11 Things to Do in Barcelona at Night

While mornings in Barcelona are for getting to know the city and seeing its main monuments and tourist sites, nights are for relaxing, discovering another side to the city and enjoying either nightlife or more relaxed plans. Luckily, Barcelona doesn't stop when the sun goes down and offers activities and experiences to suit all tastes.

If you're looking for a quiet evening, you can choose to dine in unique places, stroll through its streets among monuments, buildings and beaches or enjoy the views from some of its best viewpoints. If you prefer a cultural evening, you can contemplate the beauty of its monuments at night, visit some of them or go to the theatre. And if you're more into partying and nightlife, the options in Barcelona are almost endless.

Located on Paseo de Gracia, the Pedrera house is, together with the Batlló house also on the same promenade, one of the best works that Antonio Gaudí did for Barcelona.

The building can be visited during the day, but it is at night when it is most special to see it. The Pedrera itself organises night-time guided tours for small groups with a few surprises.

La Pedrera, also known as Casa Milà, is inspired by nature, which is reflected in its forms and in the names of its rooms and parts, such as the courtyard of flowers or the attic of the whale. But the particularity of seeing it at night is the projection that is made on the peculiar shape of its roof, taking advantage of its architecture. Although we cannot see its interior floors, they make up for it by offering visitors a glass of Catalan cava.

It is, without a doubt, one of the most special visits to make at night in Barcelona and well worth paying the entrance fee for.

Useful information

• Price: From 35 euros.
• Place: La Pedrera, Passeig de Gràcia, Barcelona.
• Time: From 20:30.

One of the favourite night-time activities for visitors to Barcelona, and for the locals themselves, is the spectacle of the fountain known as the Magic Fountain of Montjuic. This large fountain is located at the foot of the National Art Museum of Catalonia on the Avenida de Maria Cristina, which runs from the slopes of Montjuic to Plaça d'Espanya.

In this great fountain, inaugurated in 1929 for the Barcelona International Exhibition, the famous show takes place every night.

It is an orchestrated choreography in which the jets of water "dance" to the sound of music and are accompanied by elaborate lighting. The water reaches up to 4 metres high and the accompanying soundtrack ranges from classical music to the famous song "Barcelona" by Freddy Mercury and Montserrat Caballé, which was the anthem of the 1992 Olympic Games. They don't call it the magic fountain for nothing.

Although there are certain variations depending on the time of year. It is completely free to see it, but if you want to get a good spot you'd better go with plenty of time to spare. Please note that from January to the end of February there are no shows due to maintenance.

Useful information

• Price: Free of charge.
• Place: Magic Fountain of Montjuic, Avenida María Cristina.
• Timetable: From 20:00 to 21:00 in winter, in summer from 21:00 to 22:00.

There are many guided tours designed to get to know Barcelona. Many of them take you through the Gothic Quarter, as this area is home to many of the city's oldest and most important monuments. But the tour I propose here is far from being a typical, touristy tour.

It is a walk through the area with the mystery and legends that surround the Gothic Quarter as a common thread. As the quarter is the oldest in Barcelona and even dates back to Roman times, there are many legends that have been passed down through its streets.

For example, the Gothic Quarter is home to the four Roman columns in Carrer Paradís, which, according to legend, were placed there by Hercules himself, who is said to have founded the city. Another legend grew up around the fountain in Plaça de Sant Just, the city's first public fountain, whose water is said to come magically from a mountain spring. Also on the neo-Gothic bridge between the Palau de la Generalitat and the Casa dels Canonges is a skull that is said to curse with bad luck anyone who looks at it.

These are just a few examples of the stories you'll discover on these tours of the Gothic Quarter, which are a different way to discover Barcelona under the mysticism of the night.

To complete this list of the best things to do in Barcelona at night, it's time to embark on the sea. Barcelona has one of the most important ports in Europe and many leisure boats leave from its docks.

There are options for a stroll along the coast and a view of the city's skyline from the Mediterranean and others, such as the one we are talking about now, which offer the possibility of completing the trip, generally at sunset, with dinner on board a boat.

This activity is perfect for, for example, a romantic evening or simply to treat yourself to a dinner on the high seas. Some boats may even include a DJ and drinks for a party at sea. The options are varied and include different services depending on your needs.

These cruises usually depart from the Olympic harbour which also served as the venue for the sailing sports at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

In Barcelona you can enjoy numerous flamenco shows and give the Catalan night that magical touch that only flamenco art can give. There are numerous tablaos where you can experience a show full of passion and duende, some of which also include dinner for an unforgettable night.

From the City Hall Theatre to the Tablao Cordobés and Los Tarantos, the oldest tablao in Barcelona. Any of them will give you the opportunity to get a taste of this unique discipline in the world, declared Intangible Heritage of Humanity by Unesco.

You don't have to go to a Michelin-starred restaurant to have a starred dinner. At least in the case of the place I'm going to tell you about next. This place doesn't have one star, or two, or three... it has thousands.

I'm talking about the Fabra observatory. This peculiar place, as well as being dedicated to astrological observation, offers dinners combined with the experience of seeing the stars through its telescopes.

The observatory is located on the slopes of Tibidabo mountain and offers a complete dinner with various menus on its terrace, from which there are spectacular views of Barcelona. The complete experience includes a tour of their facilities, dinner, and stargazing with their telescopes. There are few more original and complete activities to experience Barcelona's nightlife.

Useful information

• Price: From 35 euros.
• Place: Observatori Fabra
• Timetable: In the evenings around 20:00-21:00

Barceloneta beach is the most popular beach in the city, especially in summer. It is so because of its bathing in the Mediterranean, but also because of its atmosphere that makes it one of the best areas of the city to enjoy the nightlife.

On its shore there are numerous bars, restaurants and beach bars perfect for a dinner with the sea breeze accompanying you. A stroll along the sand or the promenade is the perfect complement to this.

Its location also helps it to be considered a special place at night. It is situated close to the centre and the Rambla area next to the marina. At the end of Barceloneta is the W hotel, famous for its sailboat shape, where you can go and climb to the 26th floor where the Eclipse bar is located.

Here the drinks are expensive but the views are unbeatable. These are just some of the reasons why this area is one of the best in the city for nightlife. I invite you to discover the rest for yourself.

For those who prefer to dedicate their evening to culture I can't think of a better place in Barcelona than the great Liceu Theatre.

This is not only the most important opera house in Barcelona, but it is also recognised as one of the most important in the world. Throughout the year they have a programme with the best in theatre and opera and many of them at night.

It is worthwhile not only to see great artists on stage. It is also worth it for the beauty of its interior, which remains intact despite being the victim of two fires, the last one in 1994, which led to a major refurbishment of the theatre. The location of the Liceu is also unbeatable as it is right on Barcelona's Rambla.

Useful information

• Price: Depending on the play. There are tickets available from around 10 euros.
• Place: Liceu de Barcelona on the Rambla.
• Opening times: Depends on the play.

I'm sure you've wondered which are the neighbourhoods with the best nightlife in Barcelona. Well, I'm going to answer that question and I'll give you a brief tour to enjoy the best atmosphere in Barcelona when the night falls.

We can start by strolling along the Ramblas to Plaza Real. This is a neuralgic point where many bars and restaurants congregate and which leads to the Gothic Quarter and the Raval, our next destination.

In the streets of these two neighbourhoods, the atmosphere is unbeatable, especially in mythical streets such as Carrer Robadors and Carrer Sant Ramon, which have historically been the city's nightlife hotspots.

The Born area is another perfectly valid option, although it is more recommendable for those who are looking for more peace and quiet. Its pedestrian streets are full of terraces of bars and pubs that do not close until the early hours of the morning. The streets of Tantarantana and Allada Vermell are the best known in this respect.

As you can discover in this other post about the best views of Barcelona, the city is a marvel seen from above. But it doesn't lose that virtue at night. The city is very well lit and at night it also offers some great views. And from where can you enjoy these views? Well, there are many answers, but I'll choose one. From the Carmel bunkers.

These former civil war bunkers have been refurbished and now serve as a balcony with one of the most complete and beautiful views of Barcelona. If the sky is clear, at night it offers the best panoramic view of the illuminated city, and there is also a good night-time atmosphere in the same area to complete the experience.

Barcelona is a city that never sleeps and nightlife and partying is one of the main attractions of the city at night. In Barcelona's nightclubs you can dance to all kinds of music and there is a place for everyone.

Some of the best known clubs in the city are The Mix club in the Born area, the Moog discotheque, perfect for techno lovers, Jamboree for jazz and blues lovers and the famous Pacha discotheque, which even has a terrace with sea views. The Apolo concert hall on Carrer Nou de la Rambla deserves a special mention for its variety of music and entertainment.

If you want to opt for another type of party in bars or pubs, there are many areas where you can do so. In addition to the neighbourhoods in the centre that we have already mentioned, other neighbourhoods and areas where nightlife has a strong presence are: Eixample, the Olympic Port, Sant Gervasi and Poble Nou. Skybars are also very fashionable in Barcelona, such as the one in the Hotel Central or the terrace of La Isabela in Hotel 1898.

As you can see, party and nightlife lovers have almost the whole city to themselves.