Barcelona: Night Life
By Lori Tenny
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A Gaudi
creation at night
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To truly savour the great nightlife of Barcelona, consider
surrendering to la marcha at least once.
Meaning, literally, 'the march', the phrase more fittingly
describes the Spanish tendency toward intense socialising
and partying, or packing in every experience possible before
the sun breaks the horizon. Oh come on, you’re on holiday!
If common sense prevails, rest assured there are countless
options other than clubbing all night at the hipper-than-hip
establishments.
Boadas
Tallers 1
0034-93-318-8826
The oldest cocktail bar in Barcelona is also the best place
to sip a cool Cuban mojito chock-full of mint leaves.
This bar still exudes the same refined charm as the day it
was opened in 1933 by Miguel Boadas, a Cuban whose daughter,
Maria Dolores, now runs the place.
She mixes a mean martini and a dizzying menu of Miguel’s
unique cocktails with savvy. Guaranteed pleasure with an old-style
twist.
Jamboree and Los Tarantos
Placa Reial 17
0034-93-301-7564
Head to Jamboree for some of the hottest live jazz and blues
in Barcelona, and after the shows you can dance to trip-hop,
hip-hop and other laid-back grooves.
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La Paloma
dance hall
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Upstairs, Los Tarantos puts on great Flamenco shows, and
afterwards pumps out plenty of salsa and other danceable Latin
music.
La Paloma
Tigre 27
0034-93-301-6897
Feeling nostalgic? La Paloma is a dance hall of yesteryear.
In an ambience of velvet-lined booths, crystal chandeliers,
and ornate gilded plasterwork, live orchestras are the backdrop
for the cha-cha, mambo, fox trot, tango, and every other couples
dance imaginable.
Even with two left feet, you’ll revel in being an observer
— some of these couples have been coming here for decades.
Nick Havanna
Rossello 208
0034-93-215-6591
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Flamenco!
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If Philippe Starck armchairs and a bank of video screens
makes you think of a trendy bar from the '80s, you're not
off track.
Nick Havanna, which opened in 1987, was one of the first
design bars to turn heads in Barcelona, but it’s also
the one that has survived the competition of the last decade
intact. Which means it’s still cool to hang out in this
funky space and mingle with the beautiful people.
Razzmatazz
Almogavers 122
0034-93-272-0910
Here’s your chance for a hot-off-the-skillet good time.
Razzmatazz recently opened in the space that was Zeleste.
It’s a feast for varying palates, with separate spaces
of bars and dance floors devoted to different vibes, whether
it’s techno, drum’n’bass, hip hop, rock or
pop. The club has also set aside a stage for live shows by
both local and international up-and-coming bands.
Tibidabo Mountain
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Cocktails
with Spanish flair
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This is actually an area that claims the highest point in
Barcelona as well as a handful of exclusive bars and clubs
luring the well-to-do.
Try Mira Blau for cocktails with a view, the three-storey
Partycular for romantic enclaves, dance music, bars and gardens,
and Rosebud for pop and salsa in a two-storey house with gardens
and a swimming pool.
Torres de Avila
Poble Espanyol entrance, Montjuic
0034-93-424-9309
On Barcelona’s other peak, this famed designer club
is the striking, avant-garde architectural creation of Javier
Mariscal, boasting numerous bars and trance-techno dance music.
The open air-terrace offers a great view of the city, and
you can imagine the panorama at dawn after a long night of
la marcha.
The Waterfront
Party ‘til dawn without disturbing the neighbours at
the innumerable bars in Port Olympic and Port Vell. Techno,
salsa, rhumba, rock and pop are all on the rhythm menu. This
area tends to attract droves of fairly young revellers during
the summer months.
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