El Velódromo, a bar that first opened in 1933, reopened its doors in September 2009 after several years out of action. Its refurbishment, courtesy of Moritz beer, has been spot on. They’ve kept its original essence: the structure and most of the features from its heyday, such as the globe lamps, the billiard table, the mahogany banister, the large windows and the layout over two floors.

This much-loved bar, a haunt of tertulia lovers (people who met for long, lively discussions), politicians and intellectuals in the 1950s, and a meeting place for the ‘gauche divine’ (the city’s left-leaning intellectual and artistic set) in the 1960s and 70s, was founded by Manuel Pastor Boné, a cycling enthusiast who named it Velódromo in honour of an old velodrome that stood on the very same spot at the start of the 20th century.

The bar was open almost all the time and was frequented by people of a certain standing. Today it still keeps long opening hours, from 6am to 3am, so all sorts of people pass through over the course of the day.

Bar Velódromo

From small traditional Catalan dishes to a glass of cava with two oysters, there’s a decent choice to enjoy.

It’s on Carrer de Muntaner (between Diagonal and Londres).

A curious fact: Manuel Pastor Boné’s parents set up Café Manolo, which stood right next to where the Bar Velódromo was later located. Manuel didn’t want to take over that business and opened this one instead, giving it a more personal character.

Address: C/Muntaner 213, 08036 Barcelona

Phone: 934 306 022