Picasso, Hemingway, and Dalí walk into a bar… Well, even though they probably didn’t go there at the same time, that very bar is still active today. With its untouched decor and homemade absinthe, Marsella’s charm goes beyond its link to famous figures.
Located in the heart of El Raval—a district that used to be a hotspot of organized crime, prostitution, and gambling in the 19th century—Marsella was founded in 1820. As the oldest bar in Barcelona, it has been left pretty much unchanged since its opening: The paint on the ceiling is chipping, the mirrors are cloudy, and only a couple of ceiling fans scattered between the chandeliers are keeping the premises from the catalan heat. Behind glass shelves are dozens of secular bottles of wine that the regulars would buy and put away before coming back to finish them. Every single detail—from the black-and-white photos of the owner’s family to the statue of Saint-Martin, patron of the drinkers—make for a time-capsule cherished by locals and tourists alike.
Marsella is known for its absinthe, a strong anise drink associated with the Parisian Bohême, that attracted artists such as Picasso, Hemingway, and Dalí, among many intellectuals, workers, and syndicalists. It is rumored to have been the scene of clandestine reunions during Franco’s regime, a time from which remains a “No singing” sign.
In 2013, threatened with closure, Marsella was at the center of a large mobilization led by regulars and neighbors that gathered so much support that the city council bought the whole building to save what is now considered a local icon.
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