Tablao vs. Flamenco Cave: Pros and Cons. Which Venue Offers a Better Flamenco Experience?

Many people, before booking a flamenco show, ask us: Where is it better to see it, in a tablao or in a cave?

I think choosing between one and the other is very complicated and will depend on each person’s personal taste.

Both shows have their own particularities, advantages, and disadvantages. The ideal would be to see a performance in both environments and assess which one you like more, which one conveys its essence better to you.

If you don’t know what differences there are between them, here we’re going to tell you a little about what each show consists of so you can make a decision.

What’s Better, the Tablao or a Cave to See a Show?

Flamenco is a typical artistic expression of Andalusia, declared intangible cultural heritage, which mixes dance, vocal music, and musical accompaniment.
But this word encompasses much more than a style of dance and singing. Flamenco is also history, culture, emotion, roots, soul… a lifestyle for many.

Since its origins, flamenco has taken place in different environments and settings that have contributed to forging its essence. Currently, two of the most popular spaces for staging flamenco are: flamenco tablaos and flamenco caves.

Although both spaces are perfect for experiencing flamenco in its pure state and experiencing the magic of singing, dancing, and guitar playing firsthand, each environment has a series of advantages and disadvantages.

The Flamenco Tablao

A flamenco tablao is a stage specially prepared for the performance of flamenco artists, whether they are singers, dancers, or guitarists.

Its name, “tablao” is related to the structure where the show takes place, a wooden board, a characteristic element to enhance the sound of the artist’s footwork.

It could be said that the tablao is the evolution of the 19th-century singing cafés, where flamenco shows of the time began to be represented in a more accessible way for the public.
A modern flamenco tablao is a room that has been prepared for the show. It’s usually a spacious area to accommodate a large number of audience and has controlled acoustics as well as lights and everything related to the staging.

The stage is usually elevated increasing the visibility of the show and tends to be larger, facilitating the artist to move with greater freedom of movement.
The flamenco tablaos in Granada are very well-known nationally, as well as those in Madrid, Seville, and Barcelona, many of them visited by international artists from music, cinema, and politics.

The Flamenco Cave

The flamenco cave is something very typical of Granada, associated with the caves of Sacromonte. In these caves, the gypsy communities created a unique lifestyle, making cave-dwellings and performing their shows inside them.

In these caves, a very exclusive type of show was developed, the well-known zambra flamenco, which combines Arab, Gypsy, and Andalusian elements.

Here the show takes place inside a space carved into the rock, and the available space is much more reduced than that of a tablao. The acoustics are quite good because these natural spaces act as a perfect resonance box, amplifying the acoustics in a unique and natural way. In a cave, the show is more intimate, immersive, and pure.

However, the stage is at the same level as the audience, and the artist’s footwork may not be as noticeable. Also, the space is usually more limited than the tablao and the artist may have some difficulty making certain movements, which can limit the show a bit. Nevertheless, the atmosphere created in a cave makes you feel more of the root art, giving a more traditional and authentic touch to the show.

Currently, the shows in flamenco caves in Granada are highly acclaimed by tourists, both nationally and internationally.

Advantages of a Flamenco Tablao over a Flamenco Cave

Now that we have seen and compared both environments, let’s delve a little deeper into why the tablao can offer the public a more complete, professional, and comfortable experience to enjoy flamenco, although this doesn’t mean that a show in a cave doesn’t have its unique charm.

A more Prepared Environment

The flamenco tablao has been specially designed to host a show. Therefore, it has an elevated wooden stage, studied lighting with specially installed spotlights as well as enhanced acoustics with speakers and microphones.

In the cave, the space is more limited, the stage is usually at ground level, and it can be more difficult to see the artist’s dance well. The sound is usually natural or enhanced with a small speaker, and the lighting is usually less professional.

The Type of Artist

Normally, artists dedicated to flamenco usually perform in both environments. However, the most nationally or internationally recognized artists usually organize their shows in tablaos.

Greater Comfort for the Spectator

A tablao usually has more space to group the audience and have wider seats.

It allows for better control of the ambient temperature as it can use air conditioning, the seats are usually wider, and even during the show, you can have a drink or even eat.

On the contrary, caves, being smaller spaces, can be less comfortable. Although many caves have air conditioning, controlling the temperature is usually more complicated, and visibility is often more limited, especially if the venue is full and there isn’t a good arrangement of chairs.

Food and Beverage Service

To further enhance the experience, a flamenco tablao may include food and beverage service (drinks, tapas, or even menus). This makes the show more attractive to the public.
In the cave, it’s very difficult to offer this service, although some caves serve drinks and beverages, but it’s not common for them to serve food.

Diversity in Shows

A tablao allows for a greater variety of shows, for example, a show where the artist wears a bata de cola (long-trained dress) (in a cave, for example, these types of shows cannot be performed). They can also perform shows with a larger number of artists dancing or singing on stage or where the dancer needs more space to move freely.

The flamenco tablao also allows for themed shows, can collaborate with flamenco schools, or have nights dedicated to specific styles. In caves, the space limits the ability to accommodate a greater diversity of shows.

So, Flamenco Tablao or Cave?

Now that you’ve read this article where we present the pros and cons of each scenario, it’s up to you to decide what you prefer.

• If you’re looking for a picturesque place typical of Granada, with history, that is traditional and where you can experience flamenco art with more passion and naturalness, we recommend the cave.
• However, if what you’re looking for is to enjoy a show comfortably, where you can also have a drink or eat some tapas, and better appreciate the movement of the artists and their staging, we recommend the tablao.