Barcelona comes alive after dark, and the line between a cafe, a bar and a club is wonderfully blurred. In the Gothic Quarter, centuries-old bars with marble counters serve vermouth and montaditos alongside DJ sets. The Born neighbourhood is all about cocktail bars in converted warehouses. Gracia, the bohemian village swallowed by the city, has a square-hopping scene where every plaza has its own personality.
Catalans eat and drink late. Expect bars to fill up around 10pm and clubs to get going well past midnight, often running until 5am or later on weekends. Many clubs charge no entry on weeknights. The local custom of meeting friends for a drink before dinner, then another drink after dinner, then deciding where to go next, means the night unfolds at its own unhurried pace.