Boadas

Miguel Boadas, who learned his trade in the bars of Havana, opened this bar in 1933 at the top of La Rambla, hoping to bring something of his favourite Floridita to Barcelona. Nearly a century later, Boadas is one of the oldest cocktail bars in the city, and its small, triangular room keeps the Art Deco atmosphere of its early years, with photographs and caricatures of famous guests on the walls. It is often described as a living museum of the art of the bartender.

There is no elaborate menu to study. The best approach is to ask for a classic: a daiquiri, in honour of the Floridita, a dry martini, a Manhattan or a negroni, made with care and served without fuss. If you are unsure, tell the bartender what you like and let them choose. The focus is on technique, conversation and good spirits rather than novelty.

The room is tiny, with a few seats at the bar and some standing room, so it is best for a drink or two rather than a long evening, and it can be busy at peak times. Opening hours are not published on the website, so check before you go. Prices are reasonable for a cocktail of this quality in the centre of the city, and the bar is a pleasant contrast to the newer, more experimental venues for which Barcelona has become known.

Boadas suits anyone who appreciates classic cocktails, history and old-school hospitality, and it is a good place for a pre-dinner drink. Solo drinkers will feel at ease at the bar, where watching the bartenders at work is part of the pleasure. It is not the place for large groups.

The bar is at the corner of Carrer dels Tallers and La Rambla, a couple of minutes' walk from Plaça de Catalunya and Catalunya station on metro lines L1 and L3. From here it is easy to walk down La Rambla to the Liceu and La Boqueria, or into El Raval, where the MACBA and the bars of Carrer de Joaquín Costa are close by. Hostal Grau and Hotel 1898 are both within a few minutes on foot.