Things To Do At Night

What is there to do in Barcelona after the sun goes down? Well bon vivants keen to sample the local nightlife will certainly find plenty to occupy them (and will be well catered for on this list!), but what about those refined folk who want to make the most of their evenings in the Catalan capital?

Well, don’t worry, Barcelona by night has plenty to offer culturally curious travellers, from an evening at the opera, to light shows on the rooftops of Gaudi’s most famous buildings, and even a few more intriguing surprises – like a ghost tour around the Gothic Quarter.

The Catalan capital is not quite what you’d call a 24 hour city (bars close around 2-3am), but it’s no early-to-bed prude either, and even the kids stay up until midnight in these parts, so you’ve got no excuse for staying up a little later and taking advantage of everything The Great Enchantress has to offer after dusk.

To make this list more user-friendly, I’m going to put my suggestions in order of sophistication, starting with the most civilised first and finishing with several debauched booze ups that would shock the good people of Sodom and Gomorrah. I leave it up to you when you stop reading…

1. Dress Up For The Opera

Available year-round
Las Ramblas has been more or less commandeered these days by tourists waddling up and down in their cruise-ship casuals, but something that always heartens me somehow is the sight of locals gathering in formal evening wear outside the Liceu Theatre, as they await the start of their show: an elegant tradition surviving in the maelstrom of mass tourism. Once the biggest opera house in Europe, Liceu still boasts a programme of great repute, and this season they are staging Candide, Madame Butterfly and Hamlet amongst others, while their grand 2,300 seater auditorium also hosts several dance performances and classical concerts each month. You can buy tickets via their official website.

2. See La Pedrera “The Origins” Night Show

Available year-round
Day tickets for Gaudi’s Casa Mila cost €25, and whilst I’d encourage any visitor to check out this epic mansion (also known as La Pedrera, or ‘The Quarry’), you don’t have to join the peak time rush. Ever since La Pedrera launched their “The Origins” show, savvy travellers have had the option of visiting the house during the evening, for a “semi-guided” night tour of the casa‘s intriguing interior and period details, followed by an audiovisual show on the mansion’s famous roof terrace for not that much more at €39. The chance to drink a glass of Cava on top of one of the city’s most iconic buildings, with a sound and light display projected on to Gaudi’s surreal handiwork is certainly a unique experience. You can book via Get Your Guide.

LA PEDRERA NIGHT SHOW TICKETS

3. Feel The Passion of a Flamenco Show

Available year-round
Migrant workers from the south of Spain brought their rich tradition of flamenco with them to Barcelona, and today the city is full of great tablaos where you can catch a show. If you’ve been craving a slice of real Spanish culture then these passionate, foot-stomping, hand-clapping spectacles are well worth seeing. Most of the major venues stage several concerts a night, usually with a dinner option, or you can just opt for the show with a complementary drink. Check out our article for all the best tablaos, or – if you want me to make your decision easy for you – then buy tickets for Tablao Cordobes, which is one of the most atmospheric venues in town.

BOOK FLAMENCO AT TABLAO CORDOBES

4. Sign up for a Paella Cooking Class

Available year-round
No one leaves Barcelona without eating a paella, but instead of heading to one of the shoddy places on Las Ramblas or Barceloneta for microwaved mouthfuls of yellow goo, what about learning to cook Spain’s signature dish for yourself, with market-fresh ingredients and the help of a local chef? During this fun and informal cooking class you learn the secrets behind preparing a really great seafood paella, before devouring your creation. The activity takes place five times a day (1pm, 4pm and 6:45pm) and includes a tour of the famous Boqueria market, complementary tapas (the paella takes a while to cook!), and plenty of delicious glasses of sangria. Great value at €69 per person, and as the groups are usually large and friendly you should feel comfortable signing up for this activity even if you’re travelling on your own. Vegetarians catered for as well. More details here or go ahead and book on Get Your Guide. It tends to sell out, so don’t wait around.

BOOK PAELLA COOKING EXPERIENCE

5. Gather at the Magic Fountain

Available year-round
(Note: Due to drought warning, the Fountain is not currently operating)
Sp’lunked all your cash on a guided tour of La Sagrada Familia by day, and looking for something free to do at night? Well rock on up to Barcelona’s Font Magica… aka the Magic Fountain. Dormant during the day, the waterworks suddenly spring to life at night, accompanied by a cacophony of kitsch pop and classical music. Somehow it works, and expect a large crowd to gather around sunset for the shows. Head to our article for more info on the Magic Fountain’s timetable, map and tips for visiting etc.

6. Take a Segway Tour by Night

Available year-round
Segways can be a bit of menace by day, especially in the narrow streets of the Gothic Quarter, or along the crowded beach front. But by night, when foot-fall traffic is much lower, they can be a fun way to see the city without obstructing the good people of Barcelona going about their business. This private Segway ride is one of the best Barcelona night tours around and great value at just €59 per person (min. 2 people). It takes you along the legendary Barceloneta beach, which is still lively by night with joggers, skaters, walkers and drinkers, reveals some of the history behind the Old Port, and the new Olympic marina too, before taking you inland to the impressive Arc de Triomf, and then to some of the most exciting modern developments in the city, such as the stunning Jean Nouvel-designed Torre Glories. This towering, steel and glass dildo (sorry, there’s really no way of stepping around it!), is lit up after dark by 4,500 LED panels and is a true highlight of any Barcelona-by-night experience.

BOOK SEGWAY NIGHT TOUR

7. Set Sail on a Romantic Sunset Cruise

Available year-round
Those looking for a little romance in Barcelona, look no further. On the Sunset Sailing Experience you’ll take a 2 hr cruise, starting in the city harbour and sailing out onto the calm Mediterranean sea just as the sun starts to dip. As the city is glazed in fabulous orange, pink and finally indigo hues, you can enjoy the tranquility of bobbing on the ocean on a classic sailing yacht, with a glass of Cava (Catalan Champagne) in hand. You can enjoy this activity for as little as €69 per person, depending on the time of year (in peak season the price goes up to €88). Check out the full details on our sailing page, or click the button to book.

BOOK SUNSET SAILING EXPERIENCE

8. Rooftop Wine Tasting at Sunset

Available year around
One of Barcelona’s youngest and funnest travel companies throw this Bacchanalia of a wine party every evening (Wednesdays to Sundays) on a stunning rooftop where you can swill wine and watch the sunset at the same time. The concept is to take the pretentiousness out of wine tasting, and learn and enjoy wines in a snob-free environment. For €45 you will taste 6 different types of Catalan wine, accompanied by nibbles. Fun and social, you can expect to be quite sozzled by the end of the activity. Book via Stoke Travel.

BOOK ROOFTOP WINE TASTING

9. Join an Evening Tapas Tour

Available year-round
There are a few different food tour companies operating in Barcelona, but for quality of experience and customer service it’s hard to beat Devour Tours. Their Tapas, Taverns & History tour is an atmospheric exploration of Barcelona’s layered past and culinary scene combined. After enjoying an apertif and cured meats and cheeses at a tavern that opened in 1927, you’ll take a short history tour (50 mins), before making a casual tapas stop and then enjoy a more formal sit-down tapas experience. By the end you’ll have sampled some of the city’s most iconic dishes and got familiar with the Gothic District. The tour lasts 4 hours and costs €104 per person. They also offer a 3 hr Gourmet Tapas & Wine Tasting tour in the evenings (and a daytime Tastes & Traditions of Barcelona tour).

BOOK TAPAS & TAVERNS TOUR

10. Enjoy Live Music at Gaudi’s Casa Batllo

Available spring to autumn
Another chance to visit one of Gaudi’s mind-boggling mansions at nighttime, this time the coral-faced Casa Batllo (which is just opposite the aforementioned Casa Mila). Visitors to the mansion’s Magic Nights first experience an audio-guided tour of the building Mick Jagger once tried to buy (allegedly), before enjoying a live concert on the rooftop. The bands change every night, but typically you’ll be listening to some soft refrains of pop-influenced jazz, blues or flamenco as you enjoy the cool Barcelona evening air. The tickets start from €69 per person, and include a free glass of sparkling Cava. Tickets go on sale late and sell out early… so go online and grab yours if you want to attend!

BOOK GAUDI ROOFTOP CONCERT

11. Get Spooky on a Ghost Tour

Available year-round
The narrow streets of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter are full of dark and dreadful tales, of vampires, ghosts, gangsters and ghouls. With your story-telling guide leading the way, you’ll prowl these mean streets and discover their many secrets. The myths and legends you hear are also designed to inform you about the city’s origins and history (so it’s more than just fairytales!). The tour leaves at 7:30pm every day from Travel Bar, and costs €17. They take reservations via Get Your Guide.

BOOK GHOST TOUR

12. Watch the Sunset at Bunkers del Carmel

Available year-round
Barcelona’s worst kept secret, a trip up to the Bunkers del Carmel to watch the sunset over the city has become a rite of passage for young locals and travellers, who enjoy the opportunity to fill their Instagram feed with spectacular vistas (#blessed), as well as to drink a few cheap tinnies of supermarket beer with some Jamon Ruffles and a giant-sized pack of pipas. Great fun if you’re of Erasmus age, or thereabouts. You can take a taxi to the Restaurant Delicias and then walk up from there.

13. Enjoy Openair Cinema at Sala Montjuic

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in mid-summer
If you happen to be in Barcelona in July (or the end of June, start of August), then I can highly recommend to you this wonderful experience, which involves hiking up to the ramparts of Montjuic castle for an open air film screening, preceded by a concert. The format is to head up the hill with a blanket, pillow and picnic basket and enjoy a bit of a feast during the concert, then get comfortable (or as best you can) for the film. Romantic and fun as it is, you do need to bear a few things in mind. Firstly check for a film that’s in English, because all films are screened in their original language with Spanish subtitles, which probably won’t help you much if you’re a tourist here. Second buy tickets in advance, snagging a deckchair option if you can, as they sell out most nights. Third, even with an advance ticket, you’ll need to get there bang on time to hustle for a good spot on the grass. Website here.

14. Challenge Yourself in an Escape Room

Available year-round
A fun activity that doesn’t involve drinking (at least not until afterwards), Escape Rooms involve solving a series of puzzles in order to, you guessed it, escape the room. Barcelona has several great ones, many of which have a theme tied to the city’s history or identity in some way, such as rescuing Gaudi’s architectural blueprints from the burning crypt of La Sagrada Familia (so you can pretend you’re doing something cultural!). You typically have one hour to solve all the clues, meaning it’s a relatively quick activity you can schedule before or after dinner, and depending on your group size they tend to work out pretty cheap. We reviewed a few of Barcelona’s best rooms right here.

15. Take a Cocktail Masterclass (with Tapas!)

Available year round
Learn how to mix the perfect mojito, and much more, during this masterclass with one of Barcelona’s knowledgeable mixologists. There’s more to rustling up a delicious cocktail than meets the eye, and by the end of this class you’ll know how to mix four of the world’s classic libations, making you the first to get invited to any party back home! At just €50 per person, you not only get to drink everything you create, but you also get to tuck in to a fine selection of Spanish tapas. The class takes place at an international bar in the Old Town, and can be reserved via Get Your Guide.

BOOK COCKTAIL MASTERCLASS

16. Drop By a Live Music Venue

Available year-round
A night out doesn’t have to involve just DJs and mindless drinking. Barcelona has plenty of cool little live music bars showcasing talented local bands, even if many of them, like Big Bang or Soda Acustic, are pretty hard to find (check out this article for a helping hand!). As well as the more Bohemian hang outs, there are the larger music clubs like Sala Razzmatazz where international acts play, a glut of Irish pubs (most of whom have live concerts, Friday to Sunday), not to mention the classical concert venues. One place that serves up music at the weekends, with killer cocktails, is Slow Barcelona.

17. Get on Board THE Barcelona Boat Party!

Available April until October
Unleash your beast mode during this more raucous romp on the high seas. Boring things like the law, and safety conscious port authorities, means it’s no longer quite the open bar unlimited booze fest it used to be. But you can still sink several refreshing jars of beer or sangria, whilst dancing like an idiot, and brazenly flirting with every everyone else on board. This ticket also includes club entry once you’re back on terra firma, so there’s nothing stopping the party continuing. If you’re interested don’t hang about, because they often sell out weeks in advance. More info and online bookings here.

BOOK BOAT PARTY TICKETS

18. Chill Out at the Ice Bar

Available during summer months
A great leftfield option for those looking for something original to do by night, Barcelona’s Ice Bar invites hardy travellers into its subzero chamber for a stiff drink in Arctic conditions. Not only is much of the decor fashioned from ice, but even the glasses are made from frozen H₂O. Afterwards, you can enjoy a cocktail on their beachside terrace. Tickets available on Get Your Guide.

19. Attend a Local Street Festival

Available during summer months
One of my favourite things to do at night in Barcelona is head on over to one of the city’s festes majors – if one is happening. Over the summer months there are at least a couple taking place every month, and they usually last for at least a week, so there’s a fair chance that you find yourself in town when there’s a party going on. Essentially neighbourhood street parties, a district’s festa major (literally ‘big festival’) is an excuse to spend the whole evening outside, listening to free concerts, drinking cheap beers and desperately searching for somewhere to pee. (Insider tip: better to drink spirits than beer!). Check our complete guide to the Barcelona’s festes majors, or check our event calendar to see what’s on.

20. Party on a VIP Nightlife Tour

Available March to October
The perfect choice for anyone with only one night to experience everything the local nightlife has to offer, this decadent tour takes you to some of the Barcelona’s most iconic hangouts, whilst introducing you to a bunch of other like-minded party people. Starting off with a welcome drink and mingling in Belushi’s Bar, you are soon whisked off to Slow Cocktail Bar, where you’ll enjoy magnificent mixed drinks and live music as the evening begins to heat up. Next you drop by a suave pre-club lounge for a final bevy, before being ushered into the folds of the world-famous Opium nightclub, in VIP style. Here you can party until dawn with the city’s glitterati, either on the dancefloor or on their beach terrace overlooking the Mediterranean. Sells out most weekends, so book fast if you’re interested.

21. Survive An Epic Pub Crawl

Available year-round
Points 1-20, all sound a bit too tame for you? Then sign up for a swashbuckling Bacchanalia of boozing and schmoozing through the local bar scene. There are a few different options, but most of them include a free drink in every bar and free nightclub entry at the end of the night (worth the fee alone!). Some of them attract up to 100 or so people per night during summer, so if you’re down for meeting people, drinking (obviously), dancing and going a bit delirious, this is definitely the night out for you. More info and reservations here.

More Inspiration…

So that’s your nights sorted! What about your days? Check out my comprehensive list of cool activities and unforgettable excursions to ensure you don’t miss out on the highlight of your trip.

If you need help planning your time, I’ve also prepared these itineraries for you…. whether you’re here for one day, a whole weekend or three crazy days!