When it comes to nightlife in most parts of the world, there is usually a direct choice between a city atmosphere or the beach. But on the Costa Brava you get the best of both worlds. For spectacular sunsets, there are terrace bars on the coast with phenomenal views. Meanwhile, the labyrinthine alleys of Girona’s Old Town are teeming with bars of all kinds, from old-school jazz clubs with world-class acts to craft beer bars. Or, if you like to strut your stuff, you’ll find clubs and bars with sounds ranging from Motown to Blondie and Eurodisco.
For more Costa Brava inspiration, see our guide to hotels, restaurants, activities, beaches and scenic drives.
Find a bar by area
Begur and surroundings
La Lluna
La Lluna has long been a Begur institution and this friendly, relaxed bar is a favorite with night owls of all ages. In an old mansion with cellar-like stone arches, the well-stocked bar offers an impressive selection of gins, spirits and cocktails. Interconnecting rooms lead to several bar areas and one has table football and a darts board. Be warned, though: Spanish bar staff don’t use optics, so one G&T here, served in glasses like goldfish bowls, is the equivalent of about five at home. The music ranges from jazz and house to Eurodisco and blues, and there is also a nice outdoor terrace.
Contact: 00 34 972 622023; Facebook page
Opening hours: Fri and Sat: 10 p.m. – 2:30 a.m., Sun – 10 p.m. – 2:30 a.m.
Prices: £
Getting in: No dress code
C-roak
Hidden in one of the city’s many winding alleys you’ll find C-roack’s walled garden with its hanging lanterns. This is the perfect place for a nightcap. Inside there is a small but quirky bar with a good selection of spirits and vintage radios on shelves and old paintings and advertising boards on the walls. Music is an eclectic mix of Europop and jazz, but like many other bars in Spain you will find the place relatively empty if you arrive before midnight. Between 1am and 2am the bar fills up with locals and tourists alike, enjoying the wide choice of beers and cocktails.
Contact: croackcocktailbar.wixsite.com
Prices: £
Getting in: No dress code or door policy
Aiguaclara
Hotel Aiguaclara’s stylish walled garden is a favorite spot among hip locals for drinks on summer evenings. There is an extensive wine list featuring excellent local Emporda wines, as well as cocktails, G&Ts and a well-stocked bar, making it perfect for lazily enjoying a drink either before or after dinner. On Friday nights (and Tuesdays in the summer), drinkers and diners alike take to the dance floor and strut their stuff to the Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin or Blondie while the vinyl DJ plays floor-filling hits from the Sixties, Seventies and Eighties.
Contact: hotelaiguaclara.com
Prices: ££
Getting in: No dress code or door policy
Hotel Llafranch
When Hotel Llafranch first opened in 1958, the Costa Brava was still a favorite with the international jet set and guests included Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren and Kirk Douglas. The stars may be long gone, but their photos still decorate the indoor bar and the location of the hotel’s terrace bar, which looks directly out onto the bay, is the perfect spot for a sunset. Sit back with one tinto de verano (chilled red wine and lemonade) or G&T and watch the waves or passers-by on the boulevard.
Contact: hllafranch.com
Prices: £
Getting in: No door policy
Cadaqués
La Frontera
There’s a real Mediterranean club atmosphere at this long-standing Cadaqués favorite, just a few minutes’ walk from the coast. The pretty garden terrace is a lovely place for after-dinner cocktails, while indoors you can enjoy drinks from the well-stocked bar at small, elegant tables under stone arches. Or join the glamorous young things as they get down and dance to the sounds of classic rock’n’roll and Europop amid multi-coloured lights and a mirrored disco ball. There is also a pool table, theme parties in the summer and performances by jazz and rock bands.
Contact: 00 34 654 60 28 26; Facebook page
Opening hours: January – June 24, Friday – Saturday, 10:00 PM – 3:30 PM; June 25 – December, every evening from 10:00 PM – 3:30 AM
Prices: ££
Getting in: No door policy as such, but it’s a smart crowd overall
Girona
Sunset Jazz Club
If you’re a jazz fan and long for the cozy jazz clubs of the 1950s and 1960s with red velvet armchairs, walls covered with signed photos of old jazzers and quirky touches like the odd Dansette record player scattered around, look no further than the Sunset . Playing everything from traditional to modern and contemporary jazz, there are also weekly live shows with high quality international acts. The well-stocked bar has a good range of gins, whiskeys and rums, and cocktails are a specialty with the ‘Sunset’, a tantalizing mix of cava, passion fruit syrup, peach liqueur and Brazilian cachaça.
Contact: sunsetjazz-club.com
Prices: £
Getting in: No dress code; Tickets for live shows are best reserved in advance by email
El pop
There are not many bars where you can pour your own pints, but at El Doll that is exactly what you do. From the outside it looks like an ordinary, unpretentious neighborhood pub, but inside the small, high tables are equipped with shiny, silver-colored beer taps. You buy a card at the bar; For €10 (£9) you get about three glasses worth. Choose from local craft beers or various brews, including San Miguel. Weekends are busiest with a young, local crowd crowding the bar amid retro rock sounds from Nirvana to Alanis Morisette.
Contact: eldoll.cat
Prices: £
Getting in: No dress code or door policy
La Simfonia
This place is the perfect place if you like good wines (and cheeses) and enjoy an exceptional bottle or glass among the locals on a beautiful terrace. The small terrace is set on a small, cobbled square in the heart of Girona’s old town and the expertly chosen wine list offers everything from an excellent Empordà garnatxa to a 1929 Pedro Ximénez (€3-€40/£3-£35 per glass). However, wines can only be ordered if accompanied by a meal order, for example a platter of artisanal cheeses (€10-€17/£9-15).
Contact: lasimfonia.com
Prices: £-£££
Getting in: No door policy and everything is allowed in terms of clothing
L’Escala
Café dell’Arte
Just back from the coast in the coastal town of L’Escala, this characterful neighborhood bar serves excellent Catalan wines (and some great value tapas) amid red velvet curtains, old Dansette record players, vintage radios and 1950s trinkets. The house red Synera is beautiful inky black and full of flavor and a bargain at less than €3 per glass. Music is a classy selection of light jazz and they do it well too tostadas (toast with freshly rubbed tomatoes and olive oil) with local cheeses and hams, but also excellent home-made pizzas. The weekends are the busiest.
Address: Carrer Calvari, 1
Contact: 00 34 972 77 44 96, instagram.com/dellartelescala
Opening hours: Thu-Sat, 7pm-midnight, Sun 12pm-4pm
Prices: £
Getting in: No dress code or entry policy
How we choose
Every bar, venue or experience on this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, who’s dropped by to give you their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from casual pubs to exquisite cocktail bars – to suit every type of traveler – and take service, drinks, atmosphere and price into account in our recommendations. We update this list regularly to stay informed of the latest vacancies and to provide current recommendations.