Basic Nightlife Tips

Barcelona has a well-deserved reputation for having some of the best nightlife in Europe. There is a bit of everything for everyone, from hipster bars to glossy beachfront clubs. Its no surprise to see people out until dawn on weekends or weekday nights.

Late-night Schedule

Nightlife in Barcelona almost certainly gets started later than you’re used to! Bars usually get busy around midnight and close around 3-3:30am. Clubs get busy around 2:30-3 am and open until 6-7 am. 

Apart from the late-night schedule, one thing you might be surprised about Barcelona is the amount of guys on the street offering you beers and illegal substances (most of the time). 

Getting Around 

For getting to and from your nightlife, there are a few different options: the metro, the bus and the night bus, and taxis. 

Barcelona’s metro opens every day at five in the morning except the days when it operates all night (only Saturdays). The times that services stop running vary according to the type of day as follows:

Working days (from Monday to Thursday): until midnight.

Fridays and the nights before public holidays: until 02:00.

Saturdays: continuous service all night.

Sundays and midweek public holidays: until midnight.

Dressing code

In general, Barcelona has a pretty laid-back atmosphere, both in terms of attitude and how people dress. For lots of places, you don’t need to be super dressed up to get in. The exceptions to the low-key rule are the beachfront clubs and upscale venues like Sutton or Bling Bling.

Safety 

In general, Barcelona is a safe city – although it is home to a lot of pickpockets. Drunken tourists make for a very easy target, so be very careful with your stuff when you’re out at night. Don’t leave your stuff unattended and take out only what you need. 

At night (after 23:30) the south end of Las Ramblas (between the Grand Theatre Liceu and Colon) may be a little seedy but still relatively safe. However, if you're not comfortable, you can avoid this area at night.