Flamenco at the port tablao
Singers, guitarists and dancers at El Mentidero in the Port of Alicante. Choose the show alone or the show with a tapas tasting menu; drinks cost extra either way.
Flamenco beyond Andalusia
Can you see real flamenco in Alicante?
The short answer
Yes. Flamenco began in Andalusia, which UNESCO calls its heartland, but tablao venues spread through Spain from the 1960s, and the show at El Mentidero is live song, guitar and dance by professional artists. Spain's tourist board names Andalusia, Madrid, Barcelona and Murcia for flamenco, not Alicante, so treat this as a night at a tablao, not as the place where the art grew up.
What a tablao is
A tablao is a place that stages flamenco shows, and the word also names the raised wooden platform a dancer performs on, from the Spanish tablado. Wikipedia places the growth of tablaos in the 1960s, across Spain, as the cabaret-style cafés cantantes gave way to them.
The art you are watching
UNESCO describes flamenco as the fusion of song, called cante, dance, called baile, and guitar playing, called toque, with handclaps and foot-stamping as part of the performance. Those are the three things to look and listen for, whatever the city.
The booking in one line
The ticket is a flamenco show at Tablao Flamenco El Mentidero, Muelle de Levante 6, in the Port of Alicante. Choose the show alone, or the show with a Spanish tapas tasting menu. Drinks are not included with either.
The tablao in four lines
- Where
- Muelle de Levante 6, in the Port of Alicante.
- On stage
- Singers, guitarists and dancers.
- Two tickets
- Show only, or show with a Spanish tapas tasting menu.
- Drinks
- Not included with either ticket.
What you may hear
Six styles you may hear
A palo is a named traditional style within flamenco. Wikipedia calls the label a popular but sometimes inconsistent way of sorting songs, and counts over 50 of them.
- Soleá
Serious and solemn
Wikipedia calls soleá a basic palo on a 12-beat compás, with lyrics that are generally serious and solemn. Wikipedia adds that it earns the nickname mother of palos, although it is not the oldest form.
- Alegrías
Joys, from Cádiz
Alegrías comes from Cádiz, means joys and runs on a 12-beat cycle, usually lively, says Wikipedia. A traditional alegrías dance moves through set sections and ends in bulerías.
- Bulerías
Not tied to twelve
Wikipedia says bulerías is not held to the 12-beat scheme of soleá and can include 6-beat and 3-beat sections. It files the palo under cante chico.
- Tangos
Four beats, made for dancing
Tangos flamencos are in 4/4, and Wikipedia calls them one of the most important flamenco dance forms, often closing a set in tablaos. They are not Argentine tango.
- Seguiriyas
Grave, in cante grande
Wikipedia says seguiriyas follow a 12-beat pattern with differently placed strong beats, and files the palo under cante grande, sometimes called cante jondo.
- Tarantas
A free-rhythm song from Almería
Tarantas has no fixed compás, can be sung or played but not danced, and began in Almería province, says Wikipedia. Studio Flamenco groups it among the cantes de Levante.
Who performs decides the programme, so take these as pointers for your ears and never as a running order.
The evening, in order
From the port to the last palmas
The start time beside your chosen date is the one that counts.
- 01 Arrive
Find Muelle de Levante 6
The tablao is at Muelle de Levante 6, in the Port of Alicante. Some reviewers say the entrance is easy to miss, so enter the address in a map app before you leave.
- 02 Choose
Show alone, or tapas with it
The show-only ticket covers the performance. The other option adds a Spanish tapas tasting menu to it. Drinks are not included with either, so order them at the venue.
- 03 Watch
Song, guitar and dance
Singers, guitarists and dancers perform live. The booking page promises clear stage views from every seat and describes tables close to the stage in a premium area.
- 04 After
Walk the Explanada
Barceló's guide calls the palm-lined Explanada de España the best way to reach the port on foot. Wikipedia says its floor is laid with millions of marble tiles in a wavy pattern.
Two tickets, six details
What each ticket covers
Six details to settle before you pick a date.
- Show only
- The performance, with no dinner and no drinks.
- Show with tapas
- A tasting menu of Spanish tapas with the performance. Drinks are not part of it.
- Drinks
- Neither ticket includes drinks, so they are bought at the venue.
- Diets and allergies
- Halal, gluten-free, lactose-free and other allergy-friendly options exist for the tapas menu. The venue asks guests to request them directly through WhatsApp.
- Children and access
- Children under 5 are not admitted. The booking page lists wheelchair access.
- Length
- The booking page gives 1 to 2.5 hours, depending on the option, with start times shown beside each date.
Around the port
The port, the promenade and the castle
Santa Bárbara Castle above Postiguet beach, the Explanada de España, the marina, Tabarca island, a flamenco trio in a Seville courtyard and the port at dusk.
Booking options
Flamenco in Alicante, and three neighbours
Four options sit side by side below. The first is the El Mentidero tablao that this site is about; the rest are neighbours in Alicante, a flamenco and Latin music bar, a boat day to Tabarca island and a wine and tapas tasting in the castle.
Fusion flamenco in a music bar
Artists from across Spain blend flamenco with Latin and Mediterranean roots at a bar on Villavieja Street. Food and drink can be ordered, but neither is included.
A boat day to Tabarca island
A round-trip ferry from Alicante's port to the small island of Tabarca, with free time ashore and a return ticket that can be used on another day.
Wine and tapas in the castle
A short guided tasting of Alicante wines with local products in Santa Bárbara Castle, with a choice between three wines or three premium reds.
More to book in Alicante
Before you go
Before you go
Where it is
Tablao Flamenco El Mentidero is at Muelle de Levante 6, 03001 Alicante, in the Port of Alicante. Put the address into a map app; reviewers say the entrance can be hard to find.
On foot
Barceló's guide says the port runs alongside the Explanada de España and sits at the foot of Santa Bárbara Castle, and calls the Explanada the best way to reach it on foot.
Start time
Pick a date and read the time beside it. Your confirmation repeats it.
Eating and drinking
The tapas menu is optional, and drinks cost extra with both tickets. Allergy-friendly menus are arranged with the venue through WhatsApp.
Children
Children under 5 are not admitted.
Getting to Alicante
Wikipedia says Alicante's airport serves Madrid, Barcelona and many European cities, and that high-speed AVE trains have linked the city with Madrid since 2013.
If plans change
Cancelling with 24 hours' notice brings a full refund. Alternatively, hold a seat now and settle the bill later.
Guides
Six guides to flamenco in Alicante
- Start here
Flamenco in Alicante: is it real?
Can you see real flamenco in Alicante? Yes, at a tablao in the port. What a tablao is, how flamenco spread beyond Andalusia and what El Mentidero sells. Read the guide → - Which ticket
Show only or tapas at the tablao
Show only or show with a tapas tasting menu at El Mentidero in Alicante: what each ticket includes, how long each evening runs and how to choose between them. Read the guide → - What you may hear
Palos you may hear in Alicante
Six flamenco palos you may hear at a tablao show in Alicante: soleá, alegrías, bulerías, tangos, seguiriyas and tarantas, and what each one sounds like. Read the guide → - The venue
What is a tablao?
Where the word tablao comes from, how these flamenco rooms multiplied from the 1960s, what one serves and what to check before you book. Read the guide → - Getting there
The port, the Explanada, the walk
Walking to the Port of Alicante along the Explanada de España, what the marina holds, and what to pair with a flamenco night: the castle and Tabarca. Read the guide → - The eastern sound
Cantes de Levante, explained
The cantes de Levante are the flamenco songs of Spain's east, tied to Murcia's mining towns. What they are, who sings them and how they relate to Alicante. Read the guide →
FAQ
Questions to settle before booking
Is the flamenco in Alicante real?
Yes, in the way that matters at a show: live singing, guitar and dance by professional artists. Flamenco began in Andalusia, so Alicante is a place to watch it, not the place it grew up.
Where is El Mentidero?
At Muelle de Levante 6, in the Port of Alicante.
What is the difference between the two tickets?
Show only covers the performance. The other ticket adds a Spanish tapas tasting menu. Drinks are not included with either.
Are drinks included?
No. Neither ticket includes drinks, so you buy them at the venue.
Can I get a gluten-free, lactose-free or halal menu?
Yes, for the tapas menu, on request. The venue asks guests to contact it directly through WhatsApp.
Can children come?
Not children under 5. Older children can, with the ticket you choose.
How long does the evening last?
The booking page quotes 1 to 2.5 hours, depending on the option, with a start time against every date.
Can I cancel?
Yes. With 24 hours' notice the fare is refunded in full, or you can hold a seat now and settle the bill later.
Song, guitar and dance at a tablao in the Port of Alicante, with or without a tapas menu.
Book flamenco in Alicante ↗Choose a date and the price is shown in your own currency.