Where the concierge points people first
- El Cangrejo — The Raval drag bar that has been putting on cabaret for decades, loud and mixed and full of hen parties as well as regulars. Go for the show, not a quiet drink. (41.3773, 2.1749)
- Museum Bar — In the Gaixample, the few blocks of the Eixample around Consell de Cent and Muntaner where most of the city's gay bars sit. A good first stop before the night gets going. (41.3833, 2.1628)
- Bear Factory — A bear bar in the Eixample, for the hairier and older end of the scene. Busier later and at weekends. (41.3893, 2.1629)
- Mariconbar Barcelona — The name reclaims a Spanish slur, which tells you the tone: camp, noisy, pop music. A pre-club bar rather than a late one. (41.3884, 2.1591)
The rest of the gay bars in Barcelona — every one we hold
- AD Addicted (41.3857, 2.1588)
- BerlinDark (41.3743, 2.1561)
- Boi Taull (41.3819, 2.1568)
- Boyberry BCN (41.3793, 2.1557)
- Boys Bar (41.3843, 2.1591)
- ClubOpenMind (41.3850, 2.1555)
- Dmen's Gay Bar (41.3869, 2.1599)
- Gingin Gay Bar (41.3876, 2.1605)
- Honey Furry Bar (41.3869, 2.1587)
- J&R Bar Restaurant (41.3745, 2.1742)
- Lacarrabcn (41.3856, 2.1610)
- Lo de Carmen (41.3751, 2.1645)
- Open Mind Bcn (41.4094, 2.1866)
- Pink Corner BCN (41.3892, 2.1629)
Nothing starts before midnight
The Gaixample is the gay heart of the city, a grid of Eixample blocks where bars sit a few doors apart, so a night here is a walk rather than a taxi. Spain legalised same-sex marriage in 2005 and Barcelona is among the most openly gay cities in Europe; holding hands in the center draws no attention. Timing is Spanish: bars fill after eleven, clubs after one, and early evening is dead. Pride Barcelona happens around the end of June and fills the Eixample.
Questions people ask
What are the best gay bars in Barcelona?
For drag cabaret, El Cangrejo in the Raval; in the Gaixample, Museum Bar and Mariconbar Barcelona to start the night; for bears, Bear Factory.
How many gay bars are there in Barcelona?
Num's directory maps 18 gay bars in Barcelona, most of them in the Eixample.
Is Barcelona gay friendly?
Very. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Spain since 2005, and in the city center same-sex couples are an everyday sight.
Ask Num what is on tonight in the Gaixample in Barcelona
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