The Palau de la Musica is a UNESCO world heritage site and there is no better way to experience its architecture than by going to a concert in the main hall. If you don’t have time to attend a concert, or you can’t see any concerts that you would enjoy, then it is certainly worth viewing the building from the street and having a drink at the cafe inside.
Live music
It’s not always to find live music. When there are festivals, you will find stages set up in different parts of the city, adding to the atmosphere, but you need to explore to find the best venues for live music.
Popular venues for Jazz include the Jamboree in Placa Real, just off the Ramblas, the Harlem Jazz Club, also in the Barrio Gotico or la Cova del Drac in Sant Gervasi. There are many other venues around, so check out some the links that we will include to what’s on. Barcelona has an annual jazz festival in autumn and there is a larger festival in Terrassa, a large town in the metropolitan area of the city. Some hotels also offer jazz, notably Casa Fuster at the top end of Passeig de Gracia.
Live music can be found in clubs like Teatre Apolo, in Parallel, or Razzamataz en Poble Nou. Many international acts include Barcelona on their tours, with large concerts often held in the Palau Sant Jordi. Tickets are often sold out months in advance.
The Merce festival is held over a long weekend around the 24 September. Concerts are programmed in different locations around the city. The Gracia festival runs for two weeks in August in the Gracia neighbourhood. These are two most popular street festivals in the city.
At the start of summer the City hosts the popular Grec Festival, with a cross section of events, including theatre, dance and live music.
Opera
The Liceu Opera house on the Ramblas is very much a part of the city’s cultural heritage. If a night at the Opera is just your thing, you should check the program offering at the link above.
When it comes to signing, there is also a great tradition of choral music. Choirs will perform in different churches around the city. This is certainly worth looking out for.
Classical
There are two key venues for Classical music – the Palau de la Musica and the Auditori, home to the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra.