Zambra Maria la Canastera

La Zambra, one of the oldest flamenco cave venues

Maria Cortes Heredia’s family lived in this cave. Maria Cortes was a flamenco dancer and singer known as "La Canastera". She was born in 1913. Her artistic name came at an early age and is owed to her father, a local craftsman who specialized in weaving artisan wicker baskets. Maria began dancing in the Sacromonte Zambras where she quickly rose to fame. By the age of 19 she was already well-known all over the world with numerous recordings as well as performances.

Nowadays you can find a statue dedicated to Maria la Canastera in Avda. de la Constitución.

Maria lived in this cave together with her family. For many years their home was opened , where the living room was transformed into a dancing floor for people looking for the genuine Zambra Gitana.
Today her son, Enrique, continues to operate the home which has now been converted into a venue for flamenco performances as well as a cultural museum, excellent example of home-cave in Granada. Several of the rooms in the cave dwelling have been preserved - the kitchen and two bedrooms are in their original state. The living room continues to serve as the main stage for the performances. With a capacity of approximately 60 people, the nightly flamenco shows are intimate and familiar, and continue to feature the family of Maria La Canastera.

La Zambra de Maria La Canastera also offers the option of transportation with pickup from city center locations (direct pickup from some hotels along the route is possible). The route follows the narrow streets of the Albayzin until reaching the Sacromonte quarter.

SHOW INFORMATION

• Location: Camino de Sacromonte 89, Granada
• Duration: 1 hour
• Size: 60 people
• Dining: No
• Performers: 6-8
• Shows per night: 1 (usually at 9:00 p.m., check the form) We recommend showing up 20 minutes before the start time.
• Handicapped Facilities: Venue: accessible; Bathrooms: accessible
• Public Transport: Autobús: 31,34,35
• GPS Coordinates: 37.181810, -3.584107
• Non-smoking: The entire venue is non-smoking