25 Best Performing Arts in Barcelona, Spain

The building itself, a restored textile factory, is well worth exploring (and is directly across from the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion on Montjuïc at the bottom of the steps up to the Palau Nacional). Temporary exhibits show the work of major artists from around the world, while the auditorium (and sometimes the outdoor area) hosts a regular program of world-music concerts, theater, and performance art. There are also regular workshops and special events for families.

Open since 1963, this small basement spot is the oldest tablao flamenco in Barcelona. It spotlights some of Andalusia's best flamenco in 40-minute shows of dance, percussion, and song. These shows are a good intro to the art, and feel much less touristy than most standard flamenco fare. Shows are daily and it's best to reserve online.

Barcelona’s cine-aficionados praise this 12-screen complex, which boasts one of the best sound systems in the city, and very comfortable seating designed to ensure no one's view is impeded. Screenings, which lean toward the latest Hollywood releases, are all in VOS.

This quarter-century old festival held in Barcelona showcases emerging talents from the Catalan region.

This state-of-the-art theater on Paral·lel—remodeled from the old Artèria Music Hall—has wildly diverse programming, with everything from performance art to the latest indie bands. There are also musicals, magic shows, and theater, though all mostly in Catalan.

Gràcia's movie center, with bars and restaurants in the immediate vicinity, unfailingly screens recent releases (with a preference for serious-minded cinema) in their original-language versions. Sister cinema Verdi Park is just around the corner, and also shows films in VOS (original version with Spanish subs).

Since 1970, this venerable dinner theater has thrived by catering to tour groups: visitors who may or may not know that flamenco is a cultural import here in Catalonia but relish a good show when they see one. El Cordobés maintains a high standard of professionalism, booking well-known and respected performers from all over Spain; the program changes regularly, and there are performances throughout the evening, from an early show with tapas to dinner presentations.

An old flower market converted into a modern performance space, theater, and dance school, the Mercat de Les Flors forms part of the Institut de Teatre and is set on lovely, expansive grounds at the foot of Montjuïc. Modern dance is the Mercat's raison d’être, and it remains one of the few theaters in Spain that is exclusively dedicated to contemporary dance. The on-site bar-restaurant, La Soleá, is ideal or pre- or post-performance drinks and tapas or pintxos, as well as other dishes.

Large tour groups come to this venerable flamenco dinner-theater venue in the Poble Espanyol named after, and dedicated to, the legendary dancer Carmen Amaya. Die-hard flamenco aficionados might dismiss the ensembles that perform here as a tad touristy, but the dancers, singers, and guitarists are pros. Visitors can enjoy one of the two nightly performances over a drink or over their choice of a prix-fixe meal, with prices ranging from €45 to €154. Reservations are recommended. Dinner shows are held daily at 6 pm and 8:30 pm.

This self-proclaimed artist social club—remodeled from an old textile factory on the outer limits of the Poblenou district—is a great place for emerging young visual artists to find their footing. Part of the complex accommodates work spaces for resident artists and creatives; live performances and festivals are hosted here as well.

The Filmoteca de Catalunya occupies a brutalist-style edifice designed by Josep Lluís Mateo. With plush seats, wide screens, and a state-of-the-art sound system, it’s a film buff's paradise. Most movies are screened in VOS (though the original language is not always English) and are programmed in "cycles." The program is always serious and approached academically, whether the focus is musicals, film noir, or documentaries. The colorful café is a great spot for a vermut or some tapas, and has tables out on the square.

This foundation created in 1984 by Catalonia's then-most important living artist continues to promote the work of important Catalan artists and writers, particularly that of the late Antoni Tàpies, whose passion for art and literature still echos in the halls of this enchanting Modernist building by esteemed architect Domènech i Montaner. It hosts thought-provoking temporary exhibitions, a comprehensive lecture series, and film screenings, and houses an excellent library specializing in contemporary art.

Occasionally used for outdoor concerts in the summer months, Joan Miró's sculpture garden at his foundation on Montjuïc hill is a surrealistic and enchanting place, and the permanent collection contains some of his most stunning paintings. What makes this foundation truly stand out though are the ambitious temporary exhibitions, often organized together with international museums, that can range from a showcase of leading mural artists to a masterpiece in the evolution of British art post–World War II.

On the lower level of a small neighborhood shopping mall, the Icaria Yelmo offers a solid mix of blockbusters, 3-D specials, and the latest releases in in their original language, though sometimes weeks after their general premieres.

Famous jazz artists from around the world come together in the fall in Barcelona for this annual jazz festival.

Functional, sleek, and minimalist, the Rafael Moneo–designed Auditori has a full calendar of classical music performances—with regular forays into jazz, flamenco, and pop—near Plaça de les Glòries. Orchestras that perform here include the Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya (OBC) and the Orquestra Nacional de Cambra de Andorra. The excellent Museu de la Música is on the first floor.

As one of the city's pioneering puppet (in Catalan, putxinel·li) theaters, this beloved venue features entertaining marionette, puppet, and shadow puppet performances. Weekend matinee performances are major kid magnets and tend to sell out fast, so arrive early or reserve a ticket in advance online.

This Eixample music hall showcases some of the city's best flamenco. Prices start at €35 for a drink and a show, up to €110. (Save money by purchasing tickets online in advance.) Late shows are slightly cheaper.

Arata Isozaki's immense domed venue, built for the 1992 Olympic Games, has hosted superstar performers such as Bruce Springsteen and Beyoncé. Also presented are Disney specials, Cirque de Soleil, and other musical events.

A five-minute walk from the Plaça de la Universitat, this cinema is a good choice for current English-language features, primarily of the indie ilk.

This well-respected performing arts theater, arguably the most prestigious in Barcelona, offers two distinct branches in the city: one is located on a backstreet in trendy Gràcia, and the second, in Montjuic, boasts an ornate facade and a larger stage. In operation since 1976, Teatre Lliure hosts an impressive lineup of theater, dance, and musical events and has an ample and inviting on-site café.

Originally built as a cinema in the late 1890s, Teatre Poliorama has also been immortalized in George Orwell's Homage to Catalonia, where the celebrated author describes it as the site of a shoot-out between opposing sides during the Spanish Civil War. In sharp contrast to its sinister past most of the productions offered focus on lighthearted comedy and musical plays in Spanish or Catalan, as well as flamenco and opera.

One of the city's most beloved traditional theater and dance venues, the century-old Tívoli has staged timeless classics and has hosted everyone from the Ballet Nacional de Cuba to flamenco and teeny-bopper treats.

This historic theater in the heart of Barcelona's show district features dramas, musicals, and dance productions, from ballet to Bollywood.

Some of the most avant-garde exhibits and installations that come through Barcelona find their way to this cultural powerhouse, a 15-minute metro ride away in the suburb of Hospitalet de Llobregat. (Note that the Josep Tarradellas address is not the in-town Barcelona street that runs between Estació de Sants and Plaça Francesc Macià.)