While preparing an upcoming trip to Barcelona, I read about the new so-called "cannabis associations", clubs in which members can freely, and apparently legally, purchase and smoke weed. I've also communicated with a couple of guys advertising their clubs,claiming that anyone could participate, provided they bring an ID, pay 20 euros, and are refered by a member.
Has anyone had any experience with these venues? are they safe?

I was there last december and joined La Rambla Dragon.

info@larambladragon.com
34 93 41 21 184

Their hours are from around 4 in the afternoon to around 10pm, their club is great and includes great lounge areas and a full bar. Under the rules you can purchase 14 grams/week, every time you buy something it gets logged. I loved the place.

Another new one is Betty Boop Barcelona (bettyboopbcn.com) which is at Career Maria Cubi 194, I'm planning to return in december to check this one out.

The danger with Barcelona is that it has an even worse problem with pickpockets and purse snatchers than Amsterdam. Wear tight pants, carry your cash for the day in one front pocket and your phone/wallet in the other front pocket. Keep your eyes open.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the feedback. Will definitely try it when I'm there next week.

I was lucky on my second trip to find these places:

1) AC Hotel IRLA (part of Marriott group)
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/b ... otel-irla/
C/ Calvet, 40-42
34-93-2416210

and literally around the corner (really, it will take you 15 seconds to walk out of the Irla, turn left, take a few steps to the corner (Carrer Maria Cubi), turn left, take a few more steps and ring the doorbell at Betty Boop BCN, probably one of the best cannabis clubs in the city, open every day, morning noon and night. Great lounge areas with comfortable seating, video game screen, full bar. Anybody can join.

The hotel and the club are so close I suspect they share a wall because I could get the hotel lobby wifi at the club.

2) Betty Boop Barcelona
info@bettyboopbcn.com
Carrer Maria Cubi 194
open from 9am to 1am

Then when you get hungry go to the Cafe Kamel, Carrer Maria Cubi becomes Mestre Nicolau on the other side of the hotel street (C/Calvet). You walk out of the club, turn right, cross the street and you are here where you can enjoy tapas and an "Estrella" catalan beer:

3) Cafe Nou Kamel
Mestre Nicolau 25
93 209 19 33

So, within half a block you have a bed, weed, and great food.

If you go to La Rambla, here is the cannabis club, it is inside the La Rambla 130 address, you'll see the club door when you get in the building, ring the bell.

4) La Rambla Dragon
La Rambla 130. Bajo 2
info@larambladragon.com
934 121 184
open from 4pm to 10pm (website says 3pm but it is 4)

Although I have yet to visit this seems to be the best brothel:

5) Felina Barcelona
http://www.felinabcn.com/en/
info@felinabcn.com
Can Bruixa Street, 42b
34 934 095 319

Barcelona is a big beautiful city with big city traffic and a lot of petty crime (purse snatchers, pickpockets, muggins) so be careful, I wear tight pants and carry cash for the day on the front left pocket, and the phone and wallet in the right front pocket.

What is the legality of cannabis in Spain? How is the scene in Madrid? Thanks. Visiting Spain in the future.

Don't know about Madrid clubs. Barcelona rocks.

Apparently anybody over 18 can join a cannabis club, you get a membership card with a member number. The regulations seem to be that you can purchase up to 14 grams a week, every time you purchase a gram it gets written down to keep track of your legal purchases.

Apparently there are tons of clubs in Barcelona

Finally got to BCN, and tried out Betty Boop. Overall a good experience - you get to the place, pay a 20 euro 1 yr membership fee, and are free to enter, purchase and smoke. They had a variety of ~15 strains, of which I tried a fantastic haze, exact name of which I can't recall.
The atmosphere in the place was much more like sitting in a large living room rather than an A'dam style coffeshop - few patrons and no background music. However, it felt very safe, the smoke was good, and it was great to get a high quality, completely legal smoke and exit into one of Europe's greatest cities. I visited again a day later, this time with a couple of colleagues, which made the whole experience a lot better. Overall highly recommeded to anyone coming to BCN for a short visit.

I was wondering if there is a difference between cannabis clubs in Barcelona and coffee shops in Amsterdam?

Yes there is a big difference between Barcelona and Amsterdam in the weed scene. In Barcelona you must join a private cannabis club with dues about €20 per year. The weed and hash were good at a way cheaper price than here in Dam

WARNING - Although you can legally purchase weed at various clubs in Spain beware that when you travel with it you are subject to major fines if caught. Last March I purchased ONE gram at a shop in Sitges (just south of Barcelona). I took a bus to Lloret Del Mar and as soon as I got off the bus there were police with dogs sniffing out weed. I had forgot that I had it with me in my backpack and the dogs immediately focused on me. I stated that I had bought it legally BUT then found out you can either smoke it in the club or in your house...but not legally allowed to have it on you outside of the club.

End result was a E250 Fine,,,kind of put a damper on that day :/