Around the venue
Around Gran Vía before the show
A short orientation to the avenue and the square beside the tablao: how Gran Vía was built, which Metro stations serve it and what to look at on foot.
Reserve your flamenco evening ↗An avenue built in pieces
Gran Vía runs 1.3 km from Calle de Alcalá to Plaza de España. Its construction was approved in 1904, began in 1910 and was completed in 1929, in three stages: 1910 to 1917, 1917 to 1921, and from 1925 onward. Critics at the time mocked it as an axe blow on the map, because it cut a new line through the old city. The tablao sits on a side street close to the avenue, so the walk to your seat takes you past one of Madrid's most photographed streets.
Plaza del Callao
Plaza del Callao is the square at the heart of the avenue, and the Metro station beneath it takes its name. Wikipedia calls the square the heart of cinematic Madrid, and the Capitol building there has an Art Deco design with a neon Schweppes sign. Madrid's tourism site gives the tablao as a walk of under two minutes from the square. If you arrive by Metro, Callao station on Lines 3 and 5 puts you directly in the plaza.
Two ends, two landmarks
Two buildings mark the ends of the avenue. The Metropolis Building, built from 1907 to 1911 by Jules and Raymond Février, stands at the Alcalá end and is the street's best-known landmark. The Telefónica Building, completed in 1929 at 88 metres, was Madrid's tallest building at the time. The Plaza de España end is dominated by two 1950s skyscrapers, the Edificio España and the Torre de Madrid, and there the street continues as Calle Princesa.
Styles to look for
Gran Vía shows early 20th-century revival styles side by side, including Vienna Secession, Plateresque, Neo-Mudéjar and Art Deco. Edificio Grassy, a corner building with a small tower, dates from 1917. Looking up at the upper floors is the quickest way to see the variety, since the shopfronts at street level change faster than the stonework above. A slow walk along one side is enough to notice three or four different building styles.
Getting around by Metro
Callao station opened on 15 July 1941 and lies on Lines 3 and 5, under Plaza del Callao, in the Centro district and in fare zone A. Gran Vía station lies on Lines 1 and 5, beneath the avenue and the Red de San Luis plaza, in the same zone. On Line 5 the two stations are neighbours, which makes the trip between them a single stop. Either is a practical way to arrive from other parts of the city.
A change in the avenue
Since the late 2000s many of Gran Vía's theatres have been converted into shopping centres. Pedestrianisation of one lane in each direction began in March 2018, which makes the pavements easier to enjoy than they once were. If you have time before a session, walk the length of the avenue slowly, look up at the upper floors and decide where to stand when you want a photograph in the evening light.
Fitting it around the show
A show of about one hour leaves room around it. Arrive early enough to find the street, show your mobile ticket and settle in. Afterwards the avenue is a short walk away, and the Metro stations on it make the trip back simple, since both Callao and Gran Vía stay close at hand. Check your confirmation for the session time and the cancellation cut-off, and keep your plans loose enough to enjoy the evening without rushing.
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