Where to drink · Barcelona
The Oldest Bars in Barcelona
Some of Barcelona's bars are essentially living museums — rooms where the fittings, the recipes, and sometimes the families behind the counter haven't changed in a hundred years or more. You can drink absinthe beneath bottles that have sat untouched since the 1800s, sip house cava in a tiled bar unchanged since 1929, or order a daiquiri at the city's first proper cocktail bar, founded by a Havana-trained bartender in 1933. This is Barcelona's drinking history, still open for business. Order carefully and tip your hat to the room.
5 bars
Bar Marsella
Barcelona's oldest bar, open since 1820. Dust-covered bottles of absinthe line shelves that haven't changed in a century. Hemingway drank here. Picasso drank here. The mirror behind the bar is so old you can barely see your reflection.
What to order
Absinthe — served with sugar, water, and a small spoon. Take your time.
It looks closed from outside. It isn't. Push the door. Let your eyes adjust to the darkness.
Casa Almirall
One of the oldest bars in Barcelona, open since 1860, with the original Modernista fittings still in place: curved wood, a marble counter, and a cast-iron muse holding up the bar. Equal parts museum and neighbourhood local.
What to order
House vermut on the rocks early; a gin and tonic later. Both are done properly.
The nook by the front window is the seat to claim. Quietest in the early evening.
El Xampanyet
Unchanged since 1929. Terracotta tiles, canned anchovies on the bar, and the house cava — a slightly sweet, very cold house sparkling that regulars swear by. The Picasso Museum is around the corner; this is the better museum.
What to order
A glass of house cava (El Xampanyet) and the boquerones — order two portions.
Cash only. The owner has been here forty years. If he talks to you, consider it an honour.
Boadas Cocktails
Opened in 1933 by Miguel Boadas — a former Havana bartender who brought Cuban craft to Barcelona. A triangular bar with stools all around it, nowhere to hide, and cocktails that taste like they have stories.
What to order
A classic daiquiri or a Boadas special — ask what's seasonal.
Standing room only. Order confidently. The bartenders respect commitment.
Can Paixano (La Xampanyeria)
No menu, no seats, no nonsense — just cheap, cold house cava poured into small glasses and chalked on a tab, the way it's been done since 1969. Order a chorizo sandwich, stand at the marble counter, and soak up one of the last truly old-school rooms in the city.
What to order
House cava, brut, and a bikini or chorizo bocadillo. Keep it simple — that's the whole charm.
Bring cash to be safe, and expect to stand — it's elbow-to-elbow after 8pm.
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Common questions
What is the oldest bar in Barcelona?
Bar Marsella, in El Raval, is widely cited as Barcelona's oldest bar, operating since 1820 and still famous for serving absinthe the traditional way.