ENTERTAINMENT

After almost a decade in the planning, the Filmoteca de Catalunya – Catalonia’s national cinema – moved into this modern 6000-sq-metre building in 2012. It’s a glass, metal and concrete beast that hulks in the midst…

A feast for the eyes, this Modernista confection is also the city’s most traditional venue for classical and choral music, although it has a wide-ranging program, including flamenco, pop and – particularly – jazz. J…

There’s no better place for Celtic and other live music. Head to the tightly packed downstairs bar about 10.30pm most Wednesdays from September to mid-June for terrific Galician folk jam sessions (admission €1). Mus…

The city’s principal team, and a major player in Spanish football, with famously demanding fans. A move to a new ground in the city’s northwest has been stalled for several years, so for now they are still at Mestal…

Plays in under 15 minutes, for less than 15 people, in less than 15 sq metres. That’s the recipe at this innovative Russafa icon. Plays are on constant rotation in four rooms, so roll up, buy a ticket, and have a dr…

Football fans and budding Madridistas (Real Madrid supporters) will want to make a pilgrimage to the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, a temple to all that’s extravagant and successful in football. The self-guided tours ta…

Madrid institutions don’t come any more beloved than Sala El Sol. It opened in 1979, just in time for la movida madrileña (the Madrid scene), and quickly established itself as a leading stage for all the icons of th…

In 2011 the respected jazz magazine Down Beat included this art deco bar on the list of the world’s best jazz clubs, the only place in Spain to earn the prestigious accolade (said by some to be the jazz equivalent o…

Villa Rosa has been going strong since 1914 and has seen many manifestations – it made its name as a flamenco venue and has recently returned to its roots with well-priced shows and meals that won’t break the bank. …

Seville has served as the fictional setting for countless operas, so it made sense when in 2012 a group of opera singers and enthusiasts decided to initiate the Sevilla de Ópera club. The setting in the Arenal marke…

Neither a tablao (choreographed flamenco show) nor a private peña (club, usually of flamenco aficionados), this cultural centre offers what are, without doubt, the most intimate and authentic nightly flamenco shows …

This is the vibrant heart of contemporary Basque Bilbao, featuring international rock, blues and reggae, as well as the cream of Basque rock-pop. Weekend concerts run from 10pm to 1am, followed by DJs until 5am. Dur…

One of the top flamenco stages in Madrid, this tablao (choreographed flamenco show) always offers flawless quality that serves as a good introduction to the art. It’s not the friendliest place in town, especially if…

Tenerife’s leading entertainment option has dramatically designed curved-white concrete shells capped by a cresting, crashing wave of a roof. It covers and significantly enhances a 2-hectare oceanfront site. The aud…

Paint-peeled La Perla, set romantically next to the crashing Atlantic surf off Calle Concepción Arenal in the Barrio de Santa María, hosts flamenco at 10pm most Fridays, more often in spring and summer, for an audie…

This is one of the most prestigious flamenco stages in Madrid, with 50 years’ experience as a leading venue and top performers most nights. The stage area has a rustic feel, and tables are pushed up close. Set menus…

This theatre, built in 1856, is the premier place to see zarzuela. It also hosts a smattering of classical music and opera, as well as the cutting edge Compañía Nacional de Danza. Tickets range from €5 to €50.

Over the last 21 years, Mandy and musician husband Gary have made this bar one of the most popular in town. There is acoustic music nightly, playing to an enthusiastic music-loving crowd.

A tiny chocolate box of dark tinted Modernisme, the ‘Umbrella’ has been serving up drinks since the 1960s. The turn-of-the-20th-century decor was transferred here from a shop knocked down elsewhere in the district a…

Barcelona’s grand old opera house, restored after a fire in 1994, is one of the most technologically advanced theatres in the world. To take a seat in the grand auditorium, returned to all its 19th-century glory but…

This spacious, modern theatre is Palma’s main stage for major performances, ranging from opera to light rock, ballet, musicals, tribute bands and gospel choirs. The Sala Mozart hosts part of the city’s opera program…

Built in 1854 on the site of a 17th-century predecessor, destroyed by fire in 1858, rebuilt in 1860 and again restored in 2007, this is the city’s prestige theatre for drama, classical music, opera and ballet. The r…

Palma’s RCD Mallorca, which plays at the Iberostar Estadi, about 3km north of central Palma, is one of the better sides battling it out in La Liga. Never champions, they usually wind up achieving mid-table respectab…

Tiny, intimate Voyeur hosts live bands nightly for much of the year – jazz is the focus, but you’ll also hear flamenco, blues, funk and the occasional jam session. Red candles burn on the tables and photography (inc…

The early-evening incarnation of City Hall, this former theatre is the perfect size and shape for live music, holding a crowd of around 500. The acoustics are also great and the layout means everyone gets a good vie…

One of Palma’s best live music–DJ venues, the New Lisbon Cafe’s curved wooden bar is thronged three-deep on the more popular nights. Expect jazz-funk, disco, electro, synthpop and much else besides. Most nights are …

This historic cultural centre (with roots dating back 150 years) hosts a range of high-brow fare, from classical recitals to film screenings and literary readings.

Among Barcelona’s most-visited sites is the massive stadium of Camp Nou (which means New Field in Catalan), home to the legendary Futbol Club Barcelona. Attending a game amid the roar of the crowds is an unforgettab…

Bands from far and wide occasionally create scenes of near hysteria in this, one of the city’s classic live-music and clubbing venues. Bands can appear throughout the week (check the website), with different start t…

This foundation promotes chamber and classical music, offering concerts in a couple of locations. Classical concerts, usually involving Catalan performers, are held regularly in the Sala Oriol Martorell of l’Auditor…

The clear voices of one of Europe’s oldest boys’ choirs have echoed through the basilica since the 14th century. The choir performs briefly on most days (except school holidays), singing Virolai, written by Cataloni…

This is a fine old theatre, where red velvet dominates and you feel as though you’re in a movie-set dancehall scene featuring Eliot Ness. ‘Nasty Mondays’ and ‘Crappy Tuesdays’ are aimed at a diehard, we-never-stop-d…

Its entrance is on Plaça Reial, and you can come here for a meal before midnight or a few drinks at ground level (which closes by 3am at the latest), or descend into the red-tinged, brick-vaulted bowels for live mus…

For over half a century, Jamboree has been bringing joy to the jivers of Barcelona, with high-calibre acts featuring jazz trios, blues, Afrobeats, Latin sounds and big-band sounds. Two concerts are held most nights …

Several nights a week this club, set in a grand former theatre, stages concerts ranging through rock, soul, salsa, jazz and pop. From about 2am, the place turns into a club that attracts a well-dressed crowd with va…

A cramped little bar run by the Taller de Músics (Musicians’ Workshop) serves as the stage for a varied program of jazz jams through to some good flamenco (Friday and Saturday nights). Thursday night is Cuban night,…

Hiroshima is a creative, new trailblazer in Poble Sec. In a former elevator factory, Hiroshima stages emerging and avant-garde musicians, dancers and performing artists. It has two stages (seating 130 and 250 people…

This altar to kitsch, a dingy dance hall that has transgressed since the 1920s, is run by the luminous underground cabaret figure of Carmen Mairena and exudes a gorgeously tacky feel, especially with the midnight dr…

One of the city’s principal alternative theatres, the Sala Beckett does not shy away from challenging theatre, and stages an eclectic mix of local productions and foreign drama. Formerly based in Gràcia, the theatre…

DJs and live performers – slinging anything from nu jazz to disco classics and electro – get the Garito going from around 10pm Thursday to Saturday nights. The food’s quite funky, too: expect riffs on traditional cl…

On what remains a sleazy Raval street, where streetwalkers, junkies and other misfits hang out in spite of all the work being done to gentrify the area, this narrow little bar has made a name for itself with its sho…

The ranks of barrels give away the bar’s history as a traditional bodega. Now, after a little homemade psychedelic redecoration with odd lamps, figurines and old Chinese beer ads, it’s a magnet for an eclectic barfl…

Oviedo’s first craft-beer bar has five home brews on tap and is also a well-established venue for Celtic music, whether of Asturian, Galician or Irish extraction. Some Asturias-wide live-music licensing issues were …

This lively theatre (with a bustling, rambling downstairs bar facing the street) dares to fool around with all sorts of material, from monologues to social comedy. Aside from the main theatre, two cafe-style spaces …

Since 1963, this basement locale has been the stage for up-and-coming flamenco groups performing in Barcelona. These days Tarantos has become a mostly tourist-centric affair, with half-hour shows held three times a …

This narrow, old-city dive is one of the best spots in town for jazz, as well as funk, Latin, blues and gypsy jazz. It attracts a mixed crowd who maintains a respectful silence during the acts. Most concerts start a…

BARTS hasn’t been around long, but it has already earned a reputation for its innovative line-up of urban dance troupes, electro swing, psychedelic pop and other eclectic fare. BARTS has a smart design that combines…

A louche little bar that packs ’em in for live music from rumba and pop to flamenco, along with occasional storytelling events, and whatever else Felipe feels like putting on. There are decent bar snacks to keep you…

This edgy space presents innovative movement and dance of sometimes spectacular quality. It’s a notable reference point of Valencia’s alternative cultural scene. Check their website for upcoming shows, which normall…

This low-lit modern space stages an eclectic line-up of bands and performing artists. Jazz, Balkan swing, Latin rhythms and plenty of experimental, not easily classifiable musicians all receive their due. The acoust…

Valencia’s most active venue for jazz, boogaloo, funk and soul, Black Note has live music around midnight most nights and good canned sounds. It’s a well-established, reliable place; admission, including first drink…

Just off La Rambla, this 19th-century theatre was resurrected at the end of the 1990s and is one of the city’s key stages for quality drama. It usually fills up for a broad range of interesting plays, often classics…

Following a €6 million renovation, this historic theatre has been transformed into a lavish concert space, though most of it is currently used for one-off events. There are flamenco shows in the atmospheric Sala B, …

At this charming little cafe-theatre, which has a certain scuffed elegance, all sorts of odd stuff, from concerts and theatre to magic shows, is staged. The speciality, though, is stand-up comedy, which is occasiona…

Overlooking the bobbing masts and slender palm trees of Port Olímpic, this pocket-sized music spot stages an eclectic line-up of live bands, including jazz, forró (music from northeastern Brazil), blues jams and roc…

For many, Wah Wah remains Valencia’s hottest venue for live music, especially for underground and international indie, though classic Spanish garage and rock also get a good airing. Check the website; tickets are so…

This jam joint is a great hang-out that attracts a mostly casual student set. Order a beer, enjoy the free nuts and chat at one of the tiny tables while waiting for the next act to tune up at the back. Sometimes the…

Barcelona’s modern home for serious music lovers, L’Auditori puts on plenty of orchestral, chamber, religious and other music. The ultramodern building (designed by Rafael Moneo) is home to the Orquestra Simfònica d…

Hidden up a narrow nondescript alley, this bohemian hangout is one of Santander’s top gig venues. Live rock, reggae and other music kicks off at a surprisingly civilised 9pm-ish Thursday to Saturday. Wednesday is La…

The Iberostar Estadi is about 3km north of central Palma, and hosts football games, including those featuring Palma’s top division RCD Mallorca. Tickets are available at the stadium or by phoning the booking number.

This lovely amphitheatre on Montjuïc stages one of the city’s best festivals, with theatre, dance and music events running throughout the summer. Aside from the Teatre Grec, performances are held all over the city.

A grand old theatre with three storeys of boxes and a generous stage, the Tívoli has a fairly rapid turnover of drama and musicals, with pieces often not staying on for more than a couple of weeks.

About 2km north of central Palma, this cinema programs art-house films, many in their original language with Spanish subtitles. On Mondays the ordinary ticket price of €7.50 drops to €5.

For admittedly tourist-oriented flamenco, this unassuming bar (shows take place in the basement) is cheaper than most, and has good offerings. Check the website for further details.

Ricard Bofill’s ultra-neoclassical theatre, with its bright, airy foyer, hosts a wide range of performances, including dramas, comedies, musicals and dance. Some shows are free.

A popular original-language cinema in the heart of Gràcia, handy to lots of local eateries and bars for pre- and post-film enjoyment.

A cosy cinema with two screens, the Méliès specialises in the best of recent releases from Hollywood and Europe.

Boulevard (also known as Dome, depending on the night) is flanked by striptease bars (in the spirit of the lower Rambla’s old days), and has undergone countless reincarnations. With three different dance spaces, one…

This puppet theatre puts on weekend shows aimed at families. It’s a rather enchanting spot, and you can see some of the puppets displayed beforehand. Some shows are more suited to non-Spanish-speaking kids than othe…

Come here to listen to Papa Quijano, a legendary Latino-rock crooner who has recorded several CDs and accrued quite a fan base. He has run this atmospheric bar since the 1970s. Dimly lit and with a back alcove encom…

Located on the 7th floor of the Hotel Saratoga, this sophisticated club with high-altitude views over Palma offers after-dinner jazz, soul and blues concerts from 11pm to 1am Thursday to Saturday, and a Monday-eveni…

Housed in the magnificent former Palau de l’Agricultura building on Montjuïc (opposite the Museu d’Arqueologia) and consisting of two modern theatre spaces (Espai Lliure and Sala Fabià Puigserver), the ‘Free Theatre…

Next door to the Teatre Lliure, and together with it known as the Ciutat de Teatre (Theatre City), this is a key venue for top local and international contemporary dance acts. Dance companies perform all over Barcel…

With seven screens, this is now the last standing in Barcelona of a small chain of art-house cinemas in Spain showing quality flicks. It is handily located just beyond El Raval, so you can be sure that there is no s…

With capacity for more than 4500 people, this concert hall, annexed to the Olympic stadium Palau Sant Jordi, is used for big gigs that do not reach the epic proportions of headlining international acts. Admission pr…

This vast cinema complex screens movies in the original language on 15 screens, making for plenty of choice. Aside from the screens, you’ll find several cheerful eateries, bars and the like to keep you occupied befo…

The real zona de marcha for the 20s crowd, from around midnight, is about 1km southeast of the Old Town in the Churruca district just above Praza do Portugal. This retro lounge-style bar is a good place to start off…

This modern (and, on the street, rather nondescript-looking) theatre is on what used to be considered Barcelona’s version of Broadway. It stages musicals (usually in Catalan), flamenco and contemporary dance.

This popular, long-established venue puts on groups and solo acts, usually between Thursday and Saturday. Entry, depending upon the band of the day, is €5 to €20. Some of the gigs are free for under-25s.

This intimate spot has decent-quality, reasonably authentic flamenco performances four nights a week. It’s quite small, so it’s worth queuing up before the show starts to avoid disappointment.

Classy Café Latino has a fabulous corner stage that hosts a jazz festival in May and occasional jazz gigs through the year. It’s a good breakfast spot too.

The tightly packed ‘Little Donkey’ serves mojitos and wine from the barrel and has live or DJ-spun reggae, jazz, flamenco or blues several nights a week.

This atmospheric bar and venue generally has live gigs at least weekly, mostly light Spanish rock, but also bringing in some touring international acts.

This live music venue has a glint in its eye, and live acts ranging from funk and rock to soul and pop. Check ahead on its Facebook page for events.

Espanyol, based at the 40,500-seat Estadi RCD Espanyol, traditionally plays second fiddle to Barça, although it does so with considerable passion.

This club is one of northern Spain’s top venues for live indie and rock bands, with a couple of gigs weekly, usually at 10pm Friday and Saturday.

This Irish-pub-like bar stages occasional live gigs as well as its popular Wednesday DJ nights starting at 11pm with free admission.

A great venue for live rock and related bands for over quarter of a century, with gigs most Friday and Saturday nights.

This spacious rock venue down the side of the bus station has regular live acts and also functions as a nightclub.

Here you might see anything from contemporary dance to drama.

As much a cocktail bar as a live music venue or theatre, ‘Jacob’s Ladder’ is one of Madrid’s most original stages. Magicians, storytellers, children’s theatre, live jazz and other genres are all part of the mix. Thi…

Known for offering mostly rock and alternative concerts, La Boca Club has broadened its horizons to include just about anything – roots, reggae, jazz, soul, ska, flamenco, funk and fusion. Amid all the variety are s…

El Junco has established itself on the Madrid nightlife scene by appealing as much to jazz aficionados as to clubbers. Its secret is high-quality live jazz gigs from Spain and around the world, followed by DJs spinn…

Clamores is a one-time classic jazz cafe that has morphed into one of the most diverse live music stages in Madrid. Jazz is still a staple, but flamenco, blues, world music, singer-songwriters, pop and rock all make…

El Despertar is all about jazz down to its roots. Everything about this place harks back to the 1920s, with a commitment to old-style jazz and decor to match from its days as a meeting point for the barrio’s intelli…

With more than 30 years in the business, this small venue knows what its punters like and serves up a nightly feast of singer-songwriters, blues, rock and ’70s, ’80s and ’90s tunes for an appreciative crowd. The act…

Despite the name, this is a great place to see blues or local rock, though many acts have a little country, jazz or R&B thrown into the mix too. It’s a fun vibe in a smallish club that’s been around since the he…

This venue enjoys the best location in Ibiza: from its terraces there are perfect views of Dalt Vila. It’s aimed at an older crowd, featuring gourmet dining, cabaret shows and live music. Expect to shell out some se…

Just off Calle Azacayas, duck down the spooky alley, cross the small patio and battle with the hefty door to slip into one of the best jazz and flamenco haunts in the city, with local musicians coming down from Sacr…

There’s no telling what will be staged here next, but it’s sure to be good, as the list of past performers attests: Jackson Browne, El Cigala, Kiko Veneno, Niña Pastori and Brazilian songstress Cibelle among others.…

An Afro hairstyle would be the perfect look here, where the music (concerts at 11.30pm, DJs until sunrise) is all about funk, soul, jazz, music from the American South, Afrobeat and even a little hip hop. It’s a clu…

True, the music is often more folkloric than flamenco, but Casa Anselma is the antithesis of a touristy flamenco tablao, with cheek-to-jowl crowds, zero amplification and spontaneous outbreaks of dexterous dancing. …

A little larger than some of Andalucía’s new flamenco cultural centres, and hosted in a restaurant that serves food and drink, the Jardines de Zoraya appears, on first impression, to be a touristy tablao (choreograp…

This sumptuous historical mansion, about 1.5km southeast of the town centre, hosts classical-music concerts and traditional Canarian folklore concerts. The interior with its period furniture, original artwork and or…

It looks like your average Madrid bar de copas (bar serving spirits and mixed drinks), but El Búho Real (The Royal Owl) is all about acoustic music. It interprets the term pretty widely to include flamenco, rock and…

Like most of the tablaos around town, this place sees far more tourists than locals, but the quality is nonetheless excellent. It’s not the place for gritty, soul-moving spontaneity, but it’s still an excellent intr…

Very cool. Costello Café & Niteclub weds smooth-as-silk ambience to an innovative mix of pop, rock and fusion in Warholesque surrounds. There’s live music (pop and rock, often of the indie variety) at 9.30pm eve…

One size fits all venue that caters to North Ibiza’s alternative crew with psy-trance nights, live music (everything from blues to Afrobeat and reggae; Manu Chao played here in 2015). DJ events include Waxda Jam for…

Of all the places in Seville that offer flamenco ‘dinner shows’, this is one of the best. With a seating capacity of 100 in an old-school tavern, it lacks the grit and – invariably – duende (flamenco spirit) of the …

Located just before Malasaña spills over into the seedy backend of Gran Vía, BarCo is an outstanding live venue with jazz, flamenco (Sunday at 9pm), Latin music, funk, rock and blues. Admission varies from free to €…

Las Tablas has a reputation for quality flamenco and reasonable prices (admission including drink is €27); it could just be the best choice in town. Most nights you’ll see a classic flamenco show, with plenty of thr…

One of Madrid’s best-loved jazz clubs has finally reopened its doors after years of being closed (they fell foul of a council crackdown on licensing laws). They’ve picked up right where they left off, with 10.30pm l…

In a corner of Madrid that works hard by day and parties even harder on weekends, Moby Dick is an institution on the live music circuit. It’s mostly well-known rock bands who can’t quite fill the 25,000-seater venue…

One of the most enduring live venues in Chueca, this small-stage bar attracts storytellers, poets and local and international singer-songwriters and a whole range of other acts; they also often have exhibitions. Adm…

Buried in the Albayzín warren, Peña La Platería claims to be the oldest flamenco aficionados’ club in Spain, founded in 1949. Unlike other more private clubs, it regularly opens it doors to nonmembers for performanc…

One of Madrid’s classic jazz clubs, this place offers a low-key atmosphere and top-quality music, which is mostly jazz with occasional blues, swing and even flamenco thrown into the mix. Compay Segundo, Sonny Fortun…

After spending over €100 million on a long rebuilding project, the Teatro Real is as technologically advanced as any venue in Europe, and is the city’s grandest stage for elaborate operas, ballets and classical musi…

One of the most distinguished tablaos (flamenco venues) in Madrid, drawing in everyone from the Spanish royal family to Bill Clinton, Café de Chinitas has an elegant setting and top-notch performers. It may attract …

This vast auditorium (one of the largest in Europe) regularly stages world-class shows that typically combine flamenco, opera and dance. There is an option to combine the show with a buffet dinner (from €75) with di…

El Berlín has been something of a Madrid jazz stalwart since the 1950s, although a recent makeover has brought flamenco, R&B, soul, funk and fusion into the mix. The art-deco interior ads to the charm. Headline …

ContraClub is a crossover live music venue and nightclub, with an eclectic mix of live music (pop, rock, indie, singer-songwriter, blues…). After the live acts (from 10pm), the resident DJs serve up equally diverse …

About 600m downriver from the Museo Guggenheim Bilbao is this modernist gem, built on the riverbank in a style that echoes the great shipbuilding works of the 19th century. The Euskalduna is home to the Bilbao Symph…

With everything from pop to hard-core punk and a whole lot of house music in between, Taboó likes to keep its options open. Admission is from €5 to €10; check out the website to see which way it’s leaning, and spend…

The purists will, no doubt, tell you that these highly choreographed performances in a 400-seat theatre are for tourists, but go along anyway and decide for yourself. You may be surprised. The Palacio’s performers a…

The main concert season runs from October to March each year, when performances include those of the Banda Sinfónica Municipal Madrid, the Orquesta Sinfónica de RTVE, and occasional operas, ballets or zarzuelas (tic…

One of the hottest spots in Lavapiés, this great venue hosts a largely bohemian crowd who come from all over the city for a fine roster leavened with flamenco (9pm Sunday), rock and fusion. Admission from €5 to €15.…

A small new-ish flamenco venue that is neither tablao (choreographed flamenco show) nor peña (private club), but something in between. The performers are invariably top-notch, while the atmosphere depends largely on…

An enticing music den decked with musical paraphernalia, Jazz Café stages blues jams on Thursdays and jazz jams on Tuesdays (both from 10pm), plus other live acts as and when. It rocks on until the wee hours; on Fri…

A storied Huertas bar that prides itself on free live jazz, a bohemian outlook and (according to the owners) political conspiracies, Casa Pueblo is an agreeable bar serving up a winning combination of cakes and cock…

If you like it loud, you like to rock and you are not averse to a mainly British clientele, then Sax may just well be your nightly boogy fix. The resident bands are up there with the best; you can even have a warble…

Check the website beforehand as, as well as live music, there are comedy acts, which may not affect your tickle bone unless you speak Spanish. Also hosts art exhibitions and has a great atmosphere with no rip-off dr…

Tiny newish flamenco-only venue in Santa Cruz (no food or drinks served) where a miscued step from the performing dancers would land them in the front row of the audience. Glass display cases filled with guitars of …

One of the better flamenco stages in town, Cardamomo draws more tourists than aficionados, but the flamenco is top notch. The early show lasts just 50 minutes, the latter 90 minutes. Admission including a drink for …

Away from the waterfront hubbub, this time warp is all stained wood and iron girders. It was once the foyer of the long-abandoned 1893 theatre at its rear. It’s often packed and offers nightly live music (jazz, blue…

Positively ancient by live music club standards, the emblematic Fun Club has been entertaining the nocturnal Alameda de Hércules crowd since the late 1980s. Its speciality is live bands. This is ground zero for Sevi…

This theatre, which fronts onto the Plaza de Santa Ana, has been here in one form or another since the 16th century and is still one of the best places to catch mainstream Spanish drama, from the works of Lope de Ve…

In Spain, a tertulia is an artistic gathering, and that’s what you generally get at this bohemian bar where the emphasis is less on the beer and more on what’s taking off on stage – comic guitarists, poetry jams and…

Málaga’s substantial flamenco heritage has its nexus to the northwest of Plaza de la Merced. This flamenco centre puts on authentic performances Thursday to Saturday at 9.30pm; €24 entry includes two drinks – reserv…

For decades this was the Madrid stage for flamenco legend Camarón de la Isla, and it’s once again a good place to see flamenco. The atmosphere is aided by the extravagantly tiled interior. Admission including drink …

At last! A tourist resort option that doesn’t play head-banging techno or cheesy pop for the masses. Expect live jazz and blues played by accomplished musicians and a more mature, albeit enthusiastic, foot-tapping c…

It’s amazing how much variety Café La Palma has packed into its labyrinth of rooms. Live shows featuring hot local bands are held at the back, while DJs mix it up at the front. Admission ranges from free to €12.

Small cavernous bar that was once a cistern, but now hosts two nightly flamenco shows for half the price of the bigger places. Performances can be hit or miss, but at this price, it’s probably worth the gamble.

In the Barrio del Pópulo, this ‘cafe-theatre’ runs a hugely varied arts program including drama, storytelling, stand-up comedy and live jazz, blues and flamenco, plus regular Thursday jams (10.30pm).

Madrid’s best blues bar has been around since the 1980s and their 8pm Sunday jam session is legendary. Live acts perform Tuesday to Thursday at 10.30pm and the atmosphere is very cool at any time.

Ibiza does indeed rock at this hotel, with the best gigs on the island (Dizzee Rascal, The Prodigy and Arctic Monkeys have all starred in recent years). The full line-up is posted on the website.

This beautiful patio in an old Sephardic Jewish mansion in Santa Cruz is home to the La Casa del Flamenco and the performances on a stage hemmed in by seating on three sides are mesmerising.

Cádiz’ main tablao (choreographed flamenco show) happens in a rustically bedecked tavern with drinks and dinner on Tuesdays (April to November), Thursdays and Saturdays at 9.30pm.

This jazz and blues temple has regular live gigs by local and international stars. Jamming sessions take over on nights with no gig; there’s also an in-house art gallery.

Very mellow bar with live jazz most nights, Naima is so small you’ll probably find yourself squeezed in next to the drummer with a hi-hat crashing inches from your nose.

They keep it simple at Thundercat – it’s rock, as classic as they can find it, with live gigs beginning after midnight and rolling on through the night.