Barcelona Entertainment

The Catalans, like most Spaniards, sleep in the afternoon (siesta) and party until late at night (fiesta). It’s not uncommon to see restaurants in the Barri Gòtic district full at midnight. Barcelona is indeed a party city, catering to its tourists, with the central district around Las Ramblas packed with tapas bars, restaurants of all cuisines and some discos tucked away. But simply strolling down Las Ramblas, listening to all the buskers and perusing the arts and crafts on display is entertaining enough.

Nightlife

Barcelona is one of those cities where pleasure comes first. The locals love a party, especially when there are plenty of free-spending tourists to help them. With language barriers, they may not be entirely friendly but visitors are most welcome in the many tapas and other bars found in the popular areas. Even locals, in suburbs seldom seen by foreigners, have a lively or relaxed character. Drinking in Spain won’t empty your wallet and most places remain open well after midnight. Quite a few lay on live music, but don’t expect to see flamenco dancing and Spanish guitar everywhere you go. Suitable discos and plentiful bars are located in the Barri Gòtic area if you’re lazy and don’t mind being taken for a tourist, but better options are found in L'Eixample, which also has a good gay scene. Maremagnum is another option as shopping and night entertainment fit well in this large mall. There is a quieter outdoor summer café scene at Port Olympic.

Theatre and music

Barcelona isn’t quite the draw card like some of the Baroque cities of Europe, although it is a very cultured city with a well developed scene, most of the performances are in the Catalan language and there are therefore slim pickings for foreigners. Details of shows and tickets are available at some of the main tourist booths and these include classical music performances that are worthwhile listening to. The seasons are more numerous in the summer. Flamenco is more popular in the South of Spain and Madrid and no effort has really been made to capitalise on the tourist’s thirst for unique Spanish culture like this.

Festivals

There are a number of annual summer festivals that are unique to the city, and the highlights include;

• Corpus Christi, which involves carpets of flowers and processions, as well as a unique 'dancing egg' that is balanced on the cathedral's fountain (May).
• Europe’s biggest festival of electronic music – Sonar, is held at venues throughout the city (June).
• Assumption Festa Major consists of parades, music and dance and is held in Gracia (August).
• The Festival Internacional de Jazz de Barcelona features international jazz musicians (October to December).

Casino and movies

There is a casino at Port Vell and movie houses scattered all over the city but most movies will be dubbed into Spanish or Catalan unless they are marked with a VO to indicate the original soundtrack.