ICE, ICE, BABY

During my time abroad, I was blown away by the concept of “nightlife” in Europe. I thought I had experienced some pretty crazy nightlife in the United States, but I was far from prepared for a night out “European style.”

In particular, the nightlife in Barcelona was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. A typical night out in Barcelona begins around midnight and ends around 7:00am for most locals. In the United States, most bars and clubs shut down around 2:00am, however, Barcelona is a city that never sleeps with bars and clubs staying open till the wee hours of the morning. And even after the bars and clubs shut down for the night, most locals hit the beach to watch the sunrise before throwing in the towel and heading home. For me, it was unrealistic to stay out that late every night, but I made it my goal to stay out at least one night until the sunrise. Although, I spent most of the next day in bed sleeping, the experience of hanging out on the beach waiting for the sun to rise was unforgettable.

The number of nightclubs lining the beach was overwhelming because I wanted to make sure I could experience each and every one. I quickly realized this was nearly impossible to accomplish, but I was able to visit a variety of unique nightclubs and bars.

Of all the nightclubs and bars I visited while in Barcelona, my favorite was Ice Barcelona. Before going abroad, I was amazed by the concept of an ice bar and knew I wanted to experience one before returning to the States. For those of you who don’t know, an ice bar is exactly what it sounds like: a bar made entirely out of ice. Before entering, each person is given a heavy-duty coat and gloves to wear as the bar typically remains around negative thirty degrees. You are also given a cup made out of ice to drink out of while at the bar.

Inside the ice bar, there are numerous ice sculptures scattered around including chairs and tables made completely out of ice. Below is a picture of my friends and I at Ice Barcelona posing with one of the many ice sculptures!

The ice bar was honestly one of the coolest experiences I had during my time abroad and I would encourage each of you to visit an ice bar during your upcoming travels! There are ice bars all around the world in various countries, not just Barcelona, so make sure to do your research! 

Pub, Bar or Club? That is the Question.

Nightlife abroad can be an adventure for the American tourist. When studying or traveling abroad, young adults are usually interested in getting a drink and having a good time. That's easy to accomplish in Europe and around the world, but it's important to have a little basic knowledge under the belt. There are many bars, pubs, and nightclubs to choose from, but is there a difference between the three?

Interested in seeing the locals? Want a nice pint and maybe a bite to eat? That would definitely fall under the pub category. Most pubs operate as restaurants during the day, and throughout the night. Some stop serving food after dinner, but normally fish and chips are always an option. Pubs tend to close earlier, around ten o'clock, but in the UK specifically, they start drinking hours or 'happy' hour earlier in the day. Pubs tend to start filling up as the work day ends, around five or six. They usually have music or a live band type set up. Pubs offer a wide array of drinks, but the central focus is a good pint of beer or cider. Pubs or Public Houses are historically fundamental to the cultures of Britain, Ireland, Australia, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and parts of the US. An English writer describes them as, "...the heart of England." 

Need a night out with the girls or a good cocktail? Left the pub, and want another drink or two past ten? Then the bar may be the place for you. Typically a 'bar' is open till the early hours of the morning. They focus more on liquor specials then a good pint. In Spain, bars are common and form an important part of the culture. It is common to find several lined up on a street or plaza. Spanish bars are also known to usually serve tapas or bocadillos. Most countries have bars that tend to stick to drinks and open later than dinner. In the UK there are also wine bars, style bars, and dive bars. One of the last dive bars in London is under the Kings Head pub in Soho. Bars in general are less restaurant like and homey as the pub, and more upbeat, flashy, and adult. 

Finally, if you are focussed on dancing along with drinking, then the nightclub is for you. Nightclubs are for the late night entertainment. They usually offer loud music, mixed drinks, dancing, and sometimes a performer or two. The music tends to be house, electronica, hip-hop, or dance-pop/Top 40. The emergence of "superclub" created a global phenomenon. These were usually owned by dance music record labels, such as the Ministry of Sound (London), Cream (Liverpool), and Pacha (Ibiza). In some language a nightclub can be referred to as a disco. In recent trends they're are VJ's to mix video content along with DJ's or Disk Jockeys. 

So if you want a quaint meal, a good pint and an interaction with the locals a pub is for you. If you need a later night out, some background music and cocktails with the younger crowd, then go to a bar. For dancing, drinks and a good time, find the nearest nightclub. Now that the difference is clear in at least some terms for new cultures, people may use that to their advantage. There are many online resources to further look into the country of choice, but when abroad and wanting to experience the nightlife, it shouldn't be an issue.