Barcelona Nightlife
Nightlife-seekers will be in heaven in Barcelona. This is the place to go out dancing, where the bars are huge, cutting-edge and pumping until the sun rises. Barcelona is packed with discos and bars, and has some of the best DJ's in Europe blasting out the tunes. The nightlife in this city can range from simply sitting in a bar with a group of friends, drinking the house cerveza and chatting about the days activities, to slamming shots of absinthe in a 4-story dance club at 4am before heading out on the dance floor to shake it up for a few more hours. Budget travelers should beware though: a night out in Barcelona often does not come cheap, with many of the more popular clubs charging a hefty cover fee and high drink prices. But for those looking a chance to party alongside both locals and travelers of every nationality, this is an experience not to be missed, even if the price tag can be high.

After experiencing raucous and exhausting nights on the town for years now, Barcelona's locals have gotten smart: nights out begin with a siesta, usually taken in the mid-afternoon. This is the perfect way to collect some well needed rest before heading out for the night. A great way to start the evening is to meet up with friends at a tapas bar, to sit and chat over great food, beer and sangria for a few hours before the real fun starts. Many tapas bars are located near nightlife hotspots, and these can often be packed to the brim early: try somewhere a bit more out of the way for a more relaxing atmosphere. Because of the heat, the best time to dine is around 9 or 10pm, then stroll over to a bar afterwards to have a few pre-club drinks. Discos usually start to fill up between 1 and 2am, and this is the best time to arrive, just in time for the action!

The Barri Gotic area is a great place to spend your evening. The streets are packed with places to eat, drink and dance. Jamboree (Pl. Reial, 17. M: Liceu) is a popular hangout: Jazz and Blues are played until 1am, and then the basement becomes a hip hop club, and the upstairs plays pop and salsa. New York (C. Escudellers, 5. M: Drassanes) is very cutting edge, playing mostly British Pop.

Marmagnum is one of the hottest places in the city for nightlife. This giant mall complex becomes a maze of discos at night, connected by escalators with each room playing different music. There is no cover charge here, but drink prices are through the roof. This is an especially popular hangout for foreigners.

Otto Zutz (C. Lincoln, 15. FGC: Pl. Molina) is one of the hottest spots in town, with a mix of rap, hip hop and occasional live music. For a good place to unwind a bit, visit Buda (C. Torrent de L'Olla, 134. M: Fontana).

When the bars close in the early morning, you can either head back to your hotel, or even better, go for a cup of coffee and churros for a snack before hitting the sack.