Peña La Platería
It was high summer in Granada and we checked into our apartment in the Albaicín, the city’s ancient Moorish quarter. Cool mornings, sizzling afternoon heat and warm, balmy evenings. I was enrolled in a flamenco guitar workshop at a local community centre, Peña La Platería. I hadn’t known much about the setting in advance, but it turned out to be an absolute gem.
La Platería means “The Silversmith’s”, a name with an intriguing story. It began in the workshop of Manuel Salamanca Jiménez, a Granada silversmith who hosted small, informal gatherings of flamenco artists and aficionados in his workspace on Calle San Matías. These evenings of song, guitar and dance grew into something more structured, and in 1949 a group of local artists and enthusiasts officially founded Peña Flamenca La Platería. They wanted to preserve and promote traditional flamenco, support artists and provide a home for authentic performances. In post-war Spain, when flamenco risked becoming diluted or commodified, La Platería stood as a cultural anchor, a place where the true essence of the art form could survive and evolve.
In 1969, the peña moved to its current home in the Albaicín area. This neighbourhood, with its steep cobbled lanes and whitewashed houses, climbs a hillside above the Darro River. The peña itself is on an incline leading down to the city centre and the river.
There are several rooms in La Platería and a gorgeous patio area. We met the rest of the guitar workshop group for Sunday dinner at around 9pm, as is typical in Spain. The food was excellent, and as the meal ended, the sun set and the enchanting Granada night folded down upon us. From the patio, the view of the Alhambra was magnificent, lit up in all its glory.
There is also a bar area in La Plateria and a smaller room with walls lined with images of some of the greatest flamenco names in history. This is a real treasure trove. I spent some time with one of the other members of the guitar group, naming these illustrious people from the past. There is a feeling of history here, as if some of those outstanding performers of the past are still here in spirit.
Regular performances for non-members are held on Thursday evenings. The main performance room seats around 80–100 people, arranged in tightly packed rows. A raised stage stands at one end. However, the seats are not tiered, so those at the back may struggle to see the dancers’ footwork. It’s generally first come, first served, so arrive 30–45 minutes early to secure a favourable seat. The audience tends to be knowledgeable and deeply appreciative of authentic flamenco. Performances often feature top-level artists and occasionally include lesser-known palos (flamenco styles), such as la caña, a deeply expressive and melodic form of great antiquity. La caña is traditionally considered one of flamenco’s most noble and profound styles, typically performed by singers to showcase their technical skill and emotional depth. It is also a precursor to the soleá, which is much more frequently performed at tablao shows.
The audience, a blend of native Granadinos, flamenco aficionados and curious tourists, shared an unspoken reverence for the art. Knowledgeable shouts of “Olé!” or “Eso es!” punctuated particularly fine moments of guitar, dance, or song.
It’s great going to tablaos, but this felt like a privileged world, a place for people who truly know their flamenco. The tablaos can put on top-rate shows, but occasionally the audience seems to be there simply because a flamenco performance is part of their tourist itinerary or because a persuasive ticket agent convinced them to give it a try. This peña is different. Here is flamenco for those who really know their stuff.
At the end of the show, we walked back to our apartment in the Albaicín along the escarpment, the night now dark over Granada. We can’t recommend La Plateria more highly. For the real flamenco buff, this is a wonderful experience.
The guitar workshop at the peña was superb. Our teacher was a deeply experienced artist and instructor, and the group of about ten students included some very accomplished players. It was a terrific learning experience, even if I sometimes struggled to keep up. However, that was precisely my desire: to face challenges and gain fresh perspectives to enhance my flamenco guitar skills.
Perhaps I should also briefly mention Granada. It is a wonderful, super-friendly city steeped in history and has quite a magical feel to it. We loved every moment we spent there.
Check out our new flamenco guide, Where To See Flamenco Costa del Sol
