The plaza is the plan.

Barcelona, at street level

Social life here happens outdoors: vermouth at Saturday noon, dinner around half past nine, then a square in Gràcia, a narrow street in the Born or a walk down to Barceloneta. Plans pile up along the way, and so do people.

If you are fairly new in town, you know how hard it is to break into a colla, a tight-knit group of friends. YesTonite does not ask you to know anyone: see who else is out tonight, write, and meet somewhere that works for both of you.

Mark the big dates: the Sant Joan night in June, with firecrackers, coca pastry and cava until sunrise; the Festa Major de Gràcia in August, with decorated streets; and La Mercè in September, with concerts all over the city.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday rule. Dinner is late, drinks start after midnight and the clubs fill up well into the small hours.

Neighbourhoods for a night out in Barcelona

• GràciaSquares full of terraces and local bars, lively until late and without pretence.
• El BornMedieval streets with cocktail bars and vermouth bars near Santa Maria del Mar.
• Sant AntoniThe trendy spot for vermouth and cañas, around the market.
• El RavalClassic and alternative bars a stone's throw from the Rambla.
• PoblenouOld industrial warehouses, music venues and the beach a short walk away.
• Port OlímpicOn the seafront, for stretching the night when the rest of the city has closed.