Flamenco in Madrid?

Old Jun 19th, 2008, 04:19 PM
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Flamenco in Madrid?

We are still tweaking our itinerary, thinking we will shorten our stay in Segovia, leaving 2 nights for Madrid. This reopens the possibility for flamenco!
So, another question for the flamenco aficionados. Any favorites in Madrid?
Thanks.
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Old Jun 19th, 2008, 04:50 PM
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There are a couple of threads here if you search which discuss some of the possibilities. I have only been to one place, but I liked it so much the first time I went to Madrid that I went back again the next year. That is Casa Patas.

The first time, I went to the midnight show on a Saturday night, very intense and everyone loved it. The second time I went, it was a weeknight, and there was only one show. We had dinner in the restaurant attached to the place, which was very good, and then we got seats in front for the show.

www.casapatas.com
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Old Jun 19th, 2008, 04:57 PM
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Hi Barbara,
Ditto what Nikki has told you about Casa Patas. And the cuisine in the dining room I also think is really quite good, if you want to combine dinner with the later performance. Or you can just have a tapas style meal at the bar.

And of course, the usual rule of thumb about flamenco: the later in the evening the performance, the more soulful, the more intense (as Nikki says) it is apt to be.
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Old Jun 19th, 2008, 08:44 PM
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I agree about dinner at Casa Patas.
I liked it and it does help with the seating.

Like Maribel said definately go to the midnight show. Dinner at 10:30 PM or so
Be sure to (nicely) remind them you were hoping for a table with a good view of the stage.

Nikki is right too there are many preferences re which places and points of view documented here on Fodors.

In the meantime, so you already enjoy flamenco music?

You may or may not already know of this excellent & free site
for listening.

http://www.timsradio.com/

So are these the last two dates you previously posted?
ams
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Old Jun 19th, 2008, 08:59 PM
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Thank you, Nikki and Maribel. I went to the Casa Patas website. Their schedule doesn't list any shows after July 14 or so, I'm hoping they just haven't posted the schedule yet. It sounds like a fabulous way to end our trip!
We stay at Clement Barajas in Madrid Wednesday night, with a 6 am flight on Thursday. If we arrive in Madrid Tuesday, would it make any sense to stay at Clement Barajas both nights or would that be too much travel time into the city? And, if we can go to Casa Patas, where would it make most sense to stay Tuesday night?
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Old Jun 19th, 2008, 09:06 PM
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ana maria,
Thanks for the radio link! I studied in Valencia one summer way back in the late 70s, and I loved the flamenco I saw there and then in Madrid. I came home and played my Paco de Lucia albums until my roommates couldn't take it anymore.
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Old Jun 20th, 2008, 05:06 AM
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Barbara I suspected you were familiar with it.
Paco de Lucia comes to L.A from time to time yet I have never seen him in person. Along with his friend, the (late) singer Camaron de la Isla they made flamenco history.

I like Tim's radio because he plays alot of new stuff as well as old. and I have not been investing that much $$$ these days in CDS etc. Gives a chance to see what or who grabs you before buying one.

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Old Jun 20th, 2008, 05:20 AM
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Barbara don't confuse Casa Patas Chico with the original Casa Patas. I am sure you saw that too on the site.

Also Cardamomo bar flamenco advertises tuesdays and wednesdays at 22:30 $10 E pp but I would not choose it over Casa Patas only because I have not been there yet.

But you could check it out if you are in the area they have a good map on their site.

http://www.cardamomo.es/
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Old Jun 20th, 2008, 05:28 AM
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One more:

Maribel have you been to Las Carboneras? I wil make a point of going next time.

Barbara here is yet another map for Las Carboneras
http://www.tablaolascarboneras.com/web/index.html
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Old Jun 20th, 2008, 07:12 AM
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Hi amsdon,
I haven't been to Las Carboneras yet but I've heard good reviews.

Barbara,
Casa Patas just hasn't posted the dates yet. Check back, and as amsdon has said, don't confuse Patas Chico with Casa Patas.

The Clement Barajas is fine for your last night (gets very good reviews here and at Trip Advisor and offers tht 24 hr. free shuttle-you need to order it upon check in though). But if you come to Madrid on Tues., please spend that night in the city, particularly if you go to the late show at Casa Patas.

At that time, the 4 star hotel rates will have dropped and you can get more bang for your buck. I would look for something in the Barrio de las Letras in Old Madrid, within walking distance of Casa Patas (or Las Carboneras).

Try the 4 star Catalonia Las Cortes: double at 99, superior double at 149

5 star Derby Villa Real:
standard at 150 (with bed upstairs and sofa below-split level style)

4 star Lope de Vega:
double at 84 with reduction to 76 booked 21 days out, or exec. with living room for 159

or 4 star Room Mate Alicia:
but opt for an executive at 149 with breakfast, as some standard rooms there are quite compact with shower open to the bedroom-not great for those with privacy concerns.

Remember, this Room Mate is a cousin to the one you've opted for, the Vega, in Salamanca.

My favorite hotel, the former 4 star Gran Lux Gran Hotel Canarias, now the NH Paseo del Prado, has skyrocketed in price since the sale, even in summer their doubles go now for 198-no breakast. Not a good deal compared to the others.

If you need something cheap, there's the 2 star Hotel Plaza Mayor:
a sup. double available for 85. Good reviews here for this small and friendly place, a block from the Plaza Mayor and within an easy walk of Casa Patas.

Hope this helps.
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Old Jun 20th, 2008, 07:29 AM
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Barbara,
Just to note that if you decide to go to Casa Patas on Tues., July 22, the Tues. performances begin at 10:30 pm rather than midnight, as do the Tues. shows at Las Carboneras.
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Old Jun 20th, 2008, 11:18 AM
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Barbara

If you end uop wandering near Calle Cuchilleros and see flamenco advertised, "Tablao
Arco de Cuchilleros" I think it's called, my advice is to pass on it.

The show was terrible. One or two of the dancers might actually dance well enough to appreciate, but you'd never know it there. The management took some liberties with the music that I cannot tolerate or forgive. (Canned singing and musical arrangements)
The musicians were also very tired and past their heyday. (Odd in flamenco which improves with artists's age)
I must admit if I were there in Madrid this very minute I might give them have another chance, pay the 18E and consider it a drink break, only because I have known some fine dancers that have performed there in years gone by (gota make a living) and also it was fairly cheap & spacious.

But the flamenco show there is not good, and not authentic. I figured you would probably run into it since it is well located.
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Old Jun 20th, 2008, 11:55 AM
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I am so excited to be able to end this adventure with flamenco at Casa Patas! It will have to be the 10:30 Tuesday show, not late but hopefully still soulful.

Yet another question for you. Now I'm wondering if we should stay two nights at eg Lope de Vega and then travel from there to the airport, at 3:30 am. It's more relaxing not to change hotels and the location is so ideal.
I don't see any mention of a shuttle at the website though, so maybe transportation to Barajas would be difficult or very expensive.
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Old Jun 20th, 2008, 12:32 PM
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Sorry, I should have done more homework before that last post. I see in Maribel's Madrid guide that a taxi would be about 27 euro and aerocity shuttle about 21 euro.
I'm wondering if the Clement Barajas shuttle comes into the city or only to the airport. I'll check their website.
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Old Jun 20th, 2008, 12:49 PM
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Barbara,

If I may, I would suggest to stay the 2 nights in the city and have the hotel pre-arrange a cab for you , if need be. Like you well said, you'll waste precious time changing hotels. Madrid is such a great city !

Also, this flight at 6:30 am, is it a direct flight to the US or to another EU country. If the latter, I don't think you need to be much earlier that 5 am at the airport. It's approx 20 mins to the airport (maybe at that hour it will be evebn faster!).
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Old Jun 20th, 2008, 01:13 PM
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Thanks, cruiseluv. Our flight leaves at 6:00 am for Amsterdam (where unfortunately we have a 5-hour layover).
Do we have enough time if we're at Barajas by 5am?
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Old Jun 20th, 2008, 01:33 PM
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If it were me, I would stay in Madrid both nights and get up as early as I needed to for the flight on Thursday. Dinner in Madrid is very late, and the nighttime scene outdoors is one of the great joys of the city.

By the way, the second time I went to Casa Patas, it was on a weekday, so only one show at 10:30, and it was certainly soulful enough for me. My husband was blown away by the dancing especially, and he had not expected much out of the evening and was going along just because I wanted to go.
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Old Jun 20th, 2008, 01:34 PM
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For trips intra-EU I have arrived between 1.5-1 hr prior with no problem. Actually, one time for a flight from Rome to Madrid (an Iberia flight), I got to the airport 2 hrs prior and they wouldn't start checking for that flight until 1:15 hrs prior! So we had to cool our heels waiting for the counter to take our suitcases!

Maybe some othere posters will chime in with their experiences/opinion as it applies to Barajas.

What airline are you flying?
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Old Jun 20th, 2008, 02:29 PM
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1'5 hours is OK for intra-EU flights if you are not travelling Ryanair or Easyjet...when you sometimes are just on time at the gate being there 2 hours before.
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Old Jun 20th, 2008, 03:47 PM
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We're flying KLM to Amsterdam, then Northwest back home to Michigan.
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