Pub crawl Barcelona Logo

Pub Crawl Barcelona

 

what to do New Year’s Eve in Barcelona?

fireworks spelling new years eve

Celebrating New Year’s Eve in Barcelona

Only a few places on the planet are as festive as Barcelona during the holiday season. New Year’s Eve (Nochevieja) is undoubtedly one of the loveliest times of the year to be in the Catalan capital for a ton of festive cheer, tasty meals, and traditional celebrations.
For most Catalans, the day is best spent with your closest mates, so it’s the perfect time to paint the town red and don your fanciest party rags. If you’ve not already been invited to a series of private parties, Barcelona’s upmarket nightclubs are perhaps one of the best spots to celebrate the occasion.

The trick is to know what, when, and where the best New Year’s Eve events are taking place, plus what to look out for. Here’s a quick guide to celebrating New Year’s Eve in Barcelona.

Join a Pub Crawl

A pub crawl in Barcelona is an out-of-this-world experience. You’ll get to meet, mingle, and socialise with people from all over the world. We’re talking about fun-loving locals, easy-going students, and happy-go-lucky backpackers. Well, is anything more exciting than hopping from one club or bar to the next all night long with this bunch?

We highly recommend Bar Crawl Barcelona. They know Barcelona’s eclectic nightlife like the back of their hands. After all, the tour company launched the original bar crawl in Barcelona in 2007 and has helped more than 500,000 travellers explore the hottest of Barcelona’s world-class nightclub and bar scene. With them, you’re in for a special New Year’s Eve!

Bar Crawl Barcelona parties are so wild they’ve been featured in Daily Mail, BBC, and MTV, among other leading media houses. Their guides are friendly yet professional party aficionados. You’ll only pay for a ticket covering club entrance, drinks, and meeting fellow party heads. Besides, the ticket is good for Barcelona pub crawls year-round!

Pub Crawl barcelona

pub crawl barcelona logo

New Years Eve 2022

Go to a nightclub

The real magic happens when the sun goes down, carrying on well into the next day. Thankfully, no action happens in nightclubs in Barcelona until around 1-2 AM. This gives you plenty of time to catch up with loved ones.

Barcelona’s nightclubs are famous for their New Year’s raging ragers. Many pubs, bars, and clubs host at least one kick-ass party, so you’ll be spoilt for choice. Be ready to party and dance your heart out until dawn. The Moog, Laut, Pacha, Razzmatazz, and Sala Apolo are some of the hottest clubs you should explore on New Year’s Eve. They appeal to every mood and touch on a wide range of methods, from electro & techno to R&B and Afrobeats.

Expect a river of alcohol, delicious food, dance, DJ sessions, and entertainment. Remember, it can get pretty crowded, so book your entrance ticket in advance or arrive early.

inside a club in barcelona

Witness Plaça Espanya fireworks

No Nochevieja in Barcelona is ever complete without fireworks.

You’ll find numerous individual events that feature their own fireworks, but none beats the sheer size and magnificence of the Placa Espanya fireworks show. It involves a dozen palm-tree-shaped fireworks that light up across ten districts in Barcelona.

Check out Plaça Catalunya

Exploring Plaça Catalunya is the best thing you can do during Nochevieja in Barcelona, especially if you don’t want to spend your New Year’s Eve at home. Located in the heart of Barcelona, this lovely square is great for dining out, shopping, and drinking.

The New Year’s Eve at Plaça Catalunya is a bee-hive of activity. A long list of events is hosted at the lively square, including magical acts, fun performances, and music concerts. There’s also a mesmerising fireworks show held 12 chimes to midnight.

Festes de la Mercè in Barcelona fireworks

Eat twelve lucky grapes

Traditions abound during Barcelona’s New Year’s Eve. And one of the most recognised traditions is to eat 12 lucky grapes, one each for every of the last 12 ticks of the clock. By the time it hits midnight, you’ll have munched into 12 sweet grapes that’ll bring you luck for the whole year. Get small, seedless grapes so that you can swallow them with ease.

Dine at a fine restaurant

Most Catalan households spend their time enjoying dinner on New Year’s Eve as a family. That means most restaurants are open for reservation by visitors. The majority serve a special menu for New Year’s Eve, so reserve your table in advance for a smooth fine dining experience.

A fancy dinner is a great way to spend Nochevieja in Barcelona if partying is not your thing. Try Barcelona’s Michelin-star dining spots like Torre d’Alta Mar or El for an unforgettable night out filled with delicious drinks and gourmet dishes. They happen to give you a front seat to most of the city’s spectacular fireworks shows.

a bunch of grapes on a vein

Visit a Flamenco Show

Attending a Flamenco show is one of Barcelona’s most exquisite and authentic ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve. After all, the dance show is deeply ingrained in Spanish and Catalan cultures. Flamenco show usually spots avid cantes with fancy dresses, gipsy guitars, and castanets.

You don’t have to look far, as most bars, clubs, and pubs in Barcelona host Flamenco shows with drinks and dinner during the holiday. Tablao de Carmen is one spot that does Flamenco show best. You probably want to take a few classes beforehand to join in on the fun.

Go red for love

If you haven’t had any luck with Cupid, New Year’s Eve is the best time to try Lady Luck once again.

With your party schedule sorted, you need to spruce up your wardrobe. Many shops in Barcelona sell lots of red underwear. Buy a few pairs, as they’re believed to bring luck to anyone seeking love in the coming year.

flamenco show performance in barceona

Have a traditional Catalan dinner at a friend’s house

Besides fireworks and partying, New Year’s Eve is a time for celebrating with family and friends. If you know any Spanish friends, have them invite you to their house for Nochevieja. You can join them in their family celebrations to experience Nochevieja in the most authentic way possible.

friends sitting round having dinner on new years eve in Barcelona

Well that is it for our what to do in Barcelona for New Years Eve Guide! Thanks for taking the time to read and please let us know if there are any topics you would like us to write about! Check out more from our blog here!

more from our blog

CDLC Nightclub Barcelona

CDLC Nightclub Barcelona

Pub Crawl Barcelona  CDLC Nightclub BarcelonaCDLC nightclub in Barcelona! The CDLC is a lounge and restaurant located on the Terrace Shores of the Mediterranean Sea.This exotically decorated beachfront lounge is an amazing place to check out while you’re spending...

Espit Chupitos – Best shot bar in Barcelona

Espit Chupitos – Best shot bar in Barcelona

Pub Crawl Barcelona  Espit Chupitos - Best shot bar in BarcelonaEspit Chupitos the bar of shots in Barcelona! This is a Pub Crawl Favourite and a stand out bar in a city that has so many! We cannot recomeend Espit Chupitos enough and if you head to this Bar while...

Opium Nightclub Barcelona

Opium Nightclub Barcelona

Pub Crawl Barcelona  Opium Nightclub BarcelonaOpium nightclub in Barcelona! Barcelona has earned a well-deserved reputation as the Spanish party central, with a riveting nightlife that lures in party-goers and music lovers from across the globe. The city is home...

Carrer de l'Atlàntida, 37, 08003 Barcelona, Spain