Flamenco music and dance is the most authentic expression of Andalusian folklore and cultural heritage. The flamenco festivals in summer offer a calendar of performances to suit all tastes. Flamenco is a passionate art form, often spontaneous and improvised, mysterious and still rather misunderstood by the rest of the world. It only has in recent years become more known and nowadays there are thousands of aficionado’s worldwide. The songs, dance and guitar play are blended together by the passionate rhythms. The tragic lyrics and tones of Flamenco clearly reflect the sufferings of the gypsy people. It is thought that the gypsies who ended up in Andalusia travelled from India and Pakistan acquiring the name "gitano" from Egiptano, the old Spanish word for Egyptian. Apart from the Indian and Jewish influences, the Arabs made an immense contribution to the moulding of the form and content of the flamenco songs of today, which is not surprising since they ruled Spain for seven centuries. Yet flamenco in its present form is only some two hundred years old. The source of flamenco lies in its singing tradition, so the singer's role is very important. Originally the flamenco guitar was used as an accompaniment. Nowadays flamenco guitar music has developed as a separate art.

Some purists disapprove of the fashionable attempts to blend flamenco with other music styles like jazz, blues, rock and pop music. But it’s no wonder that so many young people embrace it wholeheartedly. Apart from songs delivered from different regions such as fandangos from Huelva, alegrias from Cadiz, there are broadly speaking two main styles in Flamenco: the "jondo" - profound and serious, the cry of people oppressed for many centuries; and the "chico" - happy, light and often humorous. The song lyrics are the most important as it is considered to be the source which gives inspiration to the guitar playing and the dance.

Flamenco dance is by nature oriental, so it is fundamentally different from other well established  European dance forms. Complex rhythmic patterns are created by a sophisticated footwork technique and elegant arm and hand movements. The flamenco dancer wears special shoes or boots with dozens of nails driven to the soles and heels. The women wear long, colourful, gipsy style dresses with many frills. Perhaps the best way to become familiar with the complexities of flamenco singing and sentiment, is by going to a "tablao" (flamenco show), a flamenco club (peña) or to one of the countless festivals that are organised every summer, such as the Bienal del Arte Flamenco in Seville, the Vela de la Fuensanta in Córdoba and the Fiesta de la Bulería in Jerez.

The Sacromonte gypsy caves at Granada, though very tourist-orientated, provide an unforgettable experience and there are many other flamenco meetings and associations throughout the region. Andalusia is a place that burns with life, colour, and romance. A place of music and dancing, of plucked guitar strings, the snapping of fingers and the stamping of feet. All this together creates the wonderful culture we know as Flamenco.