Getting there and the hour itself
Flamenco in Palma: how the evening works
Where the tablao is, how to reach it from the airport and your hotel, what to wear, which language to expect and how the hour feels once the guitar starts.
Reserve your flamenco hour ↗Quick answer
Tablao Flamenco Alma is on Avinguda de Portugal in central Palma, near the old town, and the show lasts about an hour. Reach it by taxi or city bus from the airport or your hotel, bring your confirmation, and wear smart but comfortable clothes. The host speaks English, German and Spanish. Expect dance, singing and guitar from a small stage, then plan dinner or a walk around the cathedral afterwards.
Where the tablao is
The venue sits at Avinguda de Portugal 5, on the ground floor, in postcode 07012. Its own site describes the location as central Palma, close to the historic heart of the city. Palma is the capital of the Balearic Islands and sits on the south coast of Mallorca, on the Bay of Palma. Put the address into a map app on your phone before you leave the hotel, because the venue is a ground-floor unit on a busy avenue rather than a landmark, and it is easy to walk past a door when you are looking for a sign.
From the airport
Palma airport lies about 8 kilometres east of the city, so the trip into town is short. A taxi takes you door to door, and the public bus network covers the centre as well. The city buses are run by the municipal company, EMT, which sells different tickets for visitors and residents. Its website has the current routes and a trip planner, which is better than any number printed here, because lines change. Allow extra time on your first evening, when luggage, check-in and a new city all compete for your attention.
From your hotel, and the way home
If you are staying in central Palma, expect a short taxi or bus ride to the avenue; the venue itself is in the centre. If you are staying in the beach resorts along the bay, plan the ride home as carefully as the ride out: ask your hotel what the last bus is and whether a taxi can be booked for after the show. Resorts further out on the island are better handled with a taxi both ways or a transfer arranged through the hotel. Everyone leaves at the same moment when the show ends, so arrange the return before you go.
Arriving and checking in
Bring your confirmation, printed or on a phone or tablet. The venue's programme page says guests can come in from an hour before the show, so there is no need to queue at the door. Use the time to find your seat, choose a drink and settle. The booking calendar shows the sessions on your date. If you cannot find your confirmation, the venue's site says to email the team and show a passport or ID card, so keep your documents with you rather than in the hotel safe.
What language to expect
The host speaks Spanish, English and German, which suits Mallorca's visitors: Germany and the United Kingdom have long been the island's two largest source markets. The singing is in Spanish, in an Andalusian style, and you can enjoy it without following the lyrics; the voice works like an instrument, and the mood is clear without them. The UNESCO description of flamenco calls song its vocal expression, and dance and guitar carry the mood without translation. Dutch, French and other visitors can follow the evening just as well, and the guide to watching flamenco explains the cries and the silences. If you would like something to read first, the guide to flamenco itself sets out what the three arts are.
What to wear
The venue recommends smart clothes. In practice that means something you would wear to a good restaurant: a shirt, a dress, trousers or a skirt. Sandals are fine on a warm evening. You do not need formal wear, and nobody will check your outfit at the door. Dress for a seated hour in a small room rather than for a long walk. Leave bulky bags and shopping at the hotel, because the room is small and the rows are close together. Comfortable shoes matter more than you might expect if you are walking in from the old town.
Seats and comfort
Guests describe the room as intimate and the seats as simple rather than comfortable. For one hour that is fine. The venue publishes a seating-zone layout on its programme page, and the booking page shows any zone choice. The tablao is wheelchair accessible according to both the venue and the booking page. If you have a mobility need, write to the venue before the date so that staff can place you well. A tablao is a small, close room, so taller visitors may prefer a seat where they will not block the view behind.
The hour itself
The venue describes the hour as live dance, singing and guitar, performed by artists who change every couple of weeks. There is no fixed running order to print, because flamenco is improvised inside set rhythms. A common shape is a guitar opening, a singer entering and a dancer building from quiet footwork to a loud finish. One drink comes with your ticket, and the tapas upgrade adds food, so there is no need to leave your seat once the performance starts. Between pieces there are short pauses, and the room settles again before the next one begins.
Read next: How to watch flamenco: jaleo and duende
Photos, phones and silence
Ask the host about photos before the show starts. Keep your phone away once the music begins: a bright screen in a dark, quiet room pulls attention from the stage. Applause belongs at the end of a piece, but a quiet murmur of approval during one is part of the tradition. The guide to watching flamenco explains the shouts you may hear from the stage. In a small room, the sound of the footwork on the boards is the part no photograph holds. Your attention is better spent on the dancer's feet and the guitarist's hands.
Before or after
An early session leaves time for dinner afterwards, and a later one lets you eat first. The venue describes itself as near the historic heart of Palma, and the old town, with its cathedral beside the sea, makes an easy evening walk before or after the performance. The guide to a Palma evening around the show sets out what to look at and how Mallorca's own folk music differs from flamenco. If you take the tapas ticket, decide in advance whether the tapas count as your dinner, and tell any restaurant your show time when you book the table.
Read next: A Palma evening around a flamenco show
Who this isn't for
Anyone after a late-night party with dancing for the audience will find a tablao the wrong place: the hour is a seated performance. If you need food for a full evening, the tapas ticket is a selection of tapas, not a full dinner. And if loud applause and bright lights are your idea of a show, the quiet attention of this room will feel unfamiliar. Visitors with very young children should ask the venue first, because the hour is seated and the room is small. For everyone else, the hour is short enough to try without a big commitment.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Tablao Flamenco Alma?
Avinguda de Portugal 5, ground floor, 07012 Palma. The venue describes it as central Palma, near the historic heart of the city, so a map app is the easiest way to find the door.
How do I reach the tablao from Palma airport?
By taxi or city bus. The airport is about 8 kilometres east of Palma, so the trip is short. EMT, the municipal bus company, publishes current routes and visitor tickets on its website, which is the place to check lines before you travel.
Do I need Spanish for the evening?
No. The host speaks Spanish, English and German, and the dance and guitar need no translation. Only the singing is in Spanish, and the mood carries without the words.
What should I wear?
Smart but comfortable. The venue suggests smart clothes, and a shirt or a dress is plenty. Formal wear is not needed, and bulky bags are best left at the hotel, because the room is small and the rows are close together.
Can I take photos?
Ask the host before the show starts. Keep your phone away once the music begins, so that the room stays quiet and dark for the artists and the rest of the audience.
Is it suitable for wheelchair users?
Yes. The venue and the booking page both say the tablao is wheelchair accessible. Email the venue before your date to arrange a good place in the room, so that staff are expecting you and can seat you without a scramble.
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