics in town, and check out live gigs at the weekends. In this area of town, near Diagonal, it pays to dress up a little fancier.

Kicking back in Slow, one of the city’s best cocktail bars

Whisky lovers travelling through Barcelona should look no further than the appropriately-named La Whiskeria, where you can sip on over 1,000 references of ‘liquid sunshine’, or enjoy a whisky cocktail amidst lovingly restored antique furnishings. While just a few blocks away, on the leafy Passeig de Sant Joan, an increasing number of hip venues are modernising the area: such as Firebug, a classy bar / restaurant with great food, vermouths and a very attractive brunch menu.

Finally the part of Eixample around Casanova street has been dubbed Gayxample, for obvious reasons. Trendy bars, restaurants and saunas abound, as well as the odd disco, like Metro or Arena.

Gracia District

A similarly alternative vibe to Raval prevails in the district of Gracia, but more locally dominated than the immigrant-inhabited ‘Ravalistan’. Here in Gracia you’ll find a very Catalan quarter oozing charisma and aspiring artists – with not too many tourists, except those lost on the way to Parc Guell.

Plaça del Sol is a popular meeting place in Gracia

There are many fine bars, like the Cuban-styled Raim or old-fashioned Teatreneu that cater to the barri’s more Bohemian residents. Alternatively, if it’s a hot day and you’re broke, you can just hang out on one of Gracia’s many squares, such as the Plaça del Sol, with a tinnie. Illegal, but half of Barcelona will be doing the same.

Zona Alta (Sarria)

If Gracia is a little grungy and Bohemian, then sidle over a little to the section of Sarria district known as the Zona Alta. Just above Diagonal, and centred around Carrer Tuset, this is where the girls dress like film stars and the boys look like catalogue cut outs.

Mix with the bold and beautiful in GAIA…

A great place to start the night is GAIA, a brightly-coloured bar/restaurant with a great street terrace and dangerous cocktail menu. Once you’re done with dinner and mojitos, you could try upmarket venues like Sutton Club, or the more democratic Otto Zutz.

Poble Sec District

And, shhhh, keep it quiet, but these days the once unloved district of Poble Sec (“Dry Town”) is considered a pretty hip barrio, with the likes of Maumau Underground and Rouge Bar attracting a savvy set of drinkers.

Rouge is a louche drinking den in Poble Sec

For general boozing and carousing Carrer Blai is the centre of the district and these days it’s popular to enjoy a pintxos (Basque-style tapas) crawl at the many bars and terraces along the street.

The Port Olimpic (Beach Clubs)

For a more upmarket experience, put on your best glad rags and hail a cab for the Port Olimpic. This is the place to be in summer! Here a string of upmarket lounge bars, such as CDLC and Furia Cocktail Bar attract a well-heeled cosmopolitan crowd to sip cocktails, before everyone moves to the clubs to get down and dirty on the dancefloor.

Most of these places close at 3am unfortunately but the infamous Opium, plus Pacha, keep going until 6am – of these Opium has the strongest claim to be the best club in the city, and is reliably packed to the rafters.

Opium is one of several classy clubs on the Port Olimpic

To be sure of getting into Opium, you would be wise to sign up for this VIP Nightlife Tour, which ushers you into its folds like a rockstar.

Alternatively, book a VIP Table for up to five people for €350 (includes premium bottle of spirits + mixers). Just send us an email.

Chilling out at Ice Bar

For a memorable way to kick off any night at the Port Olimpic, we suggest you start by dropping by the Ice Bar, for a dip in their sub-zero chamber. Everything in the chamber is frozen, and even the glasses are made of ice! Their terrace is also a cool place to hang out with a cocktail and you are right by all the clubs for heading out afterwards.

To be sure of getting into any of these places check out our page on club guest lists in Barcelona.

Get on the Boat!

Don’t miss the boat parties! There are five to choose from.

The Olympic Port is also where the epic Barcelona boat party aka booze cruise leaves from several times a week during summer… a must if you’re serious about having fun. DJs, BBQs, beers, babes in bikinis, hunks in trunks, swim stops, and lots more shenanigans. There are currently five different types of parties, from the Original Booze Cruise to the BBQ Catamaran boat, so check out our article to see which is best for you and reserve your spots. Tickets go fast during summer!

BOOK BOAT PARTY TICKETS

Get in the Pool!

Making a splash on the scene…

Why party at a normal nightclub, when you could be raving beside a swimming pool? Or taking a dip to escape the summer heat! Post pandemic and Barcelona’s pool party scene is burgeoning and it’s hard to imagine summer without dropping by one of these weekend events for a splash, a boogie and some chilled bevvies. The vibe is glamorous but falls short of pretentious and while €55 ain’t cheap, tickets come with four complimentary drinks (worth nearly the same as the ticket). The parties start at 5:30pm, and continue til late, so you get a lot of bang for your buck. Reserve your space here.

BOOK POOL PARTY TICKETS

Life’s a Beach (Chiringuitos)

Live music at a chiringuito

If your beat-up zapatos are unlikely to get past the door of the swanky places on the sea front then you might be lucky enough to find a beach party going on at one of the chiringuitos (beach bars). These informal shacks can be found on every Barcelona beach. If nothing else is going on, just join the layabouts (there’s plenty of them in Barcelona!) strumming a guitar on the sand and smoking something not quite legal. Mind your possessions though as pickpockets operate on the beach at night.

More Clubs… The Big Hitters!

Exhausted already? Well there’s plenty more nightlife to come! If you thought the beach clubs at Port Olimpic were sleek (and you loved them!) then you might like the legendary open air nightclub in Poble Espanyol – La Terrrazza, famous for beautiful people and house beats.

A night on the Razz…

Perhaps the best club for a guaranteed good time though is the mammoth Sala Razzmatazz with its five rooms playing everything from serious beeps and blips (The Loft) to cheesy rock and pop (the other four rooms!). The crowd is young, but at least there’s something for everyone here. Just be prepared to lose all your friends in its labyrinthine interior.

Nightlife Tours & Crawls

You never have to head out on your lonesome when in Barcelona, because there are several amazing tours and pub crawls you can join where you’re guaranteed to meet some fun people, as well as checking out some cool venues you’d never find otherwise.

1. VIP Nightlife Tour

To book an incredible nightlife tour of Barcelona, which takes you to several hip hotspots before getting you VIP entry into the exclusive Opium Beach Club, then check out Barcelona Party Tour. Their team organise amazing parties every Friday and Saturday night during the long summer season (usually from March to October). For just €54.95 you get a four-venue tour, free transport, free drinks and VIP entry into Opium… just email info@barcelona-life.com with your dates and number of people and we’ll put you in touch!

BOOK VIP NIGHTLIFE TOUR

2. Barcelona Pub Crawls

Why go to one great bar when you can check out 3 or 4 of Barcelona’s best hangouts in the same night? All in the company of other young travellers, with the knowledge of a local guide to help you navigate la vida nocturna. In fact, there are a few great options to choose from here, so check out our article on the best Barcelona pub crawls here, where you can also book your places. The majority of crawls drop you off at a local nightclub, where you can finish the night on the dancefloor!

BOOK BARCELONA PUB CRAWL

3. Tipsy Tapas Crawl

If you love your food as much as your drink, then consider signing up for this evening tapas tour. You’ll call by a total of four fantastic tapas bars and restaurants to try out authentic Spanish dishes, each enjoyed with a different local drink like cerveza, wine, vermouth or sangria. The tour takes place at 5pm every day and is the perfect way to get the night started, and meet some cool people along the way. Currently the highest rated nightlife activity on Get Your Guide.

BOOK TIPSY TAPAS TOUR

Dresscode & Prices

We wouldn’t want to leave you without some advice on what to wear… well Barcelona is a notoriously hipster city, especially downtown, so if you’re bar crawling in Raval or Gracia and / or finishing the night in places like Apolo or Razzmatazz, then beat up trainers and band t-shirts are just fine. You’ll fit right in.

However, if you’re planning on getting into the venues around the Port Olimpic strip, and in the Zona Alta, you’ll need to wear something a little fancy to adhere by the dress code. Generally speaking, even here it’s fairly relaxed compared to some major European cities, like London or Paris. But if you’re a big and loud group of guys we’d definitely recommend being a smartly dressed big and loud group of guys, rather than a scruffy one. Smart shoes are a good idea, and a collar won’t hurt your chances, although neither are necessarily an absolute must if the overall appearance is chic. Better to play safe, however, than risk ruining a great night out.

Prices-wise on a night out, you won’t have to shell out more than €3 for a bottle of beer in your average bar, whilst club entry is typically between €10 and €20 and traditionally includes one free drink – so don’t throw away your ticket after the bouncer tears it in two, as often the other half will get you a gin and tonic! Once you’re in the club expect to pay €5-10 for a beer, and upwards of €10 for a mixed drink or cocktail.

VIP Table Bookings

To vastly improve your chances of getting in everywhere, whilst skipping the lines as well, booking a VIP Table can be a very wise purchase. Prices vary between €250-350 for a table of 5 people, depending on the club, and usually include a generous amount of drinks (many work as a minimum spend… so it’s just a way for the clubs to ensure you spend some euros!). Just email us on info@barcelona-life.com and we’ll help you get booked in.

Further Drinking

Right, you can consider yourself officially informed on Barcelona’s nightlife scene. For full listings, with photos, reviews and location maps, of all the best bars and nightclubs in the city check out our drink section, and for places for dining out our eat section has some great restaurant recommendations to start the night.

Just remember Barcelona parties all night, so go grab a siesta before you fiesta!

For more information on where exactly to be and when please consult our Barcelona weekly party calendar, with top suggestions on where to booze and boogie Mondays through to Sundays…

Other Things To Do…

There are plenty of other nocturnal past times in Barcelona other than just partying, so check out our complete list of things to do in the evening. From rooftop wine tasting, or live music at one of Gaudi’s finest mansions, to nighttime paddleboarding… you can make every evening special in Barcelona!

The Next Day…

If you wake up feeling a little fragile the following morning never fear… it’s just an excuse to visit one of Barcelona’s best brunch spots. There’s a kind of unofficial competition going on throughout the city as to who fries the best eggs, bacon and pancakes and of course we’ve published some of our favourite venues, just follow the link above.

Meanwhile if your brain is still functioning why not sign up for the highly entertaining After Party escape room and try and flee the scene of the crime before the police turn up with a heavy fine!

Frequently Asked Questions

We’ll wrap up this post with the answers to your FAQs… if you’re still searching for an answer to a nightlife-related question, pop it in the comments section below and I will respond to it.