Night Clubs in L'Eixample (Barcelona)

Arena

In one of Barcelona's most famous gay clubs, you'll find the door policy relatively relaxed and a fair number of women. However, it's mainly full of young gay men out for a good time. It has one of the biggest dark rooms in town and is an ideal place to hang out. The interior is decorated in industrial style, with some kitschy touches. The music tends to be of the commercial house variety.

Arena Classic

This club belongs to the same people that own the other 'Arena' clubs around town. Because they are all so close to each other, you get access to all of them with the same ticket. Arena Classic is bigger than the one in Balmes Street and it is usually full of young people, looking for commercial and danceable music, a party, a drink and a good night out without totally losing control. Arena Classic is a vestige of the 1980s clubs in its decoration.

Arena VIP

This club is typically located in the basement of a building, and frequented by urban youth looking for a good night out. It is part of the Arena chain of discos and is only 300 metres from its two sisters. Initially, it was opened when there was no space left in Arena Classic. They are very alike, both play commercial music, though Arena VIP is less frequented by gays, and it is not at all snobby. The decor here is an eclectic mix of different styles, due to the various owners it has had over the years.

Chikita

This after-hours club is decorated in quite an old-fashioned and tacky style, but it has also inherited the good reputation of legendary after-hours clubs, such as Big Nau, Queen Mary and Helice. This is a place to party to the limit. The customers are young and stylish (with a few exceptions) who simply do not want to go to bed! The door policy is pretty strict and regulars usually have preference. Chikita is the solution for those who want to make the weekend last forever. It's open in the morning, noon and afternoon. The music is excellent - Techno and Progressive - played by the DJs Yugu and Ioordee and very suited to the dancers, mainly gay, transexual and transvestite, mixed together with the straight-but-not-narrow crowd. This club is obviously not suited for the homophobic.

Row

This designer club is usually frequented by fans of Florida 135 - a club in Fraga (Huesca), which is considered the best in Spain for the great quality of its DJs. Now Florida 135 has a club in Barcelona called Row. It is only open on Thursdays and uses another club Nick Havanna, which is more snobbish and commercial for its location. Here they play the best dance music in town and that is the main reason they're always packed. Row has also a schedule of fabulous national DJs such as John Aquaviva, Francesco Farfa and Toni Verdi who usually play at Florida 135.

Medusa

This big and minimalist club has a diaphanous room, all concrete and painted white. Most of the costumers are gay men of all ages. The music is dance, ambient, trip-hop and house. The DJs are Deivid Hill & Souvenir DJ. Located in the Eixample, where most of the Gay Clubs are, they recently celebrated their first anniversary and already have a loyal clientèle. It is a great spot either to start a night out or to have the last drink.

La Madame

La Madame of the Matineé Group's clubs, they also manage Salvation, Le Soleil and Matineé. In the summer of 1999, the management had the bright idea of starting a new trend of going out on Sunday nights. First stop is Illusion and second stop is usually here, anytime after midnight on Sundays only. So this is where the die-hard clubbers who have been dancing for the last 24 or 48 hours come for their last session of the weekend. It's popular with people in the service industries who don't have to be at work early on Monday morning. The admission policy is quite strict, so the regulars, gay men and trendies have preference. Great house music. Check the website for opening hours.

Fuse

This is a club with open spaces, a big dance floor and slide shows. The clientèle is very varied, modern types, trendies and students, among others. The music is dance, drum'n'bass and techno. If you are having a great time on a Saturday night and you don't fancy going somewhere else, this is the place for you. They do not close at 7am and you can stay without paying admission for an after-hours club (these are clubs in Spain which don't open until the regular discos close, for those who cannot let the night end). The Fuse has become very fashionable among he locals since its opening.

Este Bar

This bar is a breath of fresh air and relaxation in the 'Gayxample' area of the Eixample. This is a place where you might find it a bit easier to strike up a conversation with someone new. The walls and lighting are pastel red, and there's a long bar with a pool table at the back. Men (but not exclusively) of many ages (average between 25 and 40) are the typical clients. They play garage, house and a bit of everything else. On weekends, boys wait outside to pass out flyers for local discos like Arena or Metro.

Zoo Club

This club is decorated according to the latest canons of interior design. The clientele consists mostly of twenty-something, trendy revellers, including lots of gay men, while the music is primarily fast and upbeat. This disco is part of a project launched by the VOTS Group. In Barcelona there's a long tradition of groups managing nightclubs, and many people go to discos because of the promoters rather than the club itself or the music, for example. Zoo CLub is located at the site of the old Viliv disco. The location could not be any better—the club is centrally located and surrounded by other famous and trendy clubs. So if you are visiting this side of town, hop inside and have some fun!

Dietrich

The first thing you notice on entering this famous gay bar is the picture of the actress Marlene Dietrich. The spacious interiors can get crowded easily, which testifies to the popularity of this place. The plants, candelabras, mirrors give this place a special appeal while the bartenders, drag queens and good looking male patrons are a big draw. The lower level features a bar and the upper level has a mini-disco where the DJ plays mini-funk and hyper-vocal house.

Distrito Distinto

The clientèle of this bar are primarily gay men and some straight guys too. The decor is simple but the crowds seem to love this place despite this fact. This place has seen many changes and became a a memorable after-hours club with morning sauna sessions for some time. The music here is excellent- house, techno, garage and progressive are the rage here. The regulars are very lively, colourful, extravangant and friendly. The first drink is included in the cover charge. Do not be put off by the location—even though it's a bit off the beaten path, travelling here is well worth it.