Barcelona, for all its culture and history, is also best known for its fairly active nightlife scene. Numerous bars litter the city, providing both locals and tourists alike with good drinks and even better company. Indeed, there are even tourists who specifically come to Barcelona to seek out the many bars and sample as much drink as possible from each.
The Mirror news website published a helpful online travel guide to Barcelona last June 3, 2014 which did not fail to mention the city’s bars. The guide goes through the usual enumerations of famous landmarks, but is quick to note that almost every side road conceals a bar ready to entertain even the most clueless of tourists. The guide recommends that tourists should try the local beer, or a half beer, half fizzy lemon “clara.”
Bar hoppers might want to find a cosy place in between their long rounds of drinking and merriment, but it can be surprisingly hard to find such places in Barcelona. Determined tourists can try exploring among some of the absolute best tapas in Barcelona for a reprieve from the partying. The informal, laid-back atmosphere of tapas are a great way to start and end a night of bar crawling.
Tapas refer to establishments that serve tapas—small appetiser-like dishes that are served alongside liquor. For bar hoppers preparing for a long night of drinking, a dinner consisting of tapas is the best way to go since the dishes are small enough to be quickly eaten and often pair well with Spain’s finest spirits. It is even possible for tourists to bar hop specifically for tapas, allowing them to enjoy a wide range of small dishes and drinks at the same time.
While many tapas bars serve more or less the same, familiar dishes, some serve regional cuisine that is unique and specific only to their establishment. Others are adventurous, and serve tapas that are a fusion of other countries’ cuisine. Some tapas, such as Ziryab, offer other amenities such as shisha in Barcelona. These peculiar tapas are a must-visit for those looking for a one-of-a-kind experience, or for those who feel like having a change of pace from the more popular bars.
(Barcelona city guide: From lazy lunches and snorkelling to wild nights bar-hopping, mirror.co.uk, Jun. 3, 2014)
I know many people who go to Barcelona simply because of the gastronomic experience. The diversity of restaurants and cuisines and the number of famous chefs certainly make a top destination. But what I always here about Barcelona is the name of its tapas tradition. I guess that’s the best food experience you can get there.