Voices filled with anguish and pain in cante jondo (song), rhythms of happiness and joy in sevillanas and rumbas (dance). Flamenco is all that and so much more, always passionate and intense. These qualities offer the genre an expressiveness that moves all spectators, regardless of where they are from or whether they understand the language. Flamenco makes feelings flow. Who hasn't felt moved by a dancer tapping her feet to the rhythm of a guitar or by a flamenco singer's passionate cry?

Madrid is the capital of flamenco. This statement may sound a tad categorical, but this city is the place to be for anyone looking to succeed in the genre. Any day of the week, the city offers a wide range of shows, from grand performances in the city's theatres to small song and dance recitals in tablaos or halls. Madrid is the hub of the flamenco record industry and the starting point for artists who tour the world, dazzling audiences.

With the rise of cafés chantants during the 19th century, flamenco enjoyed its finest hour in the capital. These days, tablaos (flamenco bars) carry on the tradition, offering a chance to see flamenco at its purest every evening while enjoying a fine meal or a drink.