Must-see entertainment in Barcelona

  • Filmoteca de Cataluña, Spain, is a cultural institution dedicated to the preservation of film material and the dissemination of film culture

    Filmoteca de Catalunya

    El Raval

    Relocated to El Raval in 2012 as part of plans to revive the neighbourhood's cultural offerings, Catalonia's national cinema occupies a modern 6000-sq…

  • Palau de la Música Catalana

    La Ribera

    A feast for both the eyes and ears, this Modernista confection doubles as the city’s most traditional venue for classical and choral music, though the…

  • 500px Photo ID: 8618472 - Camp Nou - Barcelona - Spain

    Camp Nou

    Barcelona

    The massive stadium of Camp Nou ('New Field' in Catalan) is home to the legendary FC Barcelona. Attending a game amid the roar of the loyal crowds is an…

  • Gran Teatre del Liceu

    La Rambla & Barri Gòtic

    Barcelona’s grand old opera house, skilfully restored after a fire in 1994, is one of the world's most technologically advanced theatres. Taking a seat in…

  • Spain, Catalonia, Barcelona, the National Theatre of Catalonia, with the Agbar Tower by the architect Jean Nouvel in the background

    Teatre Nacional de Catalunya

    Barcelona

    The National Theatre of Catalonia hosts a wide range of performances, including dramas, comedies, musicals and dance in this ultra-neoclassical theatre…

  • Razzmatazz

    Barcelona

    Bands from far and wide occasionally create scenes of near-hysteria at Razzmatazz, one of the city’s classic live-music and clubbing venues. Bands appear…

  • El Paraigua

    La Rambla & Barri Gòtic

    A tiny chocolate box of dark tinted Modernisme, the ‘Umbrella’ has been serving up drinks since the 1960s. But downstairs in the moody basement, travel…

  • Farola

    La Ribera

    From soulful jazz to foot-stomping flamenco, live music meets expertly crafted cocktails and a world of carefully curated sherries at lively Farola,…

  • Sala Apolo

    Barcelona

    Red velvet dominates and you feel as though you’re in a movie-set dancehall scene at this fine old theatre turned club and concert hall. ‘Nasty Mondays’…

  • Fundació Mas I Mas

    Barcelona

    This foundation promotes chamber and classical music, offering concerts in a couple of locations. Classical concerts, usually involving Catalan performers…

  • Tarantos

    La Rambla & Barri Gòtic

    Since 1963, this basement locale has been the stage for up-and-coming flamenco groups performing in Barcelona, with stars such as Antonio Gades and Maruja…

  • Jamboree

    La Rambla & Barri Gòtic

    For over half a century, Jamboree has been bringing joy to Barcelona's jivers, with high-calibre acts featuring jazz trios, blues, Afrobeats, Latin and…

  • Gran Bodega Saltó

    Barcelona

    The ranks of barrels and classic tapas menu give away this century-old bar's history as a traditional bodega. Now, after a little homemade psychedelic…

  • L’Auditori

    Barcelona

    Barcelona’s modern home for the Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya, L’Auditori stages performances of orchestral, chamber, religious…

  • JazzSí Club

    El Raval

    A cramped little bar run by the Taller de Músics (Musicians’ Workshop) school and foundation, staging a varied programme that ranges from jazz jams to…

  • City Hall

    L'Eixample

    This former 19th-century theatre is the perfect size and shape for live music, holding a crowd of around 500 and with a varied line-up. The acoustics are…

  • Palau de Dalmases

    La Ribera

    You can sip wine or cocktails (both pricey) over intimate dance shows in the baroque courtyard and theatrical interior of the originally medieval Palau de…

  • Hiroshima

    Barcelona

    Set in a former elevator factory, this creative lynchpin hosts emerging and avant-garde musicians, dancers and performing artists. There are two stages …

  • Teatre Tívoli

    L'Eixample

    Dating from 1919, this grand theatre has three storeys of boxes and a generous stage hosting a fairly rapid turnover of drama and musicals. Concerts also…

  • Sidecar

    La Rambla & Barri Gòtic

    Descend into the red-tinged, brick-vaulted bowels where just about any kind of live music could be on the agenda, from UK indie through to country punk,…

  • Harlem Jazz Club

    La Rambla & Barri Gòtic

    This narrow, old-city dive is one of the best spots in town for jazz, as well as funk, Latin, blues and gypsy jazz, and attracts a mixed crowd that…

  • BARTS

    Barcelona

    BARTS has a solid reputation for its innovative line-up of urban-dance troupes, electro swing, psychedelic pop, circus acrobatics and other eclectic shows…

  • Teatreneu

    Barcelona

    This lively theatre experiments with all sorts of material, from monologues to social comedy, and also screens films. Aside from the main theatre, two…

  • Teatre Romea

    El Raval

    Just off La Rambla, this 19th-century theatre was resurrected at the end of the 1990s and is one of the city’s key stages for quality drama. It usually…

  • Soda Acústic

    Barcelona

    One of Gràcia's most innovative performance spaces, this low-lit modern venue stages an eclectic line-up of bands, artists and jams: jazz, world music,…

  • Luz de Gas

    Barcelona

    Set in a grand former theatre, this club stages concerts ranging through rock and soul to salsa, jazz and pop several nights a week. From about 2am, the…

  • 23 Robadors

    El Raval

    On what remains a sleazy Raval street in spite of gentrification in the area, this narrow little bar has made a name for itself with its shows and live…

  • Teatre Llantiol

    El Raval

    At this small, charming cafe-theatre, which has a certain scuffed elegance and dates back to 1980, all sorts of stuff, from concerts and theatre to magic…

  • Teatre Grec

    Barcelona

    Built in 1929 by Catalan architect Ramon Revento in ancient Greek style, this lovely stone amphitheatre on Montjuïc stages one of the city's best summer…

  • Sala Monasterio

    Barcelona

    Overlooking the bobbing masts and slender palm trees of the Port Olímpic, this pocket-sized music spot stages an eclectic line-up of live bands, including…

  • Ateneu Barcelonès

    La Rambla & Barri Gòtic

    Housed in the 1779 Palau Savassona, this historical private library and cultural centre (dating back more than 150 years) hosts a varied high-brow…

  • Cine Texas

    Barcelona

    All films at this contemporary four-screen cinema are shown in their original languages (with subtitles in Catalan). Genres span art house through to…

  • Mediterráneo

    L'Eixample

    A range of free, quality live music is staged nightly at this student favourite. Order a beer and enjoy the free nuts at one of the tiny tables while…

  • Tablao Nervión

    La Ribera

    For admittedly tourist-oriented flamenco in a basement setting, this unassuming bar is cheaper than most and has good, professional offerings.

  • Verdi Park

    Barcelona

    Verdi Park is a perennially popular art-house cinema with four screens. Most films are shown in their original language.

  • Teatre Lliure

    Barcelona

    Housed in the magnificent former Palau de l’Agricultura building on Montjuïc (opposite the Museu d’Arqueologia), the ‘Free Theatre’ consists of two modern…

  • Sala Beckett

    Barcelona

    One of the city’s principal alternative theatres, the Sala Beckett doesn't shy away from challenging theatre, and stages an eclectic mix of productions in…

  • Cines Verdi

    Barcelona

    A neighbourhood icon in the heart of Gràcia, this five-screen cinema shows art-house and blockbuster films in their original language, as well as films in…

  • Yelmo Cines Icària

    Barcelona

    This vast cinema complex shows films in the original language on 15 screens, making for plenty of choice. Aside from the screens, you’ll find several…

  • Sant Jordi Club

    Barcelona

    With capacity for more than 4500 people, this concert hall, annexed to the Olympic stadium Palau Sant Jordi, is used for big gigs that don't reach the…

More destinations you need to see