Dating back to 1820, Bar Marsella is widely regarded to be Barcelona’s oldest bar. The bohemian haven is said to have been frequented by some of the most renowned artists and writers of the 19th and 20th centuries, including Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró, and Antoni Gaudí. Woody Allen used Bar Marsella as a location in his 2008 movie Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
Stepping into Bar Marsella is like traveling back in time. Paint is flaking off the walls, dust covered bottles line shelves, and its original large marble bar, ceramic floor tiles, wrought-iron tables and antique chandeliers create an atmosphere of faded grandeur. Local legend has it that Hemingway wrote portions of “The Sun Also Rises” at one of the worn marble tables. The bar is situated in the seedy heart of El Raval, with a lively street scene taking place directly outside at night.
The signature drink at Bar Marsella is absinthe. This potent spirit, often referred to as the “Green Fairy” is still served in the traditional French manner, with a sugar cube and ice-cold water. Ernest Hemingway described absinthe as “opaque, bitter, tongue-numbing, brain-warming, stomach-warming, idea-changing liquid alchemy” and even created a cocktail called “Death in the Afternoon” combining absinthe and champagne.
Other bars in Barcelona serving absinthe include Absenta in Barceloneta and Bar Pastis, also in Raval.
Address: Carrer de Sant Pau, 65, 08001 | View Map
Phone: (+34) 934 42 72 63
Nearest Metro Station: Liceu (L3)
🍺 See also: 7 Most Historic Bars in Barcelona, Picasso’s Barcelona