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A vivacious and charming host, Barcelona opens her arms to visitors from all over the globe. For those looking to enjoy the renowned luxury leisure culture of the city, there's a host of fantastic bars and restaurants at your disposal. If you're visiting the city for a good time and not a long time, you might not be able to try out every bar in the hopes of finding the perfect cocktail (although that does sound quite fun), so you'll appreciate some insider tips. Frock up, show up, and these uber-cool cocktail bars will take care of the rest. Duquesa de Cardona The rooftop terrace cocktail bar at the Duqesa de Cardona takes in sweeping views over the Port Vell marina beneath the elegant architecture of La Mercè church. Presiding over the tranquil end of the Barri Gòtic, with expansive views and cool ocean breezes, the bar is popular with a slightly older crowd. Big comfy lounges, ambient music and an air of laidback sophistication define this elegant space. Best for: A quiet, romantic drink in a super chic rooftop bar. Over 20 varieties of wine by the glass along with the extensive cocktail menu. Try it: Give your taste buds a touch of the tropics with the bar's signature Cardona cocktail. This very good-looking drink is a potent concoction of Malibu, white rum, blue caraçoa, grenadine and topped up with crushed ice and fresh pineapple juice (€13). Find it: In front of the cruise terminal, a few steps from Las Ramblas and the Gothic quarter, in the Hotel Duqesa de Cardona, Passeig de Colom, 12. Tel: +34 932 68 90 90 Open: 11.00am-23.00pm every day La Terrassa at Hotel Villa Emilia High above the buzz of the city streets, La Terrassa's tagline is "touching the sky" - and that's just what this spacious oasis of cool feels like. With charming views over the Eixample part of the city, early on you can enjoy a quiet drink as the sun sets over the rooftops, but the atmosphere livens up after dark, especially in summer, with live music and barbeque nights. Low lighting, palm trees and comfortable relaxed furnishings give the bar an intimate, elegant atmosphere. Best for: Young, hip crowd from the local upmarket Eixample residential area dropping in for cocktails before heading to the nightclubs. Cocktails, wines and a great selection of speciality gins. Try it: La Terrassa's famous signature Mojito (€10). It just tastes different in Barcelona… Find it: In the centre of the city, close to Las Ramblas and Plaça Catalunya at Carrer de Calabbria 115. Tel: +34 932 626 286 Open: Daily until 2.00am Me by Meliá If you've got a head for heights, head over to Me by Meliá and its Dos Cielos Terrace bar, which is perched on the 24th floor of one of the tallest buildings in the city in a space-age, minimalist glassed in terrace. The super cool bar is only open to diners of the hotel's Michelin-starred restaurant, but that's a must-do experience in itself! With massive four-poster red lounges and dizzying views over the city, mountains and out to the Mediterranean, the bar is popular with the fashionable city set, as it’s right in the heart of the New Technology district, Poblenou. Best for: Sunset cocktails, bubbles or aperitifs in a gentrified setting with the best views in the city. Come between 6.00pm-9.00pm to enjoy a few drinks before dinner. Try it: The bar's signature drink is a delicious Agusti Torrelló cava, Spain's answer to Champagne (€5). Find it: On the 24th floor of the Meliá Barcelona Sky, C/Pere IV 272 – 286. Tel: +34 93 367 2050 (check for opening hours). Eclipse Bar Barcelona Glitzy, glamorous and totally over the top, if you're looking for the best of the best, head to Eclipse on the 26th floor of the achingly cool W Barcelona Hotel. With panoramic views that make you feel like you can reach out and touch the Mediterranean sea, if you like your mojitos with a touch of House, Techno, R&B or Hip Hop, this is your place. Best for: The young dance-club set who come to see and be seen. Creative cocktails from professional 'master mixologists' and an extensive Champagne and cava menu. Try it: The Eclipse's range of innovative signature martinis - including passion fruit or watermelon - and the speciality Sushi and Cocktails menu. Find it: Situated in W. Barcelona, Plaça de la Rosa dels Vents, 1, 26th Floor. Tel:+34 93 295 2800. Open: 6.00pm-2.00am every day. How to Get There With plenty of regular scheduled flights from the UK, it only takes a couple of hours by air to arrive in Spain's most exciting city. The most convenient way of getting directly to your accommodation (or straight to a cocktail bar if you're travelling light!) is with a private taxi from Barcelona Airport. Book ahead and travel the short 30-minute drive into the city in the style you intend for the rest of your break. You can also take public transport, although it will take much longer than a taxi. From Barcelona airport, you can take the A2 bus or the R2N train service to Plaça de Catalunya in the city. Sorry, no cocktail service… Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct, the number one provider of shared and private airport transfers all over Europe and northern Africa. If you’re looking for an affordable taxi from Barcelona Airport, Lukas and his colleagues can make sure that you and your luggage get to and from the airport swiftly and safely.
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