Barcelona is known the world over for its club culture. The whole laid-back vibe of the city seems set up for dance music to thrive, with all-night parties all over the city, and world-renowned DJs and bands making regular stopovers in the Catalan capital. This means an incredibly competitive marketplace for new clubs, and a wealth of options if you’re in town in search of a good time. Here’s the inside track on what Barcelonès are listening to.
City Hall
This club combines a central location, old-world décor and cutting-edge sound and lighting for an amazingly immersive experience. Situated in an old classical theatre right next door to the Plaza Cataluña, City Hall’s red velvet curtains create a classy ambience matched by the top-class talent in its DJ booth, including Fernanda Martins, Emanuel Satie and Lexlay over the coming months. With a pristine Martin Audio sound system and some of the most avid party-goers in town every night of the week from midnight till 6am, this place definitely rewards a visit for the best in techno, tech-house and more.
Pacha Barcelona
The venerable cherry sign has been hanging in Catalonia since the late ‘60s (fun fact: the brand was started here before it made its way to the White Island). A distinctly Balearic vibe predominates here with the white walls and fittings – and of course the sunshine outside. But this combines with the darker atmosphere of international acts such as Sven Väth, Seth Troxler and Matador for one of the best clubbing experiences anywhere. If you’re in town on Sunday night, SIGHT at Pacha is good enough to plan your whole trip around.
INPUT
Speaking of nights good enough to plan your trip around, INPUT is it. When you think about techno in Barcelona, you’re likely thinking about this place. With its industrial aesthetic, and emphasis on sound and music above all else, world-class talent like Joseph Capriati, Adam Beyer and Matthias Tanzmann have called this self-styled “High Fidelity Dance Club†home recently. Just be advised: you will need to book your tickets in advance. If you do, be prepared for one of the best light shows and sonic experiences around.
Red58
Fancy something a little grittier? Some locals have been complaining that the commercialism in Barna is making it harder for small indie nights to flourish and invigorate the scene with new talent. Well if independent is what you’re looking for, this intimate underground spot near the Plaza Universitat can make a refreshing change from the thousand-odd-capacity superclubs across town.
How to get there
Barcelona is served by three airports with a variety of budgets catered for. Your quickest way into the city from there is a Barcelona Airport transfer, which takes around half an hour to the heart of the city. So for the handiest, most stress-free experience, hop on a pre-booked shuttle, and you can be in the heart of the action in less time than it takes to count to four.
Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct, the number one provider of shared and private airport transfers all over Europe and northern Africa. If you’re looking for an affordable Barcelona airport transfer Lukas and his colleagues can make sure that you and your luggage get to and from the airport swiftly and safely.
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