flamenco in london

 

Jerez de la Frontera

Jerez is popularly regarded as la cuña – the birthplace – of Flamenco in Spain. It boasts the Andalucian Centre of Flamenco. Many of the most famous Flamenco artists come from Jerez, such as Lola Flores or José Mercé. If passing through, and you’d like to catch a show or peña, head to:

Bars & Tablaos

Puro Arte, Tablao Flamenco (Flamenco every night. Reservation necessary.)
Details: Calle Conocedores, 28; Tel: +34 647 743 832; (puroarteflamencojerez.com)

Tabanco el Guitarrón de San Pedro (Flamenco Thursday night, Saturday afternoon, Sunday night.)
Details: Calle Bizcocheros, 16; Tel: +34 649 65 69 18; (Facebook Page)

Tablao del Bereber (Flamenco on Friday.)
Details: Calle de las Cabezas, 8-10; Tel: +34 605 94 75 77

Tabanco El Pasaje. (From Thursdays to Sunday.)
Details: Calle Sta. María, 8; Tel: 956 33 33 59; (tabancoelpasaje.com)

La Guarida del Angel
Details: Calle Porvenir, 1; Tel: +34 615 60 12 23; (Facebook Page)

Peñas

Peña Flamenca Los Cernícalos
Details: Calle de Sancho Vizcaíno, 25; Tel: +34 956 33 38 71; (flamencodejerez.com)

Peña Flamenca Buena Gente
Details: Calle Ánimas de San Lucas, 9; Tel: +34 956 33 84 04; (Facebook Page)

Peña de la Buleria
Details: Calle Empedrada, 20; Tel: +34 856053772; (Facebook Page)

The Flamenco festival in Jerez is held during the last week of February and first week of March. This is when the big names come out to play and the best classes are held. To attend a class, you must book in advance in September when tickets go on sale (it’s very popular).

Seville

Since Seville is a much larger city than Jerez, there are, unsurprisingly, many more Flamenco bars and peñas to be found. However, Flamenco isn’t quite as popular as the livelier and crowd-galvanising Sevillanas, which dominates Seville’s renowned Feria in Spring.

Bars & Tablaos

Tablao Flamenco El Arenal (Flamenco every night. Reservation necessary.)
Details: Calle Rodo, 7; Tel: +34 954 216 492; (tablaoelarenal.com)

La Carbonería (Flamenco every night.)
Details: Calle Levíes, 18; Tel: +34 954 56 37 49

T de Triana (Flamenco on Tuesday, Thursday.)
Details: Calle Betis, 20; Tel: +34 95 43 31 203; (Facebook Page)

Casa de la Memoria (Flamenco every night. Reservation necessary.)
Details: Calle Cuna, 6; Tel:  +34 954 560 670; (casadelamemoria.es)

Auditorio Alvarez Quintero (Flamenco every night.)
Details: Calle Álvarez Quintero, 48; Tel: +34 605 13 01 30; (auditorioalvarezquintero.com)

Peñas

Torres Macarena (Flamenco on Wednesday night.)
Calle Torrijiano, 29; Tel: +34 954372384; (torresmacarena.com)

Niño de la Alfalfa (Flamenco Friday night.)
Details: Calle Castellar 52 Acc C; Tel: +34 619038562; (Facebook Page)

Amigos de Manuel Mairena (Flamenco Tuesday to Sunday.)
Details: Calle Guillén de Castro, 26; Tel: +34 686947804; (Facebook Page)

To be absolutely sure of catching a show, go in Autumn when the Peñas de Guardia take place, featuring talent young and old. If you go in Spring during Feria, the standard will be very high but many of the tents with best shows are often ‘guest list only’.

Granada

Flamenco flows liberally through the veins of Granada’s music scene, and can be traced back as far as the 1700s when gitanos – gypsies – first arrived on the scene. The barrio of Sacromonte is still home to many people of this origin and this is where the best, most authentic Flamenco – gitano style – in Granada takes place. However, Flamenco can be found all over the city, more predominantly in El Albaicin.

Bars & Tablaos

Tablao Flamenco Jardines de Zoraya (Flamenco every night. Reservation necessary.)
Details: Calle Panaderos, 32; Tel: +34 958 20 62 66; (jardinesdezoraya.com)

Cuevas los Tarantos (Flamenco every night.)
Details: Camino del Sacromonte, 9; Tel: +34 958 22 45 25; (cuevaslostarantos.com)

Venta El Gallo Restaurant (Flamenco most nights.)
Details: Barranco de los Negros, 5; Tel: +34 958 22 84 76; (ventaelgallo.es)

El Templo del Flamenco (Flamenco every night.)
Details: Calle Pernaleros Alto, 41; Tel: +34 622 50 00 52; (templodelflamenco.com)

Cueva La Rocio (Flamenco most nights.)
Camino Sacromonte, 70; Tel: +34 958 22 71 29; (cuevalarocio.es)

Peñas

Peña La Platería (Flamenco every Thursday.)
Details: Placeta de Toqueros, 7; Tel: +34 958 21 06 50; (laplateria.org.es)

Sala Vimaambi (Flamenco Thursday-Saturday.)
Details: Cuesta de San Gregorio, 30 Granada; Tel: +34 958 22 73 34; (vimaambi.com)

Soniquete (Flamenco Fridays and Saturdays.)
Details: Carrera del Darro, 51; Tel: +34 639 69 20 41

There is no particular time of year when Flamenco is best in Granada. All through the year you can find high-quality shows being advertised around the busier areas of the city, in Plaza Nueva or along Carretera del Darro, for example. Entry fees are usually between 6-15 euros.

Malaga

All around Malaga province there are peñas hidden away in small towns and villages. The best thing about them is that many of them do not want to be found, although if they are, then customers are always welcomed with open arms. The higlight of the Malaga Flamenco calendar is the Bienal de Arte Flamenco which comes to town at the end of the summer every year.

Bars & Tablaos

Liceo (Flamenco Thursday-Saturday night. Reservations are required.)
Details: Calle Beatas, 21; Tel: 625 55 70 12; (liceoflamenco.com)

Bienal de Flamenco (Month-long festival held every September. Shows in participating bars.)
Details: (labienal.com)

Restaurant Tipi Tapa (Flamenco Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday nights.)
Details: Calle Málaga, 4, 29640 Fuengirola; Tel: +34 951 31 16 30; (flamencotickets.com)

Kelipé Centro de Arte Flamenco (Flamenco Friday and Saturday from 9:15pm to 10:30pm. Reservations recommended.)
Details: Calle Caldereria, 6; Tel: 692 82 98 85; (kelipe.net)

Sala Chela Mar (Flamenco every Sunday.)
Details: Calle Vendeja, 30; Tel: 951 25 63 92; (Facebook Page)

Peñas

Peña Flamenca Fosforito
Details: Arenisca 12, Santa Cristina; Tel: 952 35 11 15

Peña Flamenca Juan Breva
Details: Calle Ramón Franquelo 4; Tel: 952 21 08 76; (museoflamencojuanbreva.com)

Peña Flamenca El Piyayo
Details: Urb. Las Padrizas 2, Rincón de la Victoria; Tel: 952 40 48 29; (Facebook Page)

As well as regular shows and peña performances, various espectáculos take place throughout Andalucia, especially over the summer months. These ‘spectacles’ are much more theatrical than ordinary shows. The Alhambra Palace, for instance, has hosted events in the past, as has the otherworldly Cuevas de Nerja (Malaga) – a large, stalagtite-laden, underground cavern with an installed Flamenco stage at its core.