Flamenco show with a drink in the old town
About an hour of flamenco from a singer, guitarists and costumed dancers in a small room on Plaza Santo Cristo, improvised each night. One drink is included, and dinner is not.
Real flamenco, close up
Where to see flamenco in Marbella
The short answer
For a first flamenco show on the Costa del Sol, an hour in a small old-town room is a fair choice: close to the performers, a drink included and no dinner to sit through. It is a tablao show, so expect a singer, guitarists and dancers improvising, not a staged production. Other flamenco venues exist in and around Marbella, and this is one of them. The booking page rates it 4.7 from about 420 reviews.
01
What it is
A flamenco show at Tablao Flamenco Marbella, on Plaza Santo Cristo in the old town. A singer, guitarists and costumed dancers perform, and each show is improvised, without structure or script. The venue keeps to the instruments of 19th-century flamenco. One drink is included, and dinner is not.
02
What it is not
Not a dinner show, and not a theatre production with a set programme. Not a lesson or a workshop. It is a small room, so there is no hiding at the back: you are close to the performers, and that closeness is the point.
03
Check before you book
Sightlines can be poor from some seats in the small room, so arrive early and choose where you sit. Check the calendar for open dates. There is no flash photography.
The show at a glance
- Where
- Plaza Santo Cristo, in Marbella's old town.
- Length
- About one hour.
- Included
- One drink, and no dinner.
- Room
- Small, with a small group.
The palos, as a listening key
A listening key to the palos
Flamenco is built from palos, the named styles that give each piece its rhythm and mood. These are the ones most often named when people explain flamenco, described from published sources. Treat them as a listening key rather than a programme.
- Soleá
The solemn one
Wikipedia ranks the soleá among the most basic palos, on a twelve-beat cycle, with generally serious lyrics and a solemn musical air.
- Alegrías
The bright one from Cádiz
The alegrías belong to the cantiñas, which Wikipedia calls the songs of Cádiz par excellence. The melody is festive and suited to dancing, and the form seems to derive from the Aragonese jota.
- Bulerías
The fast one
A quick rhythm on a twelve-beat cycle that Wikipedia ties to Jerez's Romani families in the 1800s. It often closes a flamenco gathering.
- Siguiriyas
The deep song
Siguiriyas belong to cante jondo, the deep song of flamenco. Wikipedia ranks this intense, expressive style among flamenco's most important, with twelve counts to a measure.
- Palmas and jaleo
The clapping and the cries
The compás, the rhythm, is carried by hand clapping, the palmas. Jaleo is the clapping and calling-out that urge performers on, with cries such as olé.
- Duende
The word people reach for
A word for a heightened emotional state in performance, linked with flamenco. Wikipedia says the poet Federico García Lorca shaped the idea.
Each show is improvised and has no set order, so you may hear any of these, none of them or other palos. Nothing here is a promise for a given night.
The hour, in order
The hour, in order
Read this as the shape of the hour, not a timetable. Your confirmation holds the meeting details.
- 1 Arrive
Come early for a small room
The room is small and sightlines can be poor from some seats, so arriving early lets you choose where to sit.
- 2 Drink
Your drink comes with the ticket
One drink is included. Dinner is not, so plan to eat before or after, in the old town.
- 3 Begin
Singer, guitarists, dancers
A singer, guitarists and costumed dancers perform. The show is improvised, without structure or script, so no two nights are the same.
- 4 Listen
Stay still for the song
Keep quiet while the singer sings and the guitar plays. There is no flash photography, and phones belong on silent.
- 5 Leave
Out into the old town
You come out in the old town, where Plaza de los Naranjos and the streets around it have places to eat.
Ticket details
What you are buying, and what you are not
Six terms to read before you choose a date.
- Where
- Tablao Flamenco Marbella, Plaza Santo Cristo 4, in Marbella's old town.
- The show
- About one hour of flamenco from a singer, guitarists and costumed dancers, in a small group.
- Improvised
- Each show is improvised, without structure or script. The venue keeps to the instruments of 19th-century flamenco.
- Drink and dinner
- One drink is included. Dinner is not.
- The room
- Small, with sightlines that can be poor from some seats. Arrive early to choose your place. No flash photography.
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation is listed until the day before. You book with GetYourGuide, not with the venue.
Side by side
Four ways to spend a Marbella day or evening
| Option | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Flamenco show with a drink | The ticket on this page: an hour of improvised flamenco in a small old-town room, one drink included, no dinner. | Anyone who wants live music up close and the rest of the evening free |
| Sunset catamaran trip | The second card: a sunset sail that runs about 90 minutes, which depends on conditions on the day. | Visitors who want open water and evening light |
| Sailing and dolphin watching | The third card: a daytime sail with drinks, listed at two to two and a half hours. | Families and groups who want a morning or afternoon on the sea |
| Marbella, Puerto Banús and Mijas | The fourth card: a full-day tour by road through Marbella, Puerto Banús and the white village of Mijas. | First-time visitors who want to see the coast before an evening show |
The old town and the stage
Marbella's old town, and flamenco on stage
Plaza de los Naranjos, Plaza Santo Cristo, a lane by Plazuela de San Bernabé and a chapel at dusk, followed by two photographs of flamenco taken at other performances. Those two are not this venue.
Four Marbella plans
The flamenco show, and three other ways to fill a Marbella day
The first card is the flamenco show this site covers. The second is a sunset sail, the other obvious Marbella evening. The third is a daytime sailing trip with drinks and the fourth is a full-day tour by road.
Sunset catamaran trip
A sunset sail from Marbella, listed at about 90 minutes. It is the other obvious Marbella evening, and a sea trip depends on conditions on the day.
Small-group sailing and dolphin watching
A daytime sailing trip with drinks, listed at two to two and a half hours. Dolphins are not guaranteed, since the animals go where they like.
Marbella, Puerto Banús and Mijas by road
A full-day tour taking in Marbella, Puerto Banús and the white village of Mijas, for visitors who want the coast by road before an evening show.
More to do around Marbella
Practical notes
Getting there, eating and what to bring
Where it is
Tablao Flamenco Marbella is on Plaza Santo Cristo, in Marbella's old town. Marbella lies on the Costa del Sol, between Málaga and the Strait of Gibraltar.
On foot
Wikipedia says the walled old town keeps nearly the layout it had in the 16th century. The lanes are narrow, so walking is the natural way to arrive.
Arrive early
The room is small and sightlines can be poor from some seats. Arriving early lets you pick where you sit.
Eating
Dinner is not included. Plaza de los Naranjos, the old town's central square, and the streets around it have places to eat before or after the show.
Photos and phones
No flash photography. Put your phone on silent, and keep still while the singer sings.
Before you pay
Open the calendar to see open dates and the cost in your currency. Free cancellation is listed until the day before.
More reading
Six guides to flamenco in Marbella
- 01 Start here
Flamenco in Marbella
Where to see real flamenco in Marbella, what a tablao show in the old town is like, who it suits and what the ticket does and does not cover. Read the guide → - 02 Which evening
Flamenco or sunset catamaran?
A flamenco night in Marbella's old town or a sunset catamaran trip: how they differ in setting, length, weather and who each suits, with no prices. Read the guide → - 03 Listening key
Flamenco palos, explained
Soleá, alegrías, bulerías and siguiriyas: how to tell the main flamenco palos apart by mood and rhythm, so an improvised show is easier to follow. Read the guide → - 04 Good manners
How to behave at a tablao
What to do and not do at a small flamenco show: arriving early, staying quiet for the singer, phones and photos, and what jaleo means. Read the guide → - 05 Around the show
Marbella old town on foot
Plaza de los Naranjos, Plaza Santo Cristo and the walled core of Marbella's old town: what to look at around an evening flamenco show. Read the guide → - 06 Background
How flamenco began
Where flamenco comes from, how a tradition of Andalusia reached its stages, and what UNESCO says about it, in plain language. Read the guide →
FAQ
Eight answers before you book
Where can you see real flamenco in Marbella?
In tablaos, small venues built for flamenco shows. This site covers Tablao Flamenco Marbella, on Plaza Santo Cristo in the old town. Other flamenco venues exist in and around Marbella, so compare formats and what each ticket includes.
What happens at the show?
A singer, guitarists and costumed dancers perform for about an hour in a small room. Each show is improvised, without structure or script, and the venue keeps to the instruments of 19th-century flamenco.
Is dinner included?
No. The ticket includes one drink and no dinner. The old town has places to eat around Plaza de los Naranjos if you want a meal before or after.
Which palos will I hear?
Nobody can say, because the show is improvised. The listening key on this page describes soleá, alegrías, bulerías and siguiriyas so you can recognise the mood when you hear it.
Can everyone see well from every seat?
Not from every seat. The room is small and sightlines can be poor in places, so arrive early and choose where you sit.
Can I take photos?
Not with flash. Put your phone on silent, and keep still while the singer is singing.
Is the ticket refundable?
Free cancellation is listed until the day before. Read the cancellation terms on the booking page when you choose a date.
Are there other flamenco venues in Marbella?
Yes. Other flamenco venues exist in and around Marbella. This site is an independent guide to one show, and the booking is made with GetYourGuide, not with the venue.
One hour of improvised flamenco in a small old-town room, with a drink included.
Book the flamenco show ↗The calendar shows the full cost in your own currency.