80 Best Nightlife in Barcelona, Spain

An illuminated red globe marks this speakeasy-style cocktail bar, tucked away on a narrow side street. With its cool jazz soundtrack and tiny tables topped with flickering candles, the space oozes sophistication but the vibe is relaxed thanks to the friendly staff.

Sporting the original sign and glass shelving of the pharmacy that once stood here, Balius Bar has retro-chic decor, great music (check out the live jazz sessions on Sunday evenings), and top-notch cocktails.

The marble bar of this former codfish shop once served as a display for fish; now it presents some mighty fine (and affordable) cocktails, along with beer and wine. If things get too crowded downstairs, there’s another floor above — if you can manage the impossibly narrow spiral staircase.

As the name implies, there’s a jazz soundtrack and a wide selection of local and international craft beers available here, on tap and by the bottle. The stone walls adorned with antique paintings and clocks give the space a warm ambiance.

Specializing in local wine from Catalonia, this charming wine bar—an escape from the rowdy watering holes in nearby Passeig del Born and Plaça Comercial—also has an impressive tapas menu. 

Diminutive in size but huge in personality and warmth, Elephanta is that rare neighborhood spot that offers a little something for everyone. Patrons enjoy an extensive menu of quality gins and seasonal fruity cocktails in a dimly lighted retro space peppered with comfy mismatched furnishings. Music varies though the ambience is always chill.

In a former pastry shop, this vintage bar has retained so much of the 19th-century Moderniste facade and interior touches (onetime cake display cases are now filled with period memorabilia) that visitors might experience the sensation of time standing still. Divided into two equally inviting spaces, the front is usually packed with regulars, while the granite-topped tables in the back are popular with groups.

This unpretentious natural wine bar has a wonderful team of sommeliers who are keen to share their knowledge. There's no formal wine list; just describe what you like and they’ll bring you a glass—or you can browse the bottles from small Mediterranean producers that line the red-brick walls. The best seats are out on the back patio: a plant-filled oasis in the heart of this bustling barrio.

Serving natural wines mainly from France and Spain, with many varieties from the nearby Penedes and Alella regions, this delightful bar also offers a nice selection of upscale tapas. The waitstaff is friendly, multilingual, and highly knowledgeable about the history and terroir of the wines. The cozy interior has an attractive rustic-chic design, but try for a seat on the terrace, right on Barceloneta’s lively market square.   

Bohemia meets the Moulin Rouge at this intimate, below-street-level bordello-inspired bar with turn-of-the-20th-century memorabilia like fringed lampshades, faded period portraits, and comfy wicker sofas cushioned with lush red velvet. There's usually jazz playing in this laid-back spot where guests linger over reasonably priced cocktails (whiskey sours are popular).

A mish-mash of retro furniture and black-and-white vintage photos decorate this cozy wood-paneled bar, a great spot to chill with a glass of wine or vermouth and nibble on tapas before or after dinner.

Conceptualized to celebrate wine culture at its finest, this spectacular space, aptly called "Wineworld" in Catalan, features a ritzy wine bar complete with tablet wine lists, a cavernous culinary space, a reference library, a vertical garden, and the pièce de résistance: a vast cellar housing a mind-blowing 3,500 vintages from around the world. Small plates of regional jamón and inventive riffs on classical Catalan cuisine complement the vino. Wine tastings, both traditional and creative, are held regularly for groups or individuals looking to become oenophiles.

Opened by a trio of vermouth aficionados, Morro Fi (loosely translates as “refined palate”) began as a food blog that morphed into a bar determined to educate people about enjoying vermouth (they even produce their own brand) with select tapas. The result? Locals and the odd expat routinely spilling out into the streets, drink in hand, while indie music blares.

Reminiscent of a '50s-style gin joint—black and white with red quilted booths and framed prints—this small-but-swanky bar regularly draws in the crowds due in large part to entertaining master mixologists (nattily dressed in suspenders and ties) and their out-of-this-world experimental takes on cocktail classics.  

When it comes to wine, the team at Pepa really know their grapes, and they excel with natural wines, though there's also vermouth and artisanal beer if you're in the mood for that. The food is excellent, too, and it's all served in an old converted library.

Perhaps more akin to a laboratory than a cocktail bar, SIPS draws from a menu influenced by seasonal ingredients and uses state-of-the-art techniques to mix a range of classic recipes and signature concoctions. Those in the know head to the back room, which seats just 14 people, for a truly immersive cocktail experience.

Adding a little uptown pizzazz to boho-chic enclave Gràcia, this diminutive, minimalist, white-walled wine bar and eatery is the local “it” vintage. Wines sourced and served with engaging backstories can be sampled at the seven-seater bar or at a table, accompanied by a large assortment of cured meats, cheeses, and salads or with a few choice liquors. Advance booking is highly recommended.

From the street, this indie-cool spot might seem too brightly lighted for gritty-glam Raval, but the mismatched sofas with oversize pillows and the eclectic selection of flavored gins, tequila blends, and imported beer attracts a steady flow of lounge lizards. 

Checkerboard floors, mismatched antique furniture, and a profusion of vintage lamps and quirky paintings set the appropriately esoteric scene at this absinthe-themed bar, with more than 20 types of the potent spirit on offer. Beer, wine, and cocktails are also available. It’s a favorite late-night Barceloneta haunt, staying open until 3 am on Fridays and Saturdays.  

A slick microbrewery with exposed brick walls and indie beats, Ale&Hop was a trailblazer in the city's craft-beer-bar invasion. There are plenty of artisanal brews, plus wine and vegetarian snacks.

Right off the tree-lined Rambla del Raval, the clientele at this popular watering hole is as colorful as the snazzy, red-quilted bar and moody green-blue lighting: expat students and pierced young artists rub shoulders with visiting rabble-rousers warming up for a wild night out. With its basic menu of classic cocktails and long drinks, the main attraction is arguably the space itself—the epitome of shabby chic (with an emphasis on shabby) with its calculated mix of modern and retro.

You'll find this exuberant Caribbean spot sizzling with salsa, son cubano, and merengue from the moment you step in the door. From 10 to 11 on Wednesday, enthusiastic dance instructors teach bachata for free. After that, the dancing begins and the dancers rarely stop to draw breath. This self-proclaimed "Caribbean cultural center" cranks out every variation of salsa ever invented. There are regular live concerts, and on Friday and Saturday, the mike gives way to animated Latin DJs.

This sleek megaclub, which was reborn as part of the L’Illa shopping center, boasts the best sound system in Barcelona. A smaller space puts on concerts of emerging and cult artists—the Nigerian singer-songwriter Asa, local soulsters The Pepper Pots, and Gil Scott-Heron (in one of his final performances) among them. When gigs finish around midnight, the walls roll back, and the space ingeniously turns into a sweaty nightclub.

The only thing bitter about this place is the name. Excellent cocktails and friendly service are what keep guests coming back to this cute neighborhood joint in trendy Sant Antoni. 

Barcelona’s oldest cocktail bar opened its doors in 1933 and retains the look and feel of an old-fashioned private club, despite the fact that it was recently bought by the owners of the city's hip Sips. Sadly, the old-school barmen are gone, but you can still enjoy a classic cocktail mixed the way tradition dictates.

This gay hub combines a wide range of resources, from films and darkrooms to Internet connections, and a lounge.

The twisted wooden fronds framing the bar's mirror, an 1888 vintage bar-top iron statue of a muse, and Art Nouveau touches such as curvy door handles make this one of the most atmospheric bars in Barcelona. It's also the second oldest, dating from 1860. (The oldest is the Marsella, another Raval favorite.) It's a good spot for evening drinks after hitting the nearby MACBA (Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona) or for a pre-lunch vermut (vermouth) on weekends.

An hour north of Barcelona, near Figueres in Catalunya's Empordá region, this opulent den is set in the lovely gardens of a Gothic fort. Great dining options form part of the complex, both inside the castle and alfresco on the manicured grounds.

Situated underneath the Hotel Arts, Barcelona's modern casino has everything from slot machines to roulette, plus restaurants, a bar, and a dance club. The casino regularly hosts Texas Hold'em poker tournaments, which add an air of Vegas-style excitement. 

Among the glitziest of Barcelona's waterfront clubs, the CDLC (Carpe Diem Lounge Club) embraces all the clichés of Ibizan over-the-top decor. The music is electronic and cocktails are exotic—and pricey.