Barcelona nightlife

Summary
Barcelona is considered one of Europe's great party cities with rich nightlife and array of after-dark diversions is staggering.Barcelona has more bars, cafés and late night clubs per capita than any other city in the world.
When you come to Barcelona, apart from shopping, Gaudi, beaches and the sun you want to enjoy Barcelona nightlife. As you would expect of any major city Barcelona's nightlife is as rich and varied - entertainment from traditional fiestas and world-class opera to lesbian bars and drag shows. Fashionable bars and clubs operate in nearly every major district of the city which attracts tourists, students and Bohemian types.
A night out in Barcelona is a long-distance race from the evening till the morning. The city is the liveliest in Friday and Saturday nights, although the drinking and dancing keeps going throughout the week. Locals sometimes start an evening in the tascas (taverns), or they settle in for a bottle of wine at a café with some food and a few drinks after siesta finishes. Then many Barceloneses go for a walk a promenade (paseo) from about 8 to 9pm. Then things quiet down a bit in Barcelona until a second surge of energy brings out the post-dinner crowds from 11pm to midnight and people soon gather pace and by 11 pm the city is buzzing. People go to drink to bars usually till 2 – 3 am and then go to clubs till 5-6 am. There are all kinds of bars in Barcelona. Some of them have live music, some have a small dance floor, some a small restaurant etc.
Popular areas for nightlife are Barri Gòtic & Las Ramblas, L'Eixample, Maremagnum, Port Olímpic, El Ensanche, Gracia, La Barceloneta, Santalo - San Gervasi, Plaça Reial, El Raval, El Born and La Ribera, Poblenou, Vila Olimpica, Zona Alta etc.
When you are in Barcelona try to discover as many bars as you can. Bar owners in Barcelona tend to put a lot of effort into making their bar comfortable and impressive. A lot of bars and pubs have an outdoor terrace, where clients can have drinks and usually carry a surcharge.
The hottest nightclubs and discos in Barcelona usually open their doors between 11pm and 1am, but very often the dance floors are often empty until 2 or 3am. There are a lot of clubs and music styles on offer here, although electronic beats tend to take centre stage in Barcelona. However, rock and metal fans, and hip hop are also popular. You can find many Latin clubs with their salsa, meringue, samba and other funky beats. Barcelona attracts a lot of big name live performers and DJs all year round. That's why before you go to club it is important to check local listings and the internet to find out which disco is currently the hottest.

For Live Music you can visit large-scale rock and pop concerts by international stars. Such concerts can be held at the Palau Sant Jordi, Passeig Olímpic 5-7, the Estadi Olímpic, Montjuïc, and Camp Nou, Avenguda de Joan XXII. Big event for nightlife in Barcelona is in October and November, the city hosts an annual jazz festival, which highlights visiting bands in Spanish nightclubs and in a series of street concerts.

Barcelona nights is all about fun, fun, fun, and one can simply go insane just ticking off the choices on how to achieve it in one night. Even the most hedonistic man s standards for pleasure and enjoying the night away will be challenged in this great city!
This is a city known for its nightlife, so it comes as no surprise that there is a huge variety of bars and pubs, covering pretty much every theme and appealing to all tastes and budgets.
There are all kinds of bars in Barcelona. Some have a small dance floor, some a small restaurant, and some have live music. Bars are usually open until 2 to 3am, although late licensed bars that stay open until the metro starts running again at 5am can also be found. There are plenty Irish/ English pubs with good Guinness and usually English speaking bar staff, each with their own particular atmosphere and often also offering quiz nights, language exchanges and live gigs. The nightlife in Barcelona will not disappoint, so get out there are try discover as many bars as you can!

Wine Bars in Barcelona are pretty much the same as everywhere. Some wine bars offer Tapas or a selection of light food to accompany the wide variety of wines. Prices run from moderate to expensive, and they often catch you off guard on the extras, such as a bottle of water, extra bread, cheeses etc. Great places to take a friend or business associate, sample some of the exquisite wines from Spain or all over the world.
Late bars are not clubs but they are either chill-out bars or lively after hours bars. Some of them have a small dance floor, so you can dance the night away as well. Usually late bars have chill-out music; some people go to late bars after the clubs close, some people use the late bar if they do not want to dance but are looking for a lively place. Late bars can be open unofficially or officially up to 10 am!
Barcelona has a vivid gay scene with many bars and clubs throughout the city, especially around L'Eixample and Gracia.Barcelona currently has a particularly strong house and electro scene, which is reflected by the number of clubs that keep that vibe alive all week. This is in part thanks to the mighty Sonar festival, and the experimental creative buzz in the air. Every other person in this city seems to be a DJ!
After a makeover lasting more than two decades, Barcelona has transformed itself into one of the most dynamic, stylish and visited cities in the world. In the summer you will find all Barcelona hotels full, as there are more tourists than beds in the centre of the city. Pre-booking in summer is always recommended, especially if you are arriving in the evening. Budget hotels in Barcelona are currently undergoing a transformation as can be seen by the growing number of hostels being opened in the Catalan capital.

Barcelona is just perfect to have your bachelor or hen-party. Great weather in summer, still great in spring and autumn and the nightlife scene has everything on offer. During the day there are loads of historical and cultural things to do and see, not to mention the rollercoaster rides on Tibidabo, and at night the city transforms into a party animal with hundreds of bars (if not thousands including all the tapas bars on every corner), restaurants offering cuisine from all over the world at any price and any quality, and night clubs where less is more! And of course, if you insist you can still get that stripper of yours!
Fiestas take place throughout the year, turning the streets of various districts into a riot of music, dancing and fireworks. Among the best are the Festa Major de Gracia in mid August and the Festes de la Merce towards the end of September. Whatever else you do, don't miss the spectacular water and light shows of the fountains of Monjuic, made famous during the 1992 Olympic Games.

On a more serious note, visit Miniature of Catalonia which will not only educate but also give you enough information about the culture and heritage of Barcelona which will be useful when you describe your holiday venue back at home. You can also visit the nature reserve situated at Fuives, which houses over 100 Catalan donkeys and is an amazing site to behold.
If you really need to go somewhere without children, some Barcelona hotels offer special service on request as baby-sitter, but of course, it will be not free. Also for parents convenient, most hotels in Barcelona have play grounds on a hotel territory.
Children are often seen and heard in Barcelona restaurants for lunch, less so for dinner. Many restaurants have a children's menu, usually consisting of some form of roast chicken, canelones, or the old faithful pork sausage with white beans.
Barcelona's beachfront paella specialists are great favorites for Sunday lunches with children free to get up and run, skate, cycle, or generally race up and down the boardwalk while their parents linger over brandies and coffee.
The list of entertainment activities is seemingly endless in Barcelona and it is guaranteed that the children will not want the trip to end!