Hidden treasures: Marula Café

Nestled in one of the Barri Gòtic’s brashest streets, Marula Café is a far cry from its neon-lit, free-chupito neighbours. From the minute its burly bouncers look you up and down, you get the impression that this place is a cut above the rest. Work it for all you’re worth as you walk down the long glass and velvet-lined corridor of its rather swanky entrance. Inside, it certainly doesn’t disappoint either. Marula’s sleek backlit bar area is just the place for a classy drink away from the stag-night crowds.

The sexy little sister of a hugely successful Madrid establishment, Marula’s Barcelona incarnation offers the same slick décor and enticing blend of electro-funk, soul, Latin jazz and disco music that would put anyone in the mood to get up and get on down. A perfect mid-way point between bar and club, Marula’s two-level dance floor is just the spot to shake your funky stuff any night of the week. Guest DJs, concerts and outstanding live session singers mean that no two nights here will ever be the same.