City information

Barcelona has become a fashionable tourist destination. Television coverage of the successful 1992 Olympic Games especially stimulated lots of interest around the world. Visitors are attracted by a mild climate, Mediterranean waterfront, sunshine, art, culture, friendly people and unique Catalan features, like Antoni Gaudí's Modernist architecture.

Culture

Art lovers should head straight for MNAC (Catalonia's National Art Museum), with its exhibits of Catalan Romanesque art, and MACBA (Barcelona's Museum of Contemporary Art). Nearby, you'll find galleries devoted to individual artists including: Museu Picasso, Fundació Miró and Antoni Tàpies.

To see the best examples of Catalonia's unique Gothic architecture, you should check out Basílica de Santa María del Mar and Basílica de Santa María del Pi. For the best in Modernist architecture, head for Pedrera, Casa Batlló, Sagrada Familia, and lastly, Parc Güell.

It's easy to have fun in Barcelona. There are colourful local fiestas (holidays and festivals) throughout the year along with a wide variety of national and international cinema, theatre, music and dance festivals and performances. The city's nightclubs offer great music and atmosphere every night of the week, and are especially busy from Thursday to Sunday.

Nightlife

The most popular nightclubs are within walking distance of each other down by the harbour area, in Port Olímpic and Maremàgnum. The variety is endless. You'll find places playing techno, salsa, rock, Spanish pop music and more.

Drinks with a Taste of History

There are other lively districts with bars and clubs worth visiting, like Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter), La Ribera and Gràcia.

You'll find traditional, old-fashioned bars and cafés as well as trendy, modern places with stylish interior decor, like Glaciar in Plaça Reial. Karma is a popular discoteque. Nearby, you'll also find Sidecar and a selection of good pubs on Calle Escudellers on your way into the well-known Plaça George Orwell. For pure Modernist style, inside and out, try El Ascensor.

El Borne

Passeig del Born is lined with trendy bars and the adjacent streets are full of well-preserved medieval houses and mansions. This area attracts couples and groups in their 30s and 40s looking for sophisticated, relaxing and intimate bars like the Miramelindo, Salero and Gimlet.

Gothic District

If you want to sit outside and enjoy an impressive view with your drinks, try the square that looks on to Santa María del Mar, Plaça del Pi or Sant Felip Neri, all located in the Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter).

Other Areas

The expensive bars and restaurants in Tibidabo offer exclusivity along with great views of the city.

There are busy bars, pubs, restaurants and discotheques on Calle Balmes and Calle Aribau in Eixample district and between Calle Santaló and Calle María Cubí in Sant Gervasi district. They don't tend to start warming up until 1 or 2 in the morning.

Live Music

Eixample district has many live music venues, including the famous Luz de Gas. Bikini, a popular nightclub, also hosts concerts during the evenings. To enjoy alternative and Spanish local bands, take the metro to Razzmatazz, Sidecar or BeCool. You'll also find live shows in the Gòtic district.

Discotheques

In the Maremàgnum and Port Olímpic you'll find a number of discos with plenty of atmosphere and different kinds of music. These two districts have a very cosmopolitan feel, given that they are mostly frequented by tourists from all over the world. To merge with the locals, take the public transportation to Eixample, Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter) or Poble Nou.