Flamenco in the Caves of Sacromonte

Flamenco in Granada has its own home and its own style. In the Sacromonte, the hillside beyond the Albaicín, the Gitano families who lived in cave houses developed the zambra, a form of flamenco performed in the long, narrow caves themselves, with copper pots and plates hanging from the whitewashed walls and the audience seated along the sides, so close to the dancers that you feel the rhythm of the footwork through the floor. Several caves on the Camino del Sacromonte still stage shows every night, and Cuevas Los Tarantos, at number 9, is one of the most established. This page links to its Tiqets show, which lasts about an hour and a quarter and includes the performance and one drink, with dinner available as an option. Expect singing, guitar and dance from a small company, an intimate setting rather than a theatre, and an atmosphere that is at once touristy and genuinely thrilling when the performers catch fire. The ticket is non-refundable, so book once your evening is settled.

What makes the caves special: in a big flamenco theatre you watch from a distance; in a Sacromonte cave you are part of the room. The shows here grew from the zambra, a celebration once performed at Gitano weddings, and the performers often move between tradition and modern flamenco across the evening. It is a tourist show, and you will be sitting with other visitors, but the quality of the singing and dancing can be very high, and the setting has no equivalent anywhere else in Spain.

Getting there and back: the Camino del Sacromonte runs out from the end of the Paseo de los Tristes, and Los Tarantos is near the start of it. You can walk from Plaza Nueva along the Carrera del Darro in about twenty to twenty-five minutes, or take the small Albaicín bus or a taxi. Late at night many visitors take a taxi back to their hotel, as the lanes are dark and steep. Some caves sell packages with hotel pick-up; this ticket does not mention a transfer, so plan your own way there.

Choosing your evening: the dinner option makes for an easy, all-in-one night, but Granada’s tapas bars are among the best in Spain, so many visitors eat elsewhere and arrive for the show with just the included drink. Tiqets also sells combinations with Alhambra tickets and another cave, Zincalé, further up the hill. Whichever you choose, sit near the front if you can, and leave the flash off.