Los Tarantos · 40 minutes
A tablao on Plaça Reial, open since 1963: about 40 minutes of song, guitar and dance in one room with seated and standing areas. Free to cancel up to 24 hours before.
See this show ↗The room and its name
A small stage with a long memory
A tablao with a film in its name
Los Tarantos opened in 1963. Its name points two ways: to the film Los Tarantos, which moves Romeo and Juliet to two Romani families in Barcelona, and to the taranto, a flamenco song style from the mining country of Almería.
Three arts in one room
Flamenco is song (cante), guitar (toque) and dance (baile), and UNESCO listed all three as intangible heritage in 2010. A show here keeps them close together: the singer, the guitarist and the dancers share the stage, and hand-claps, called palmas, mark the rhythm. The venue says its shows rest on improvisation.
The old city at the door
Plaça Reial was laid out in the nineteenth century where a Capuchin convent had stood, and its lampposts were designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. La Rambla is a minute away, and the square fills with diners and clubgoers after dark, so you walk into the show through the middle of the Gothic Quarter's evening.
A listening guide
Six palos to listen for
Flamenco has more than fifty palos, the song forms that fix a piece's rhythm and mood. These six are well known, and each says something about where the music comes from.
Which palos you hear depends on the artists and the day. Treat this as a listening guide, not the programme.
- 01
Taranto
A style from the mining country of Almería and the word behind the venue's name. It keeps a loose pulse that makes it danceable, and Carmen Amaya is credited with spreading the taranto dance in the 1940s.
- 02
Seguiriya
A twelve-beat cycle in which the singer's line seems to drift against the guitar's pulse. Flamenco lyrics often turn to sorrow and bitterness, and the seguiriya is where that shows most.
- 03
Soleá
Another twelve-beat cycle, in the Phrygian mode that gives flamenco its pull from the note below. It belongs to the cantiñas family, and many dancers treat it as a test of control.
- 04
Bulerías
Fast and upbeat, from Jerez, on a quick twelve-beat cycle. It often closes a flamenco gathering, and the dancing is vigorous, with hand-claps and foot-stamps driving it.
- 05
Fandango
A large family of songs. The taranta, parent of the taranto, belongs to it, as do the malagueña and the cartagenera, and the family also tied Almería's mining songs together.
- 06
Tangos
Flamenco tangos are a different thing from Argentine tango. Barcelona has its own cousin, Catalan rumba, which grew out of flamenco rumba in the city's Romani neighbourhoods in the 1950s and 1960s.
The show and the room
What the ticket gives you
The ticket is for the show. Here is how the room and the night work.
- The show
- About 40 minutes of live flamenco: singing, guitar and dance. The line-up of artists changes through the year, and the venue programmes established names alongside younger artists from Catalonia and the rest of Spain.
- Seats and standing
- The room has seated and standing areas. Seats are first come, first served, and there is a real chance you will stand, so arriving early matters. The room is indoors and air-conditioned.
- Drinks and tapas
- This booking is for the show. The venue also sells its own Show and drink and Show and tapas options. If a drink or a meal in the same ticket matters to you, check what your chosen option includes before you pay.
- Photos
- You can take photos and share them. Flash, professional equipment and tripods are not allowed, and the venue asks you not to disturb other guests.
- What to wear
- There is no formal dress code. Sports-team shirts or emblems, flip-flops and beachwear are not allowed.
- Children and access
- The venue sets no minimum age. It says the room has access and space for reduced mobility and baby carriages; if you need specific help, ask the venue before your visit.
Plaça Reial in photographs
Plaça Reial, the Gothic Quarter and Carmen Amaya
Photographs of the square, a Gothic Quarter lane and a statue of Carmen Amaya, taken by other people. They show the place around the show, not the show itself.
Comparing flamenco nights
Three flamenco nights side by side
| Show | What it is | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Los Tarantos · 40 minutes | A tablao on Plaça Reial, open since 1963: about 40 minutes of song, guitar and dance in one room with seated and standing areas. Free to cancel up to 24 hours before. | First-timers, short evenings and anyone staying near La Rambla. |
| Cellar club · 50 minutes | A 17th-century cellar in the Gothic Quarter, with a close-up show and a small exhibition by local artists and photographers. Entry is not allowed once the show has begun. Free to cancel up to 24 hours before. | Anyone who wants a smaller room and a slightly longer show. |
| Theatre gala · 75 minutes | A staged show in a theatre, with a choice of the Palau de la Música Catalana or the Teatre Poliorama; the best available seat is assigned when you book. This ticket is non-refundable. | People who prefer a seated concert, a bigger production and a landmark hall. |
| A drink or tapas with your ticket | The venue sells Show and drink and Show and tapas options of its own. Compare what each booking option includes before you pay. | Anyone who wants a drink or a meal in the same booking. |
Check dates and open seats on the same GetYourGuide listing ↗
Three flamenco nights
Three flamenco nights to compare
One show on Plaça Reial, one in a cellar club and one in a theatre. Each is a different room, length and set of booking terms.
Cellar club · 50 minutes
A 17th-century cellar in the Gothic Quarter, with a close-up show and a small exhibition by local artists and photographers. Entry is not allowed once the show has begun. Free to cancel up to 24 hours before.
See this show ↗Theatre gala · 75 minutes
A staged show in a theatre, with a choice of the Palau de la Música Catalana or the Teatre Poliorama; the best available seat is assigned when you book. This ticket is non-refundable.
See this show ↗More to do in Barcelona
Before you go
Before you go
Finding the door
Los Tarantos is at Plaça Reial 17, in the arcade on the square in the Gothic Quarter, next to La Rambla. The nearest metro stops are Liceu and Drassanes on line L3.
Picking a session
The booking calendar lists the sessions for each date, and the schedule can change through the year. Choose the slot that fits your dinner plans.
Arriving early
Seats are first come, first served and part of the room is standing. Arrive before the time on your ticket to secure a good spot.
Your ticket
A mobile ticket: show it on your phone. There is nothing to print.
Travel light
The room has no cloakroom, and there is no parking at the venue, so leave the car behind and bring only what you can hold.
If plans change
Cancelling is free until 24 hours before the start, and the fare can wait: you reserve first and pay afterwards.
Notes on Los Tarantos and flamenco
Notes on Los Tarantos and flamenco
Tickets, seats and your options
Los Tarantos tickets: which to book
Which Los Tarantos ticket to book, what the 40-minute show covers, how seating works and when to add a drink or tapas, checked against the venue's own site.
Read the note → Getting there, the room and the nightLos Tarantos: what to expect
How to find Los Tarantos on Plaça Reial, which metro stop to use, what the room is like, what to wear and what to do on the square before or after the show.
Read the note → The taranto, a film and a tablaoWhere the name Tarantos comes from
The name Los Tarantos joins a flamenco song from the Almería mines, Carmen Amaya's last film and a Barcelona tablao that opened in 1963. The story, sourced.
Read the note → The square outside the doorPlaça Reial after dark
A short guide to Plaça Reial, the Barcelona square where Los Tarantos sits: how it was built, who designed its lamps and how La Rambla fits around it.
Read the note → What you are about to watchFlamenco for first-timers
Cante, toque and baile, the twelve-beat compás and the palos explained in plain words, so a 40-minute show makes more sense while it is happening.
Read the note → Rooms, lengths and booking termsSeeing flamenco in Barcelona
A tablao, a cellar club and a theatre gala compared: how long each show runs, what the room is like and how the booking terms differ.
Read the note →FAQ
Questions before you book
How long is the show at Los Tarantos?
About 40 minutes. That is short enough to fit before or after dinner, and long enough for song, guitar and dance.
Will I have a seat?
Seats are first come, first served, and part of the room is standing. Arriving before the time on your ticket gives you the best chance of a good spot.
Is a drink included?
This booking is for the show. The venue sells Show and drink and Show and tapas options of its own, so check which option you are booking.
What time are the sessions?
Several sessions run from the late afternoon into the evening, and the schedule can change. The calendar for your date shows the exact starting times.
Can I take photos?
Yes, and you can share them. Flash, professional equipment and tripods are not allowed, and the venue asks you not to disturb other guests.
Is it suitable for children?
The venue sets no minimum age. The show is short, which suits many families, but it is live music in an intimate room. Check the age rules on the booking page.
What should I wear?
Anything comfortable and neat. Sports-team shirts or emblems, flip-flops and beachwear are not allowed.
How do I get to Los Tarantos?
Take line L3 of the Barcelona metro to Liceu or Drassanes, then walk to Plaça Reial 17. There is no parking at the venue.
Forty minutes of song, guitar and dance on Plaça Reial, in the room that has staged flamenco since 1963.
Reserve your Los Tarantos night ↗The fare depends on the date and how many people you book for; the checkout shows the full amount in your own currency before you confirm.