We couldn’t have a guide to the culture of Andalucia without mentioning flamenco. Flamenco is an art form that combines singing, guitar, dancing, clapping, stomping and shouts of “ole” to make for an incredible performance. The centres for flamenco are Cadiz, Seville and Jerez, but you can find wonderful performers throughout Spain and each region has added to this diverse art form.
You are likely to hear a lot of flamenco music as part of your travels around Andalucia and we strongly recommend going to see a show to see how it all comes together. It really is a moving experience, especially in the authentic Tablaos.
If you are staying in a vacation rental in Marbella, we recommend a visit to Tablao Flamenco in Marbella’s Old Town. They provide a powerful one and a half hour show which includes music and dancing right in front of you. It costs 25€ per person which includes the show and one drink and the atmosphere is electric. My Guide Marbella can also arrange tickets, or a special package with tapas, a flamenco class and a flamenco show. Find out more
Insider’s Tip – Don’t order more drinks during the show, some guests are charged the same price as the show and drink for the second round! For drinks before and after the show, explore the beautiful Calle Ancho and enjoy dinner or tapas in one of the wonderful bars and restaurants just down from Tablao Ana Maria.
If you’re staying in a Torremolinos vacation rental then you’re within easy reach of Benalmadena and the flamenco shows which take place at the Torrequebrada hotel in summer. You’re also within a short drive from the wonderful Liceo Flamenco in Malaga’s Old Town which is home to excellent flamenco shows at 7pm and 9pm each day. The shows last just over an hour, tickets include one drink and cost 25€.
Malaga hosts a Festival of Flamenco, which attracts some of the world’s best performers every two years. Over a six month period there are amazing concerts and activities. The last one took place from the beginning of March to the beginning of September 2017 and had 80 concerts, 300 artists and hundreds of activities. If you’re booking your holiday for 2019 check the website to find out more.
There are also very exciting modern flamenco performances which fuse flamenco and ballet, or modern dance. If this is up your street, ask at your local tourist office about performances during your stay.
