Seville is a different city, full of culture and history, in which the bustle of its neighborhoods is mixed with the friendliness and hospitality of its people. Flamenco in Seville is almost a religion, not in vain the city of the Guadalquivir is considered the cradle of this universal art.

The spontaneous tapping, the “cante jondo” and the wonderful plucking of the Spanish guitar can be felt in all its corners.

The capital of Andalusia is full of treasures in all its corners, but just to be able to enjoy the art of a flamenco tablao in Seville, a soleá or a bulería, it is already worth visiting. Nowhere in the world is flamenco more alive than here.

A flamenco tablao in Seville, an incomparable show

For decades the tablaos have occupied a privileged place in the history of flamenco.

They are the places where amateurs, professionals and critics of this versatile and pure art meet, the places where the great stars of dance, singing and guitar flourish.

In all of them there is a welcoming and familiar atmosphere, which catches the visitor forever, even if it is the first time he comes into contact with flamenco.

History of the flamenco tablaos

The origin of the tablaos flamencos can be found in the singing cafes that were so prolific in Seville, and in the rest of Andalusia, in the 19th century.

It was these cafés that brought flamenco to the general public, since until then these shows were limited to private celebrations and parties.

The singing cafés had a very similar layout to today’s tablaos flamencos: halls with a large tablao in the center, where the artists performed, surrounded by chairs and tables where attendees settled.

The so-called Golden Age of Flamenco, between 1860 and 1919, was driven by the singing cafés. It was also during this period that the important flamenco schools of the Triana neighborhood of Seville and the town of Jerez de la Frontera in Cadiz appeared.

Between the years 1910 and 1955 some of the greatest flamenco singers in history emerged, and it was during this time that the Spanish guitar became the great instrumental accompaniment to what is known as cante jondo.

The development that took place in Spain at the end of the 50’s and beginning of the 60’s attracted millions of tourists to our country, all of them falling in love with the art of flamenco, unknown outside our borders, and which would soon come to be considered a pure musical genre, like jazz and blues, gaining followers on the 5 continents.

It was during the 60’s when the concept of the old singing cafés became known as tablaos flamencos, as it is today.

Today, flamenco in Seville, and wherever you find a good flamenco tablao, is one of the great tourist attractions, both for Spaniards and foreigners, an unbeatable way to enjoy culture and tradition.