I'm planning on going to Curso Flamenco in Sanlucar this year. It will be my 1st time going. Is anyone else going?
I'm looking for any tips on travel to Spain with my guitar (I've flown domestic USA with it). And info on the classes, such as the levels, like which one to take, Beginner or Advanced.
Will you be using internal European flights? Those might be the bigger problem.
Just in case it helps: If you're arriving into and from Madrid then the train to Jerez is easy. From there a hire car to Sanlucar.
Beware - medium and long distance trains in Spain must be pre-booked.
I'm looking at travel options now. It looks like I can fly into Sevilla, then take a bus or car to Sanlucar, as the least expensive option.
Rent a car and drive down. Hotel los helechos, where you must stay, has a garage.
I am new to the forum as well and I am off to Spain this summer for a week long festival and flamenco workshop in La Puebla de Cazalla. It is put on by Antonio Andrade and Cazalla is his home town.
Antonio is friends with a very good friend of mine - Beau Bledsoe. He helps me out with my flamenco and asked me to come with him this year. It is July 6th-14th.
I assume this is the class you are going to?
Looks like a very nice workshop.
Hi mbspark- The curso that you are attending looks great too. Thanks for the link. Iĺl look into it next year or so.
I wish I had the time and money to travel to Spain and take guitar classes every year!
David just some bits and pieces if you are not already fixed up.
Hire a car, but after a long trip I wouldn't fancy that.
The airport bus will take you to the Santa Justa train station or the bus station (about 25 mins in traffic). Be aware many miss the train station stop as it is not obvious you are at the train station (jet lag does funny things to people).
The bus costs 4 Euros but they are not that frequent. You may wait 30 mins and the bus can be very crowded.
The taxi should be fixed at 22 Euros. Quite often I find someone on the plane or while waiting for luggage to share with.
All prices subject to a rise but a taxi who does it on the meter should be shot.
There is a hotel opposite Santa Justa, Ayre hotel. Incredible confort and currently hotels.com (there are other agents) are offering under 70 USD a night in July.
The train from Santa Justa is just over an hour to Jerez. That is where I'd think about a car but presumably during the course you will have little need for one??? There are buses but infrequent. A taxi you might get for 25 Euros.
The bus from Sevilla to Sanlucar might only cost 10 Euros, but an hour and 15 mins on a bus is not my thing.
hello from Portugal , do you have dates and prices for that?
Iĺl stay at Hotel Los Helechos in Sanlucar.
Iḿ planning on flying into Sevilla to get there in the afternoon. Stay in Barrio Santa Cruz for one night, see some Flamenco, then hang out at LaCarboneria for a couple beers. Then Leave for Sanlucar on Sunday to get to the opening reception for the curso.
Enjoy it , to much for me to spend on holliday course.
Been there twice. First time great. Second time stuck on first floor right in front of the roundabout, so noisy as hell if you open window. Aircon is the nasty old fashioned one-setting-for-all-rooms kind. No per room thermostat. It was set for mid afternoon in the sahara setting. Utter sleepless hell. Will never stay there again.
Utter sleepless hell. Will never stay there again.
Shows just how tough it is to be certain of getting what one expects I guess. Things go wrong. And sounds like you got the wrong bit in spades. Sorry to hear that.
But to be fair to them they have thousands of positive ratings on TA, Booking.com and Hotels.com.
I also last month stayed at their hotel in Oviedo. Again excellent service, amazing bed, and a room I could have had a 50 guest party in.
But to anyone going there are lots of options near Santa Justa.
And info on the classes, such as the levels, like which one to take, Beginner or Advanced.
I went 5 or 6 years ago and loved it.... Unless you are a monster guitar player I would do the begginer course... I did that and he showed us loads of great stuff some of it playable but some of it ridiculous... Its Gerardo Nuñez so its all incredible, I still remember the sound.
If I was going again I would definetly try and spend the extra on the cante classes with Antonio Carrión... they sound amazing and the groups are smaller.
Price wise its €300 for 10 hours with one of the best flamenco players on the planet, a chance to hang out with him and other great players and see shows every night for free. I think thats pretty reasonable.
Ricardo that's all well and good for the beginners, but what is the complex stuff like?
it borders on the usable, ie scales chords/knowledge to stuff which only the flamenco gods can play. I found it useful, he did alot of improv and stuff in different tonos last year.
Antonio's class is very useful, i got an immense benefit from it last year, getting correction and what to work on.
well if you put it that way , its a very good price almost cheap..
Anyone know similiar but cheaper?
These courses in Córdoba are cheaper and some amazing people running them.