Barcelona
Ahh Barcelona !!! If you want to visit Spain but don’t have much time, it will be a difficult decision to choose to visit either Barcelona or Madrid. So I'll be proving you why it will be the ideal choice.
Boasting a reputation as one of the most attractive cities in Europe, Barcelona celebrates its role as the capital of Catalonia. The city’s cosmopolitan international vibe makes it a favorite city for many people and is known for its architecture and art. Travelers flock from around the world to see the iconic Sagrada FamÃlia church and other modernist landmarks designed by GaudÃ. This Barcelona travel guide just scrapes the surface of what can be found in the vibrant city!
Language: While people in the city do speak Spanish, visitors who go the extra mile and learn a few words of Catalan will certainly be made welcome in this hospitable city.
Currency: The Euro is used throughout Spain and in seventeen other European countries.
Credit Cards and Banks: ATMs are a regular sight throughout the city, while major hotels and restaurants and many smaller retailers will accept Mastercard and Visa.
Climate: The Mediterranean climate means that Barcelona is mild even in winter, while the majority of visitors enjoy the temperatures in the city between May and October.
First off, forget about La Rambla! While this popular pedestrian street is worth a stroll, it’s not a good place to stay or eat. It’s overly crowded, expensive, and generally a bit generic.
Likewise, the Gothic Quarter comes at a major premium. While you can find a few bargains in these central spots, they are few and far between. Luckily, there’s no need to stay in the absolute center of the city. Barcelona has an extensive public transport network so it’s easy to get around from pretty much anywhere in the city.
So some affordable places are Hostel One Sants and Hotel Curious.
Oh well let's not forget the nightlife in Barcelona is known worldwide, as well as the culture and the food.
Barcelona is a destination that blends culture and nightlife, sightseeing and bar hopping, and generally has great vibes around the clock. Are you in?
If not then consider during the summer months, there are many neighborhood festivals around the city.
During approximately one week, the neigbourhood will celebrate their community and host different events. Normally. Most of them, they do offer an open-air concert. And these are a great point to start your party!
Crowds from all over the world come to the city to attend Music festivals.
The most popular are:
Sonar: one of the biggest Electronic Music Festival in Spain
Cruilla: This festival is not only a music festival, they aim to promote social inclusion. They include immigrant associations and non-governmental entities in the festival attendants. You might hear hidden voices here.
Primavera sound: during 3 days you will be able to see great independent artists and bands in an unique space, Forum de Barcelona.
Spaniards are no strangers to fashion, especially when it comes to nightlife. With high fashion clothing accessible at nearly every price range, even the average homeless man is trendier than you. This is good for you because you can quickly make the change from drab to fab in less than an hour!
Head to el Portal del Angel via taxi, legs, metro (Line 1, Catalunya), or bus (H16 or V15) from your accommodation.
Coming to the main ingredient this should be the least difficult item on the list because, well, FOOD IS LIFE! Seriously. Barcelona has some of the best restaurants I’ve ever eaten in. And that’s saying a lot if you know where my mom used to take me. The biggest mistake I’ve seen made by Spaniards and gringos alike is eating a small dinner.
You need to have something substantive in your stomach in order to absorb a bit of the booze. Otherwise, your best friend for the night will be the toilet.
Barcelona is known for its gastronomy. Below, you’ll see some of my favorite spots, and in parenthesis the best dish (or dishes) on the menu in my opinion.
Somorrostro (Rice with octopus and botifarra)
Out of China (chicken and prawn shumai with oyster sauce, chicken kongbao style, pork spare ribs with sweet soy sauce)
Bacoa (manchego and DON’T FORGET THE BACON)
Mosquito (Won ton soup)
Taco Alto Raval (drown it in salsa borracha)
Ziqi Retaurant Japones (Miso Ramen).
Honestly, this is one of my favorite things to do in Barcelona, or in any city I visit for that matter. I hear of a cool neighborhood, or I happen across one in my exploration during the day. Head over there once the sun goes down, and you’re bound to find a good time along with the line of food.
In Barcelona, every other storefront is bar, so don’t worry you’ve got options.
You can take the metro yellow line and get off at Jaume I, which will put you within a 10 minute walk of some amazing bars. You’ll be right in the middle of El Born and the Gothic, both of which boast an impressive amount of nightlife options.
And if you get too drunk to get from A to B, Cabify, a taxi from the street, and the TMB (public transport in Barcelona) are the best options.
Cabify is very similar to Uber. A nice black car will come to pick you up, and the cars are all equipped with wifi and water. This actually ends up being cheaper than a taxi, which is why it is so popular and why the taxi drivers are #pissed.
Looking fabulous, even if you don’t feel it, is key when entering a club.
Some bouncers, especially if you find yourself at a place north of Avinguda Diagonal, are very picky (especially on a Friday or Saturday night), so put on your sober face for 10 minutes to make it in easily. You can do it! I have faith in you!
But be careful not to pregame so hard that you don’t even make it to the bars. It’s all about finding a medium.
I wish I could advise further here, but everyone handles their alcohol differently.
You can do this in a multitude of places, pretty much anywhere you want, if you throw it back to college when you would put a mixed drink in a water bottle to go to a party. Honestly, whoever thought of this deserves an award.
Drink in your accommodation, on the train, in line, but NOT THE CLUB. EVER.
Barcelona’s nightlife is definitely more vibrant on the weekend but you should have a great experience eitherway. The bars will be open on weekdays aswell but be less crowded. Some clubs might be closed on weekdays (not the beach clubs though, they are open every day of the week).
If you are planning to visit Barcelona during winter, I would probably suggest to come here on a weekend, if you are travelling in summer it really doesn’t matter that much from the Nightlife perspective since in Summer the City is always vibrant.
Hope this helped !!!
