Where to See Flamenco in Spain (Sexy Lives Here)

What is the sexiest dance you’ve ever seen? Your mind may conjure up salsa or meringue, couples gripped in tight embraces. Or even tango, which, let’s face it, is pretty hot.

Or maybe you think of Spain. Perhaps you think of flamenco.

For most, it’s love it or loathe it. There is no “meh” when it comes to the sultry art of flamenco. Either it’s fingernails on a chalkboard, or tears are steaming down cheeks, so moved one is by the guitar, song, and movement.

You can experience flamenco all over Spain. There are shows in Madrid and Barcelona, and some are of great quality. We occasionally take guests to see flamenco in Barcelona at Palau Dalmases or even at El Palau de la Musica, one of the best concert halls in Barcelona.

But authentic flamenco comes from the region of Andalusia, especially in Seville and Granada. The art is from this area of Southern Spain and it’s best to see flamenco where it lives and breathes.

Woman dancing flamenco in the streets of Seville, Spain

If you want the real deal, Andalusia is where you need to be, courtside in a small tablao, witnessing the sweat gather on the dancers’ brows, close enough to feel the vibration of the tap dancing and guitar strokes.

Flamenco oozes sex and confidence in a way that few other dances do. Both male and female dancers take the stage and control it, all the while communicating with the musicians who share the platform with them. It is soulful and songs often speak to heartbreak and the blues.

This spring, we will gather to see flamenco where it’s most vibrant: Seville. Our trip to Andalusia (a region of Southern Spain) spends five full days in Seville sampling tapas, visiting the Alcazar, glimpsing Christopher Columbus’ tomb, and experiencing the heart-squeezing art of flamenco.

We will see flamenco in a proper tablao, but the truth is that you will see it all over town. Performers often set up in the plazas near the cathedral, where they snap their fans and move their hips in tight dresses. Visitors stop, swoon, and throw euros into a hat for them. It’s also common to see dancers at Maria Luisa Park, one of the most beautiful parks in Spain, made even better by dancers and musicians.

Discover the Royal Alcazar in Seville, the oldest palace still in use in Europe.

The art of flamenco is everywhere in Seville, as well as in Granada, where we spend our last two nights of our tour. The last time I was in Granada, I went to the Mirador de San Nicolas lookout to see La Alhambra from afar. The entire time I was there, a group of men serenaded us with flamenco tunes and guitar. No dancing. No tight dresses and fans. Just men sitting on a bench singing.

Maybe you have read this far and are thinking, “I’m not even sure what flamenco is…isn’t it a pink bird?” Well, that’s a flamingo, and it does sound similar.

How about this? Take a look at a video of flamenco star Joaquin Cortes dancing his heart out. This will give you a taste of flamenco, and a serious dose of sexy.

So, love it or loathe it? I am in the love category. I have seen quite a bit of flamenco over the years, in large concert halls and tiny hole-in-the-wall spots. It moves me. But I also love the blues, soul, and fado, so emo music is pretty much my jam.

Come find out for yourself if you are a flamenco fan. Join us on an all-women, small-group tour!