Barcelona by Night
It’s hard to think of Spain without thinking of Barcelona. This coastal city is known around the world for its beaches, food, and lively nightlife.
Coming from the city that never sleeps, it’s hard to argue Barcelona is any different. No matter what you’re looking for - barhopping, clubbing, an old school absinthe bar, a place to grab a pitcher of sangria or light up a joint - you’ll find it after hours in Barcelona.
Pre-dinner drinks at the W in Barceloneta
Early evening sangria in front of Sagrada Familia 🍷
Nightlife in Barcelona
Nightlife in Barcelona, like the rest of Spain, starts late and ends early - the next day. The average night sees people eating dinner around 9-10 p.m., heading out between midnight and 2 a.m., and stumbling home after the sun rises or the club shuts down.
If you’re a night owl like me, it’s your time to shine.
Getting around after hours is a bit trickier. Cabs are wicked expensive, trains shut down around midnight most nights, and Ubers are few and far between. We ended up walking hours nearly every night, but the weather is usually so wonderful you hardly notice (except if you opted for your 5 inch heels).
If you’re planning your trip to Barcelona and you’re thinking “I can’t WAIT to party my ass off every single night,” best stay where the party is...
El Raval - The Gothic Quarter
…which leaves you with a few options. El Raval is the bomb dot com when it comes to bar hopping. There are old school bars, ritzy cocktail clubs, and everything in between - it’s the perfect place to get lost for a few hours (we did so once or twice) and wander in to any place that catches your eye.
This area closes down a bit earlier than the beach and clubs, between 2-4 a.m. depending on the bar and what day of the week it is. But if you’re not feeling getting all dressed up and dancing the night away, or if you already did last night, this is a dope area to explore. Show up early and grab a pitcher of sangria or two as you wait for the night to light up.
Digs in El Raval
Bar Calders
Sidecar
Bar Marsella
Casa Almirall
Cassette Bar
Big Bang Bar
Cafe Bar Centric
For two absinthe fans, El Ravel is a dream 🧚♀️
Barceloneta - Clubbing on the Beach
Drag those heels out from the bottom of your pack, you’re going to need them! (No, seriously, these places have dress codes so no flats/shorts/flip flops/etc. unless you know someone or are a stupid kind of hot)
Best advice for these big beach clubs, of which there are many, is definitely to go early (11 p.m. - midnight) or late (4-5 a.m.) or be prepared to wait. Lines are typical for all these places, though sometimes you can join a list for free online if you check it out beforehand.
Hate the line so much? Ask to skip it. MJ casually asked the bouncer who was walking up and down doing security if the two of us and a friend could quickly join the promoter’s list and it got us straight in. Will it work every time? Definitely not. Is it worth a shot? For sure.
Also highly recommend some pregaming at a bar near by or back at your accommodation because drinks are $$$. Another trick is some hostels bring you to these clubs as a part of a bar crawl, which will land you a free shot or two usually.
The best part of these nights out is definitely sticking around to watch the sunrise on the beach - along with a few hundred of your closest and drunkest friends. Don’t miss it! By the time the sun’s up, so are the chocolate & churro cafes 😉
Digs on Barceloneta
Opium
Club Catwalk
Carpe Diem
Bar Pinol (OK so this is a tapas bar, sue me, you’ve got to start the night somewhere!)
Starting late…
…ending early ;) good news is you’re already on the beach!
Traveling solo but don’t want to party solo? Join a pub crawl! There are a bunch hosted by hostels and private companies you can choose from. They’re a great way to meet people, find your away around Barcelona’s dizzying nightlife, and get a discounted drink or two. We didn’t hop on one, but Bar Crawl Barcelona has great reviews!
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