Barcelona’s Top 10 : Performing Arts & Music Venues – Top 10 Versión Original Cinemas

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For Catalan speakers, the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya (93 306 57 00) is a fine showcase for Catalan drama.


Barcelona’s many versió original (original version) cinemas provide plenty of options for non-Catalan-speaking film aficionados.



  1. Gran Teatre del Liceu

    Phoenix-like,
    the Liceu has risen from the ashes of two devastating fires since its
    inauguration in 1847. Now one of the greatest opera houses in Europe, it
    has an innovative programme and is famed for performances by home-grown
    talent, including one of the “three tenors” José Carreras, as well as
    Montserrat Caballé.

    • La Rambla

    • 93 485 99 14

    • Guided tour 10am daily

    • Adm

    • DA




    Gran Teatre del Liceu

  2. Palau Sant Jordi

    The star of the Olympic buildings, this stadium is normally home to Barcelona’s basketball team . It doubles up as the city’s main arena for macroconcerts, which have included Madonna and U2. 

    Palau Sant Jordi Box office

    • 93 426 20 89

    • Open for visits 10am–6pm (8pm Jul & Aug) Sat & Sun

    • Free

    • DA




  3. Teatre Grec

    The
    most magical and enigmatic of all Barcelona’s venues, this open-air
    amphitheatre, set in thick, verdant forest, makes an incredible setting
    for ballet, music or theatre. Only used for shows during the summer arts
    Festival del Grec, the gardens are open all year to visitors. 

    • Box office:
      90 210 12 12

    • Open for visits 10am–dusk daily

    • Free




    Teatre Grec

  4. Palau de la Música Catalana

    Domenèch i Montaner’s epic Modernista
    gem regularly serves up the best in jazz and classical music. It has
    lost some of its prestige to the Auditori, but it still hosts the annual
    guitar festival and attracts many visiting world music artists. 

  5. Auditori de Barcelona

    Located
    near the Teatre Nacional, this large auditorium is home to the
    Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona. Acoustics and visibility are excellent
    and, in addition to classical music, it hosts regular jazz concerts.

    • C/Lepant 150

    • 93 247 93 00

    • DA

  6. Harlem Jazz Club

    This
    small, intimate venue is one of the longest surviving clubs for
    alternative and lesser-known jazz and blues troupes. Free entrance if
    you buy a drink. 

    • 93 310 07 55




    Harlem Jazz Club

  7. Mercat de les Flors

    The
    venue of choice for dance and performance theatre groups, such as La
    Fura dels Baus and Comediants, whose incredible mixture of circus and
    drama is easily accessible to non-Catalan speakers.

  8. Club Apolo

    An
    old dance hall, with velvet covered balconies and panelled bars, this
    place has reinvented itself as one of the city’s leading nightclubs. It
    attracts the latest in live techno and dance music.

  9. JazzSí Club – Taller de Musics

    Conceived
    as a multi-functional space, the JazzSí Club offers music workshops,
    lessons and daily concerts in the auditorium. The jazz, Cuban, flamenco
    or rock performances start between 7:30 and 9pm, and dinner is available
    from Monday to Friday.

    • Requesens, 2

    • 93 329 00 20

    • Adm

  10. Club Fellini

    This
    club offers three different spaces: the Mirrors Lounge, with chic house
    music, the Bad Room, with electronic sessions, and the Red Room, the
    perfect space for flirting.


Top 10 Versión Original Cinemas

  1. Verdi

    One of the original VO cinemas, with five different screens.

    • C/Verdi 32

    • 93 238 79 90

  2. Icària Yelmo Cineplex

    An incredible 15 screens all showing original version films.

    • C/Salvador Espriu 61

    • 90 222 09 22

  3. Casablanca

    An old style, two-screen, cinema, which has retained its character.

    • Pg de Gràcia 115

    • 93 459 03 26

  4. Boliche

    A four-screen cinema showing mainly European films.

    • Av Diagonal 508

    • 93 218 17 88

  5. Méliès Cinemes

    Two-screened repertory cinema.

    • C/Villarroel 102

    • 93 451 00 51

  6. Renoir-Les Corts

    Multi-screened cinema with lots of Spanish and English films.

    • C/Eugeni d’Ors 12

    • 93 490 55 10

  7. Verdi Park

    Four-screen version of the original Verdi.

    • C/Torrijos 49

    • 93 238 79 90

  8. Renoir Floridablanca

    A multiplex that shows films from around the world.

    • Floridablanca 135

    • 90 222 16 22

  9. Maldà

    A small cinema showing independent and Bollywood movies.

    • C/del Pì 5


    • 93 481 37 04

  10. Filmoteca

    The Catalan government’s repertory cinema runs three VO shows daily.

    • Av Sarrià 31–33

    • 93 410 75 90

    • Closed Aug