If the closing time of bars in this country seems a bit confusing, it’s not your fault! First of all, it depends on where in this “country” you are as each autonomous region has its own laws, and the laws can also differ regionally depending on the type of establishment.
For example, in some regions, they differentiate between a “bar” and a “pub”, like in Galicia, where a bar can remain open till 03:00 but a pub can continue serving until 04:30. In every region a “disco” is allowed to continue till the real early hours – anywhere from 05:00 to 07:30, again depending on where you are.
Closing time in Catalunya
In Catalunya, it’s a little more straightforward as there is no distinction between a bar and a pub and both can remain open till 3 am. That means the “last call for alcohol” is at 02:30 and everybody should be out by 03:00. On Fridays and Saturdays, as well as days before a día festivo (public holiday), an extra half an hour is allowed. Discos or “nite clubs” can stay open till 6am. As in most other parts of Spain, people tend to go out a lot later than their counterparts in other countries – it’s often after 23:00 before many bars get busy and some bars, incredibly, don’t even bother opening until then!
Exceptions to the rule
There are other bars with different licenses that cater to workers in certain occupations who work night shifts or unusual hours, such as fishermen, dockers or hospital workers, to give just a few examples. These establishments may open their doors as early as 05:30 (07:00 on Saturdays and Sundays) and typically close around 23:00. You won’t find these bars in every town though.
But not necessarily…
Unlike in many other countries, the legal opening and closing time doesn’t mean the bar is guaranteed to be open just because they are allowed to, or that you can get a drink until the official closing time. Here on the Costa Brava, for example, a lot of bars may themselves decide to close earlier than they are required to, especially those serving food. Kitchens usually close at 23:00 or midnight and the bar will often have shut up shop by 01:00, or earlier. They don’t have to, but they may choose to.
If you still have a full drink you may be offered the dreaded got de plàstic (in Catalan, or vaso de plástico [plastic glass] in Spanish) to take your drink away with you – but with the current “climate” this is a habit we should really be trying to do away with.
In the low season, if a night is a bit on the quiet side some proprietors will just pull down the shutters and go home early. (That would never happen in a couple of other countries we can think of!!). A good rule of thumb is to check if the opening hours are posted on the door or window. If they are, they probably stick to them, and if they aren’t… well, you just have to hope for the best on the night!
Don’t leave it too late!
So, there you have it folks… unless you’re in a city like Barcelona or Girona, the moral of the story is don’t leave it too late to go out for a few beers or you may be disappointed – especially in some of the smaller towns along the Costa Brava and especially out of season. You don’t want your night to end in disappointment and frustration before it really even gets going! If you’re in Barcelona, on the other hand, probably the later you start the better!