Which ticket, and where to sit
Casa Ábaco flamenco tickets and seats
Standard seat or VIP front rows, what the drink covers, how the two sets run and where to sit, plus two other Tenerife flamenco shows to compare.
Reserve a seat at Casa Ábaco ↗Quick answer
Book the standard seat if you mainly want the music and the house, and VIP seating if you want to see the footwork from the first few rows. Both options are the same show: two short sets of live flamenco in an 18th-century mansion in Puerto de la Cruz, with a break between them and one drink included. Choose your date early, since the calendar marks this show as a likely sell-out.
Standard seat or VIP seating
| Standard | VIP seating | |
|---|---|---|
| Seats | In the room | First few rows |
| Drink | Sangria or non-alcoholic | Glass of cava |
| The show | Same two sets | Same two sets |
| Best for | Music and setting | Seeing the footwork |
What the ticket is
What you buy is a seat for live flamenco in Casa Ábaco, an 18th-century Canarian mansion at Camino Casa Grande 14, in the El Durazno area of Puerto de la Cruz. Singers, guitarists and dancers perform two sets of about 30 minutes with a break between them, and one drink is included. The GetYourGuide ticket is for the show only. It is not a guided tour of the house, a dinner or a transfer, and the booking calendar shows which nights the show runs and when each one starts. Puerto de la Cruz sits on Tenerife's north coast, so the evening suits visitors based in the north best, though anyone with a way of getting there and back can make a night of it.
The size of the room
Tito's, the Puerto de la Cruz group that lists Casa Ábaco among its spaces, says the house has a theatre and concert room for more than a hundred people. That is the scale of a small theatre rather than a big hall, and it is why the front rows count. In a room this size the singer's breath, the guitarist's hands and the sound of the heels reach you directly, but sightlines still depend on how close you sit rather than on any grand staging. Treat the seat choice as a choice about distance.
Standard seat or VIP seating
Two options sit on the same booking page. The standard ticket gives you a seat in the room and one drink, and the option you choose sets which drink. VIP seating moves you to the first few rows and comes with a glass of cava. Nothing else about the evening changes: same house, same two sets, same artists. What you are buying is the view, and in flamenco the view counts for more than at most shows, because so much of the story is told by the feet.
- Standard: a seat in the room and one drink
- VIP seating: the first few rows and a glass of cava
- Both options carry the same free cancellation and pay-later terms
Where to sit
Travellers who review the show praise the singing, the guitar and the dancing. The recurring complaint is sightlines: from behind the front rows, the dancers' feet can be hard to see. That says more about the room than about the artists, and it is the main reason to consider VIP seating. If you care more about the voice and the guitar than the footwork, or you are happy to watch from a row or two back, the standard seat gives you the same music. If you cannot decide, book early so the choice is still yours.
What to listen for in two sets
UNESCO describes three crafts that make up flamenco: cante, the song, which is sung with no backing singers; toque, the guitar, which long ago outgrew its role as accompaniment; and baile, the dance, which covers everything from sadness to joy. In two half-hour sets you can follow all three. Listen for the falseta, the melodic phrase a guitarist slips between sung verses, and for the jaleo, the calls of encouragement from the artists. The first-timers' guide on this site explains each term in a few lines.
Read next: Flamenco explained for first-timers
The drink, and eating before or after
Every ticket includes one drink. The standard option offers sangria or a non-alcoholic drink, and VIP seating comes with cava. Further drinks are available to buy, and you are welcome to arrive early for one before the show, which the ticket does not cover. Food is not included. The house has a café-restaurant and a garden, listed in the Puerto de la Cruz business directory, so eating on site is possible as a separate arrangement with the house, and some guests mention a meal there before the show. If you would rather eat in town, the centre around the Plaza del Charco is covered in the guide to the town around the show.
Read next: Puerto de la Cruz around the show
Booking, cancelling and paying later
Reservations go through GetYourGuide. Cancelling up to a day before the show returns your money; if you prefer, keep a seat on hold and pay later. Since the show carries a likely-to-sell-out label, choose the night you want and book it rather than leaving the decision to the day itself. Should your plans change, cancel before the 24-hour mark and the seat returns to the calendar. Choose the language and currency on the booking page before you pay, so the fare you see is the fare you are charged. Keep the confirmation handy on the night, since it shows how to enter and which option you booked.
Two other flamenco evenings on Tenerife
If Puerto de la Cruz is not your base, two other flamenco shows appear in the booking section of this site. One is a two-part performance at Sala Coliseo, with a drink and a VIP option for the first rows. The other is Olé, a theatre production created and directed by the dancer Fran Chafino and staged in a hotel showroom in Costa Adeje. Each page shows its own meeting point, so check where you will be sleeping before you choose. Casa Ábaco's own draw is the house itself.
Flamenco or something else at the house
Casa Ábaco is also a concert venue. The town's business directory notes a classical music concert on winter Sundays, and the operator's site lists tribute concerts, plays and talks in the house's theatre room. Make sure the ticket you open is the flamenco show. The cards on this site go to flamenco booking pages, and the title of each one names the show. If you would like a quieter, seated concert of another kind, the house's own programme is the place to look, and it changes with the season. The flamenco ticket is the one with two sets, a drink and the option of VIP seating, so check those three details before you pay.
Who this isn't for
Skip this ticket if you want dinner included, because it covers the show and one drink only. Skip it if you would like a guided visit of the house, which the operator offers separately. If a clear view of the footwork from the back of the room matters to you, book VIP seating or choose a staged theatre production instead. And if you want a late party, this is a seated evening in two sets, not a nightclub. Families with very small children should also weigh the format: two sets in a seated room, with live amplified music, can be a long sit for a toddler. For older children who enjoy rhythm and costume, it works well.
Frequently asked questions
Which ticket should I book for Casa Ábaco?
Book the standard seat for the music and the setting, or VIP seating if you want the first few rows and a glass of cava. The show is the same. Pick the date early because it is marked as a likely sell-out.
How long is the show?
The ticket runs about an hour and a half, with two sets of roughly 30 minutes and a break between them. Each night's start time is on the calendar.
Is food included?
No. You pay for the show and one drink. The house has a café-restaurant and a garden, and you may arrive early for a drink at your own cost.
Can I cancel?
Yes. Cancel up to a day ahead and your money comes back; paying can also wait until later.
Where do I find the house?
Casa Ábaco is at Camino Casa Grande 14, in the El Durazno area of Puerto de la Cruz. Your confirmation shows how to enter.
Is there a better seat for seeing the dancers' feet?
The first few rows, which is what VIP seating gives you. Travellers who review the show say the footwork is harder to see from further back.
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