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Opera Samfaina, a thematic opera space restaurant corner

Opera Samfaina is a special place, it is not a restaurant but people can go to eat some tapas and take some drinks. It is not an opera but it is full of little corners with shows. It is not a shop but there is a section where people can buy only Catalan products so what makes it particular ? It is not only for its decoration but also for its multimedia interaction.

Situated in the underground of the Liceu Theater, the place is not yet so crowdy, in spite that it is located in the rambla street, because it is a little hidden. Although people can find easily the Liceu, the entrance of Opera Samfaina is like a secret corner into the theater.

Walking down a stair, the first space to welcome you is

called Vermuteria where there is a bar to take a drink and some foods, a kind of waiting area before to go down where the show will begin. After making the queue and once that the receptionist will put you a bracelet (20 euros including a drink), the show will start down the stair, in the Diva space.

Opera Samfaina Opera Samfaina

You will walk in a long corridor with 6 different interactive frames called Dioramas before to reach an open space. Interactive only if you will introduce a coin into the slot, if not, it is only a decorative frame. Once a coin is put inside, a show will start, if you want to know the whole story, you will have to put a coin to each frame starting from the stair until the open space.

Different options are offered to you divided by theme bars:

  • The Solidarity bar proposing tapas created by famous chefs like Ferran Adria (a part of the selling is given to some social entities like Casal de Infants del Raval, Foundation Joan Salvador Gavina and Doctors without Borders
  • The Beer bar proposes only Catalan beers and soft drinks.
  • The thematic tables where, if you have ordered a degustation menu from the Wine bar, you will be able to seat. Each tapas plate corresponds to a multimedia video that shows directly on the table
Opera Samfaina Opera Samfaina

Going deeper, you will enter in the Market and the Odissea spaces which offer:

  • The Sotamar bar, offering seafood tapas
  • The Hesperides bar, offering vegetable tapas
  • The Catalactic bar, offering cheese tapas
  • The Sweet Catalonia bar, offering dessert and the caganer game (throw a ball into his mouth and he will poo a chocolate)
  • The Slaughter bar, offering sausages tapas
  • The Rocambolesc bar, offering ice cream
Opera Samfaina Opera Samfaina

In each space, there are some coin slots just beside for instance a dragon statue so by putting a coin, a show will play and each time you are going to order something, the bar tender or the waiter will scan your bracelet, and you will pay once you will leave Opera Samfaina. The exit is situated at the opposite side of the entrance, just next to the shop section.

You may think that it will be expensive, drinks are quite cheap, for instance, I ordered a glass of white wine for 3.5 euros. In fact, a glass of wine costs this price, a beer costs 1.6 euros. About food, it is a little expensive, a small tapas can cost easily 6 euros.

Still, it is worth to discover it and if you feel curious, just go to the Liceu, and on its left side, you will see an ice cream area, just next to it, there is a stair going down, you are just at the entrance of the Opera Samfaina (la rambla 51 – (+34) 934 817 871).