Introduction
Welcome to Barcelona, the busy Mecca of hottest beaches, lovely sundrenched weather, wild nightlife and so much more. If you are a beginner and planning a trip to this city, one question that might naturally come to mind is: What do the people in Barcelona drink at what age? To answer that question and cover other useful information regarding the drinking laws and practices of this great city, continue this guide below.
Legal Drinking Age
Even the minimum age to purchase alcohol and drink in bars is 18 years old in Barcelona. This means that anyone over the legal age of 18 can legally •purchase and consume alcohol in bars, restaurants and clubs. As we have pointed out these restrictions apply to both locals and tourists in touristic cities such as Barcelona.
Drinking Culture
Like in most of Spain, Barcelona has always friendly culture towards taking beers and wines and other related beverages. Having a wine or beer and a meal, or going out for a barbeque with friends or a beer with friends at a bar are not very unusual. The main sightseeing extravaganza venue is the Nightlife hub and the historic area show that people from the city and even visitors come out in large numbers to enjoy.
Bar Hopping
The choice of bars to explore in Barcelona is rather large, and every bar is going to be different in any terms. Some of the fun things to do in the city include going round the city bar hopping, that is moving from one bar to the next, ordering various drinks and enjoying the fevorable ambiance. So one advice is to make sure that you do drinks while are in the bars without boozing too much.
Tapas and Drinks
One of the ever so famous culture of the people of Barcelona is the “vermouth hour” or “hora del vermut.” This is a pre-lunch drinking tradition where Spanish people take vermouth, a type of wine, with different types of tasty tappings. It is one of the best ways to sample local culture all while sipping into a glass of a cool product.
Identification
It is a requirement to ensure that you have an identification card with you each time you are in a bar or club in Barcelona. The legal drinking age is 18, however you may be asked to show an ID if you look like you are below that age. It has been realized that a passport or an identification card issued in the home country should suffice.
Alcohol Consumption Tips
Here are some tips to keep in mind when consuming alcohol in Barcelona:
- Don’t drink and drive and know your limits as a drinker. This is very detrimental to your health and experience that is why excessive drinking of alcohol should be prevented.
- Minimize the damage done by drinking a glass or two of water before consuming the alcohol and in between, too.
- Always be extra cautious at the extreme ends of your environment so that your safety can be guaranteed.
- When taking beer with friends during a celebration; proper etiquette should be observed; Public should avoid touching the mouth directly on the container of the friend.
- Make sure to learn some cultural practices and before drinking say ‘¡Salud!’ which is a Spanish way of saying cheers.
Conclusion
As this is our last post on the age to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages we feel that it only right that we share with our readers some information on the general consumption age in Barcelona which is important for first time travelers to know. When you are eighteen years old, you don’t miss the nights when you drinking places are open, and the drinking culture in the city unveiled. We must also advise to drink, wander through the numerous bars, and taste the specific flavors of Barcelona. Cheers!
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