Barcelona – Nightlife You'll Never Tire Of |
By :
Mark Hazard
Let's be honest, when you have a city with wonderful beaches, modern port developments attracting sailing enthusiasts, a huge student population and all the attractions in and around Las Ramblas, you really are likely to be spoilt for choice!
To merely say that there is something for everybody in Barcelona would be to over-simplify things far too much; there is something different for every night of the year would be rather nearer the mark.
Let's say it's live music you're looking for. Well, on the last occasion anyone had time to count there were 427 live music venues in the city. Some of the world's leading rock and pop musicians play in the biggest venues in the city – Palau Sant Jordi, El Parc del Forum and others – and there are places where you can get your music every single night of the week. The Harlem Jazz Club is one of Europe's finest, and clubs such as Razzmatazz, Jamboree, Elephant, Moog and Otto Zutz are as sensational as any you'll find around the world. Barcelona is a music lover's paradise – a statement that can easily be justified by citing some of the annual Music Festivals the city hosts – Primavera Sound, Sonar, International jazz Festival, Festival of the Guitar and many more.
Nightlife in Barcelona usually begins in a bar – either a friendly neighbourhood 'local' or a more fashionable, cosmopolitan establishment geared up for the trendy and the beautiful. All you have to do is to head off to the Barri Gòtic, Raval, Las Ramblas, Gràcia, or El Poble Espanyol on the fabulous hill of Montjuȉc and you will find some fantastic places to start your evening. (By the way, now might be a good time to remind you not to expect to see many locals out until about midnight. They'll go to the bars, then head for a club a couple of hours later and stay there until about 6 in the morning.)
One of the most famous bars in Barcelona is the hundred year old London Bar – and it's still one of the best places for atmosphere and live music. Or head for L'Ascensor and try a caipariña cocktail; the bar gets its name from a wooden lift that takes you in – but that is the only old-fashioned thing about it.
For many people, the nightlife of a city begins with its restaurants – and, here again, Barcelona loses nothing in comparison with any other European city. Being an international port has always meant that there are many different nationalities in the Catalan capital city and so most international cuisines are represented here. Whether your tastes are Oriental, Middle Eastern, American or European, you will be sure to find good restaurants to satisfy them. In addition, Catalan cuisine itself - the food of the sea and mountains, as it is often known – goes back to the thirteenth century and is Mediterranean cooking at its absolute finest.
If you want your night to begin with a visit to the cinema or the theatre, then there is ample choice in Barcelona. Although most of the English language films will be dubbed into either Catalan or Spanish, there are a number of cinemas that will have films in their original version – although they will probably have sub-titles. For those who enjoy the multi-screen experience, one of the best is the 15 screen Icària Yelmo close to the Olympic Port.
Most of the theatrical productions in the city will be performed in Catalan, although again there are occasional English language presentations. In the summer, a visit to Montjuȉc to the outdoor Teatre Grec – the location of the wonderful Greek Festival – has proved to be the highlight of many a visitor's stay in the city. Similarly, one of Europe's leading Opera Houses, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, on Las Ramblas, is a dramatic sensation. Modernised after a fire at the end of the last century, opera lovers now have the benefit of subtitles above the proscenium arch and an electronic libretto system on almost all of the seats.
During the past few years, Barcelona has become Europe's leading destination for short breaks. There are so many reasons why people love coming here – and the almost infinite variety of nightlife is high on the list. During the past few years, Barcelona has become Europe's leading destination for short breaks. There are so many reasons why people love coming here – and the almost infinite variety of nightlife is high on the list. Learn more about what Barcelona has to offer at http://www.barcelonatravelogue.com
During the past few years, Barcelona has become Europe's leading destination for short breaks. There are so many reasons why people love coming here – and the almost infinite variety of nightlife is high on the list. Learn more about what Barcelona has to offer at http://www.barcelonatravelogue.com
Tags:
This article has been viewed 107 time(s).
Submitted on: 2009-08-02
Submitted on: 2009-08-02
