Flamenco at Tablao 1911
One hour of dance, song and guitar on the Plaza de Santa Ana stage, with a welcome drink.
From tapas bar to tablao
Villa Rosa, then 1911
A corner shop in 1911
The tablao's history says the corner opened in 1911 as the Gran Colmado, an Andalusian fried-food and tapas bar run by two picadors, Farfán and Céntimo, and a banderillero, Alvaradito. Spanish Wikipedia names the same three men and calls the place a fried-food shop and tasca. The address is Plaza de Santa Ana 15, on the corner of Núñez de Arce and Álvarez Gato streets.
Dates that differ
The façade's ceramic panels are credited to the Sevillian artist Alfonso Romero Mesa. The tablao's site dates them to 1917, Madrid's tourism board to 1927, and a flamenco guide to between 1915 and 1920. The sources agree on the artist and on the subject: views of Madrid and of Spain, with bullfighting and flamenco scenes inside.
Chacón and a long afterlife
In 1921, the venue says, the owner signed the Jerez singer Antonio Chacón, who sang there until his death in 1929. The room closed in 1963 and reopened a year later, became a nightclub in the 1980s, returned to flamenco in the 21st century and took its present name in 2022.
Six palos on a tiled wall
Six forms you may hear
A tablao programme strings together palos, the named forms of flamenco, which differ in mood and in how they are counted. The ticket page names soleás, bulerías and tarantas; three more are added below.
- Soleá
The solemn one
Soleá has a twelve-beat count. Wikipedia describes its lyrics as generally serious and solemn and says it probably began among the Calé Romani people of Cádiz or Seville.
- Seguiriya
The darkest one
Seguiriya belongs to the deep-song group and is counted in twelve beats. Wikipedia quotes a source calling it the most tragic and intensely emotional expression in flamenco.
- Tarantas
Songs from the mines
Wikipedia groups the taranta with the fandango as songs of the mines in Almería province, and says the related taranto was first sung freely, before the guitar added rhythm.
- Bulerías
The fast finish
Bulerías run in a twelve-beat cycle and originated, Wikipedia says, among the Calé Romani people of Jerez. They often close a flamenco gathering.
- Farruca
The austere dance
Farruca is in four beats. Wikipedia calls the music austere and sombre and says it was traditionally danced by men, though women have danced it too.
- Tangos
The lively one
Tangos follow a four-beat cycle. Wikipedia contrasts them and bulerías with the solemn deep forms, calling them faster and festive.
The cast changes every week and the artists choose the programme, so use this as a listening aid, not a running order.
How the hour runs
Four beats to the evening
A short format: arrive, take your drink, listen for an hour, step back onto the plaza.
- One
Find the sign
Look for Tablao Flamenco 1911. Above the door the sign reads Teatro Villarosa. Arrive about fifteen minutes early, as the venue suggests.
- Two
Take your drink
The ticket carries one welcome drink. Dinner is not included, so eat before or after.
- Three
Listen for an hour
Dancers, singers and guitarists share the stage for about an hour. The cast of artists changes every week, according to the venue.
- Four
Step out into the quarter
Plaza de Santa Ana is the centre of the Barrio de las Letras, with a theatre on one side and bars all round.
What the ticket covers
What the ticket covers
Read this before you book. It describes the GetYourGuide ticket only.
The show
One hour of flamenco with dancers, singers and guitarists. The tablao's own site also gives an hour.
The drink
One welcome drink is included. Dinner is not. The venue's own FAQ lists sangria, wine, beer and soft drinks.
Seating
The seating zone comes with the option you pick. The venue's own site has a floor plan, but only for bookings made there.
The door
Look for the sign that reads Tablao Flamenco 1911. Above the door it reads Teatro Villarosa.
Arriving
The venue advises turning up around a quarter of an hour early. The session time is on your confirmation.
House rules
Flash photography and flashlights are not allowed. The venue allows short videos but not a recording of the whole show.
Access
The ticket is listed as wheelchair accessible. Check with the venue about room for a chair.
Cancelling
Cancel a day or more before the session and the refund is complete; reserving takes no payment.
Tiles, plaza and verse
Tiles, plaza and verse
The photographs of the façade show the building at Plaza de Santa Ana 15 when its sign still read Villa Rosa. The others show the plaza and Teatro Español, verse in the pavement of Calle de las Huertas, a Madrid street-name tile, a bust of the singer Antonio Chacón in Jerez and a flamenco dancer in Seville. None of those is inside the tablao.
Three ways to spend a flamenco evening
Three ways to spend a flamenco evening in Madrid
| Option | Format | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| This ticket: the show plus a welcome drink | An hour of flamenco in the tiled room on Plaza de Santa Ana. | A first flamenco night with some history on the walls |
| A small tablao with a dinner option | About 1.5 hours with one drink, or a meal and two drinks with the dinner option. Pick it on its own booking page. | Anyone who wants dinner and flamenco under one roof |
| Dinner at a restaurant, then a one-hour show | You choose the restaurant and the show separately, so each can be booked, moved or cancelled on its own terms. | Groups with different tastes in food |
Pick your night
Two Madrid flamenco evenings, side by side
Card one is the ticket described on this page. Card two is a second Madrid flamenco evening that offers dinner as an extra. Choose a date on either card to see what is free.
A small tablao with a dinner option
A show of about 1.5 hours with one drink, or a meal and two drinks with the dinner option.
Elsewhere in Madrid
Before you set out
Planning your hour
01
Where it is
Plaza de Santa Ana 15, 28012 Madrid. The tablao sits on the corner of Núñez de Arce and Álvarez Gato streets, inside the Barrio de las Letras.
02
Getting there
The venue says it is very close to the Sol and Sevilla metro stops and the Sol local-train station. Madrid's tourism board also lists Antón Martín and Tirso de Molina nearby and puts the tablao a three-minute walk from Puerta del Sol.
03
Arriving
Aim to reach the door about fifteen minutes before your session. The time is on your confirmation.
04
Your seat
On this ticket the seating zone follows the option you pick. There is no table-by-table choice on the GetYourGuide page.
05
During the show
No flash and no flashlights. Short videos are allowed by the venue, not a recording of the whole show. Keep your phone low and quiet.
06
Before or after
The ticket brings one drink and no meal. A guide on this site walks through the quarter, which has plenty of tables for a meal before or after.
Guides to Tablao 1911, its façade and its quarter
Guides to Tablao 1911, its façade and its quarter
- Tickets, the drink and your seat
Tablao 1911 tickets and seats
What a Tablao 1911 flamenco ticket covers in Madrid, how the drink and the seating work, how to book and who should choose another evening. Read the guide → - The building and its history
Villa Rosa and its tiled façade
The history of Villa Rosa, now Tablao 1911, on Madrid's Plaza de Santa Ana: the 1911 opening, the tiled façade, Antonio Chacón and the 2022 new name. Read the guide → - Before and after the show
The Barrio de las Letras at night
A walking guide to the Barrio de las Letras around Tablao 1911: Plaza de Santa Ana, the old theatre, Calle de las Huertas and the Cat's Alley. Read the guide → - The singer behind the legend
Antonio Chacón and Villa Rosa
Who the Jerez singer Antonio Chacón was and why Villa Rosa, now Tablao 1911, built its Madrid flamenco reputation around him in the 1920s. Read the guide → - A first-timer's ear
Six flamenco forms to listen for
Six flamenco forms, or palos, you may hear in a Madrid tablao: soleá, seguiriya, tarantas, bulerías, farruca and tangos, with sourced notes on each. Read the guide → - Reading the claim
The world's oldest tablao?
Tablao 1911 calls itself the world's oldest tablao. Here is what the venue's own history, the tourism board and Wikipedia say, and how to read the claim. Read the guide →
FAQ
Questions before you book
How long is the show?
An hour, according to both the booking page and the tablao's own site. The session time is on your confirmation.
What drink comes with the ticket?
One welcome drink. The venue's own FAQ lists sangria, wine, beer and soft drinks as choices. Dinner is not part of the ticket.
Is it really the world's oldest tablao?
That is the venue's own description, counting from 1911, and the tourism board repeats it. Wikipedia says tablao venues developed in the 1960s, so the guide on this site shows the dates and lets you judge.
Can I choose my seat?
Not table by table on the GetYourGuide ticket. The seating zone depends on the option you select. The venue's own site shows a floor plan when you book there.
What do the tiles show?
Scenes of Madrid and Spain, according to the venue, including Seville's Plaza de España, Cibeles and the Alhambra. Inside, panels show daily life in Madrid, bullfighting and flamenco.
Why was it called Villa Rosa?
Villa Rosa is the name it traded under before reopening as Tablao Flamenco 1911 in 2022. Madrid's tourism board still lists it as the former name, and the sign above the door reads Teatro Villarosa.
Is it suitable for children?
The venue's FAQ sets out a policy for children up to age twelve, so check the option page when you book. Expect to sit quietly for an hour.
Can wheelchair users attend?
The ticket is listed as wheelchair accessible. Check with the venue about room for a chair.
An hour of flamenco behind the tiled façade on Plaza de Santa Ana.
Book your hour of flamenco ↗Fares vary with the date and the seating option. Pick a night and the fare appears in your own currency.