Flamenco at the Marbeuf Palace
Dancers, singers and guitarists perform in the palace's old stables, in Alicante's Santa Cruz quarter. Roughly ninety minutes, with a start time for every date.
What you may hear
Five palos worth listening for
Palos are the traditional forms flamenco is built from, and Wikipedia calls the way they are grouped loose. The ticket promises dancers, singers and guitarists, not a particular palo on a particular day, so read these as a listening key.
- Soleá
The root of a family
The soleá lends its name to a whole family of palos on a 12-beat cycle. Most of that family is traditionally considered Romani in origin, Wikipedia says.
- Alegrías
Bright, from the same family
Alegrías belongs to the cantiñas group inside the soleá family, alongside romeras, caracoles and mirabrás, according to Wikipedia.
- Seguiriyas
Deep song
Seguiriyas belongs to the deep-song tradition, cante jondo. Wikipedia calls its character solemn, and says it is strongly tied to Romani music culture.
- Bulerías
Fast and festive
Wikipedia describes bulerías as fast and festive, and the Flamenco article calls it the emblematic palo of the compás, the rhythmic cycle.
- Tangos
In four-beat time
Tangos belongs to a family in duple metre. Tientos, Wikipedia says, is a slower, more syncopated form of tangos.
The programme changes. These five palos are the ones the sources describe most clearly.
The quarter around the door
Under the castle, on the old streets
- The oldest quarter
- Alicante's tourism board calls Santa Cruz the most picturesque part of the city: narrow, steep streets, whitewashed houses and pots of flowers on the slopes of Mount Benacantil. A visitor guide from the Barceló hotel group calls it definitely the oldest neighbourhood in Alicante and says the Moors settled it first.
- A hermitage on the hill
- The Ermita de Santa Cruz stands at the top of the quarter. The tourism board says it was built over the remains of a mosque, that its origins go back to the 13th century and that the building seen today dates from 1830. One of Alicante's Holy Week processions begins there.
- Wear comfortable shoes
- The tourism board says the quarter can be reached only on foot and that the route may be hard for people with reduced mobility. Barceló adds that the area has many steeply climbing streets and steps, so comfortable shoes are advised.
- The palace on the corner
- Alicante Plaza places the Marbeuf Palace at the corner of Calle Maldonado and Calle Capitán Boacio in the old town. It describes a three-storey building put up in the decades either side of 1800, recognised as a Bien de Relevancia Local.
The ticket, and what to check first
What the ticket is for
The first three items describe the show. The last three are worth settling before you choose a date.
A traditional flamenco show
Talented dancers, singers and guitarists perform, in a setting the organiser calls intimate.
The old stables of a palace
The show is in the Marbeuf Palace, where the old stables are the room, in the historic centre of Santa Cruz.
Roughly ninety minutes
Look in the calendar for the start time of the day you pick; the confirmation email shows it again.
Food and drink
Check the booking page for anything about food or drink before you choose, and plan dinner around the show either way.
Seat placement
Reviews say seat placement can block the view of the performers, so ask the provider through your confirmation where your party will sit.
The approach
The booking page lists wheelchair access. The old town has steep streets and steps, so ask the provider how best to approach.
Santa Cruz in pictures
Santa Cruz, the castle and a flamenco stage
A tiled lane in Santa Cruz, white-and-blue houses under the castle rock, the quarter from above, the arches of Santa Bárbara Castle, a flamenco dancer in red and a singer with his guitar. None is a photograph of the Marbeuf Palace show.
Four ways to fill a day or an evening
Four ways to fill a day or an evening in Alicante
| Plan | What it is | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Flamenco at the Marbeuf Palace | This page's ticket: dancers, singers and guitarists in the palace's old stables, for roughly ninety minutes. | Anyone who wants live music in a historic room |
| Secret Flavors food tour | The second card: a guided tasting tour from the Central Market with ten food stops and 20 tastings of food and drinks. | Travellers who would rather eat their way round |
| Seven Secrets of Alicante walk | The third card: a guided walk with market snacks, a shuttle to the castle, the old town and a tapa with one drink. | First-timers who want the city's main sights |
| Guadalest, Altea and Algar trip | The fourth card: an 11-hour coach day trip to the Algar waterfalls, the hill town of Guadalest and Altea. | Anyone who wants a day out of the city |
More ways to spend your time
Pick the plan that suits you
Card one is the palace show this page describes. The others are a food tour that starts at the Central Market, a guided walk that climbs to the castle, and a full-day trip to Guadalest, Altea and the Algar waterfalls.
Secret Flavors food tour
A guided tasting tour that begins at the Central Market and visits ten food stops, some of them more than a century old. Vegetarian options exist, vegan ones do not.
Seven Secrets of Alicante walk
A guided walk from the Central Market that rides a shuttle bus to the top of the castle, then comes down through the old town to a tapa and a drink.
Guadalest, Altea and Algar day trip
A coach day trip from Alicante to the Algar waterfalls, the hill town of Guadalest and the old streets of Altea. Bring swimwear and a towel.
Also in Alicante
Plan the night
Plan the night
Choose your date
The calendar lists a start time for each day. Allow roughly ninety minutes for the show itself.
Ask about seating
Reviews say seat placement can block views. Ask the provider through your booking confirmation where your party will sit.
Climb in comfortable shoes
Alicante's tourism board says the Santa Cruz quarter can be reached only on foot, and the streets are steep with many steps.
Settle food and drink
Read the booking page for anything about food or drink on the date you choose, and plan dinner around the show either way.
Check access if it matters
According to the booking page the show caters for wheelchair users, but the old town's slopes and steps deserve a question to the provider.
Changing plans
GetYourGuide allows free cancellation until 24 hours before the start, or you can hold a date and pay afterwards.
Go deeper
Six guides to flamenco in Alicante
-
The short answer Flamenco at the Marbeuf Palace
What the flamenco show at the Marbeuf Palace in Alicante is like: the room, the performers, the palos you may hear, the seating tip and who it suits. Read the guide → -
Is it worth it? Alicante flamenco: is it worth it?
Is a flamenco show in Alicante worth your evening? What the ticket is, what reviewers say, and how it compares with a food tour, a castle walk or a day trip. Read the guide → - What flamenco is made of
Cante, baile and toque explained
Flamenco is song, dance and guitar working together. What cante, baile and toque each do, and what jaleo and compás add, before you watch a show. Read the guide → - A listening key
Flamenco palos: the forms to know
Palos are flamenco's traditional forms. Soleá, alegrías, seguiriyas, bulerías, tangos and the fandango family: what each is and how they differ. Read the guide → - The streets around the door
Santa Cruz quarter and the show
Santa Cruz is Alicante's oldest quarter, climbing Mount Benacantil under the castle. What it is, how to walk it and how it fits the palace flamenco show. Read the guide → - The instruments
The flamenco guitar and the cajón
What sets a flamenco guitar apart from a classical model, what the golpeador is, and how the Peruvian cajón became a flamenco instrument. Read the guide →
FAQ
Questions to settle before you book
What is the flamenco show at the Marbeuf Palace like?
It is a traditional flamenco show with dancers, singers and guitarists, held in the old stables of the Marbeuf Palace in Alicante's Santa Cruz quarter. The organiser calls the setting intimate, and the show lasts about an hour and a half.
Where is the show?
The address is Calle Maldonado 7, in Alicante's historic centre. Alicante Plaza places the Marbeuf Palace at the corner of Calle Maldonado and Calle Capitán Boacio.
Can I see well from every seat?
Reviews say seat placement can block views, and some travellers ask for clearer seating information. Ask the provider through your booking confirmation where your party will sit.
Which flamenco styles will I hear?
The programme changes, so no particular palo is promised. This site's guide to palos explains soleá, alegrías, seguiriyas, bulerías and tangos so you can recognise them if they come up.
Does the ticket include food or drink?
Look at the booking page for your date before assuming either way, and plan dinner around the show.
What if I need to cancel?
Cancel before the 24-hour mark and your money comes back in full. Paying can also be left until later.
Can wheelchair users attend?
Yes, the booking page tags the show as wheelchair accessible. Parts of the old town are steep, so ask the provider about the approach.
How long is the show?
Roughly ninety minutes. Times differ by day, so read the calendar, then check the email that follows your booking.
A small flamenco show in a palace's old stables, up the hill from Alicante's seafront.
Book the palace flamenco show ↗Choose a day and the price switches to your currency.