Barcelona is simply astounding; Catalonia’s cosmopolitan capital has a culinary scene as vibrant as its clubs and architecture as colourful as its culture -- all protected by a fiercely proud local identity that still welcomes all visitors. Modern and medieval buildings sit side-by-side overlooking beautiful beaches, luscious city parks and bustling plazas. BAZAAR's travel correspondent Jacob Weber puts together an ABC guide for first time Barcelona dwellers.
B IS FOR BARS
From stylish cocktail spots to raucous rumba bars, cavernous superclubs to swinging jazz joints, there’s a tune for everyone to dance to when the sun goes down (and until it comes back up again).
The city has long been building a reputation as a hotbed for electronic music, from local talent to superstars of the international circuit, and in tandem with the ever-popular annual music festival Sonar, this status is going from strength to strength. Fans of house and techno should venture underground to La Macarena, a diminutive dancehall not far from the Gothic Quarter. It’s house music meets house party, about as intimate as it gets; the capacity is just 80, the DJ booth is in the middle of the dancefloor, and the atmosphere is electric. Moog is another small club with a big name on the local and international house music scene. Razzmatazz, meanwhile, is a massive club with a reputation to match; spread across five rooms, Barcelona’s pre-eminent after-hours destination plays indie, rock and electronic music in a colossal, industrial-style set-up.
Courtesy of Rent Top Apartments
For some Latin flavour, head to Mojito Club, a sizzling salsa bar with a passionate crowd. Even if you’ve got two left feet, don’t panic; you can get a crash course in the club at 10 p.m. before staying on to strut your stuff later. If you’re looking for an authentic flamenco experience, head off the tourist trail to 23 Robadors, a cosy club in the El Raval neighbourhood near the Gothic Quarter. It’s intimate and intense – artists and audience are packed into a 20-sq. metre room – and, with €1 tapas, great value for money.
By the sea, Opium is the plush pick; by day it’s the most glamorous bar on the beach, all Balearic beats and champagne magnums; by night it’s one of the hottest tickets in town, especially during the summer months when the likes of David Guetta and Avicii come to play. It is one of the few clubs in the area that has a 6am license, so you can watch the sun rise over the sand after dancing the night away.
Courtesy of Opium
Up on Montjuic, the hill overlooking the harbour, La Caseta del Migdia is a hidden gem. You won’t find huge sound systems or neon cocktails up here, just a small bar with some of the best views in (and of) all of Barcelona.
Montjuic. Photo by Bruno Martins on Unsplash
