The Hands That Shape the Spanish Guitar

A master luthier reveals how Granada's guitars are still made by hand, as they have been for centuries — and the morning ends the way all good mornings here do: over tapas.
Duration
2.5 hours
Group size
Private for 1-6 guests

Highlights

  • Meet one of only two female master luthiers in Spain in a workshop not available to the general public.
  • Trace the journey of a handcrafted Spanish guitar, from the choice of tone woods to final assembly.
  • Learn how Granada’s luthiers have shaped the sound of the classical guitar since the 16th century.
  • Hear personal family stories of this ancient art, passed down through generations.
  • Understand how traditional castañuelas are crafted by hand..
  • Settle in at an inviting tapas bar, where your drink arrives with a plate of local specialities. .

Your private Granada experience

Granada has been building guitars since the 16th century. The workshops tucked into its old-town neighborhoods have shaped the sound of classical and flamenco music for generations, drawing concert performers and collectors from across the world. But what you won’t find anywhere else is a visit to one of these...

Granada has been building guitars since the 16th century. The workshops tucked into its old-town neighborhoods have shaped the sound of classical and flamenco music for generations, drawing concert performers and collectors from across the world. But what you won’t find anywhere else is a visit to one of these workshops.

This experience takes you inside one of Spain’s oldest guitar workshops, dating to 1875. You’ll meet one of only two female master luthiers in all of Spain, Ana Ferrer, an award-winning fourth-generation artisan. Your guide, who serves as your dedicated interpreter throughout, draws out the stories behind the work: the family history, the musicians who have played these instruments, the quiet decisions that most visitors would never think to ask about. You’ll follow the full arc of how a Spanish guitar is made — from the initial selection of tonewoods chosen for how they resonate rather than how they look, through the hand-fitting of the braces, to the final stringing that gives each instrument its voice. The workshop also makes castañuelas, the hardwood percussion instruments at the heart of flamenco, carved and tuned entirely by hand. Seeing both crafts side by side gives you a fuller sense of what it means to build something this way, in a city where the tradition runs this deep. The instruments that leave this studio are sought by musicians and collectors around the world, and now you’ll understand why. After the workshop, a table is waiting at a nearby tapas bar. Over a drink, savor local tapas as you reminisce about what you’ve just seen and heard.

Schedule

  • Welcome

    Your guide meets you at Plaza Nueva and walks you to the atelier, a working studio in one of the historic neighborhoods where Granada’s luthiers have gathered for centuries. You’re introduced to the master and her world.
  • Craft introduction

    Learn how Granada became the city the guitar world looks to and the history of the Ferrer family, which owns one of the oldest guitar workshops in the country. Ana Ferrer is an award-winning, fourth-generation master luthier.
  • Workshop

    The real work is happening around you: woods selected for their resonance, braces hand-fitted to the curve of a soundboard, the subtle geometry that separates a fine instrument from an ordinary one. Ana walks you through each stage, with your guide translating every detail.
  • Q&A with the maestro

    Ana doesn’t often get to explain her work to people who've just watched her do it. This is that conversation — about the wood, the musicians, the decisions most visitors never think to ask about. Your guide makes sure nothing is lost between languages.
  • Tapas

    The experience ends the way Granada likes to end things: at a local bar, with a drink and your selection of traditional tapas.

What sets this experience apart

  • A private visit to a workshop that can’t be booked independently, reserved exclusively for your group
  • An intimate Q&A with one of only two female master luthiers in Spain, interpreted by your guide
  • Tapas and a drink at a traditional Granada bar, an Andalusian tradition

Meeting Point

Your private guide will be waiting for you by the fountain in Plaza Nueva.

FAQs

This private experience is available on request. After you complete your booking online, we’ll confirm availability with our local team. You’ll receive an email within 24 hours either confirming your booking or letting you know if that date is unavailable. If we’re unable to proceed with your reservation, you’ll receive a full refund.
Yes, this experience is family-friendly, and your guide can tailor it for your group to make sure kids are included. Children under 3 don’t count toward the group size.
Yes, we can accommodate a range of dietary needs, including vegan and vegetarian as well as avoiding allergens like dairy and gluten. Please contact us if you have any dietary concerns you’d like to discuss.
We understand plans change. We offer a 100% refund or the option to reschedule up to 72 hours before the experience start time.
Please contact us if you have any accessibility requirements, and we will do our best to accommodate.
No, it’s run by one of our trusted and vetted partners in Granada.
Yes, if you’d like to order a custom-made guitar, you can order it during the workshop and have it shipped to your home address.

  • Exclusively private

    Unforgettable moments shaped around you
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  • High-touch service

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