Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
El Raval has slowly evolved from a forgotten, seedy no-man’s-land into one of the choicest districts to enjoy provocative modern art and a pulsating, boho-glam party scene. Though not for everyone’s taste, hippy students, tattooed misfits, artists, and more recently trend-seeking nomads routinely bar crawl up and down a stretch of nightlife-friendly streets (Joaquin Costa is one) featuring a wide assortment of divey dens, music bars, pubs, and funky coctelerias.
In a former pastry shop, this vintage bar has retained so much of the 19th-century Moderniste facade and interior touches (onetime cake display cases are now filled with period memorabilia) that visitors might experience the sensation of time standing still. Divided into two equally inviting spaces, the front is usually packed with regulars, while the granite-topped tables in the back are popular with groups.
From the street, this indie-cool spot might seem too brightly lighted for gritty-glam Raval, but the mismatched sofas with oversize pillows and the eclectic selection of flavored gins, tequila blends, and imported beer attracts a steady flow of lounge lizards.
Right off the tree-lined Rambla del Raval, the clientele at this popular watering hole is as colorful as the snazzy, red-quilted bar and moody green-blue lighting: expat students and pierced young artists rub shoulders with visiting rabble-rousers warming up for a wild night out. With its basic menu of classic cocktails and long drinks, the main attraction is arguably the space itself—the epitome of shabby chic (with an emphasis on shabby) with its calculated mix of modern and retro.
The twisted wooden fronds framing the bar's mirror, an 1888 vintage bar-top iron statue of a muse, and Art Nouveau touches such as curvy door handles make this one of the most atmospheric bars in Barcelona. It's also the second oldest, dating from 1860. (The oldest is the Marsella, another Raval favorite.) It's a good spot for evening drinks after hitting the nearby MACBA (Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona) or for a pre-lunch vermut (vermouth) on weekends.
El Raval has its gritty side, but there’s bits of glamor, too, and El Jardí gets a good dose of it. In the gardens of the former Hospital de la Santa Creu, during the summer months, El Jardí is the perfect reprieve from the heat and heavy foot traffic, serving a selection of classic cocktails and vermouth, as well as a hot and cold tapas. The place closes shortly before midnight, so consider squeezing in a visit around sunset or for a round of post-dinner drinks.
There's no doubt about what the name of this laid-back Raval hangout pays tribute to: that of the early '80s Manchester scene, with the Joy Division and Happy Mondays and the Stone Roses. The sheer number of people (both locals and foreigners) crowding around the wood tables and dancing in the spaces in between suggest that a tribute is welcome.
Inaugurated in 1820, this historic venue, a favored haunt for artistic notables such as Gaudí, Picasso, and Hemingway, has remained remarkably unchanged since its celebrated heyday. The chipped paint on the walls and ceiling, cracked marble tables, and elaborate spiderwebs on chandeliers and bottles all add to the charm, but the main reason patrons linger is one special shot: Marsella is one of few establishments serving homemade absinthe (absenta in Spanish), a potent aniseed-flavored spirit meant to be savored and rumored to enhance productivity.
