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You could be forgiven for thinking the best way to enjoy the cultural delights of the Iberian Peninsula is through its tasty dishes, vast countryside and bright, traditional art. Yet in places like Spain and Portugal, it's far better to get moving. Literally. The Spanish and Portuguese love to shake their hips and learning to dance will be a fantastic holiday experience. Once you've booked your hotels in Portugal or Spain, start looking into local dance classes and get ready to rumba! Spain's vibrant city of Barcelona is the place to try your hand at the rumba. While this ever popular dance originated in Cuba, there is a Spanish element to it, and Spain's Catalan region has its own version. The Spanish rumba found its roots in the Romani communities and incorporates hand-claps, bongo drums and other rhythmic tools. This highly energetic dance will have you feel invigorated. In Barcelona you can also try jota, a traditional dance which stems back to the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. The dance is usually accompanied by castanets, guitars or lutes, and dancers will often weather flowing costumes. In modern versions, however, this is not necessary although the rhythm remains. This is a quick dance, not unlike the Waltz, but with a more extensive variation of movement. Ask the concierge at your Barcelona hotels where you can learn to dance the jota, and get your dancing feet ready. The jota is also practiced in Madrid, although at a much slower pace than you'll find in Catalan. If you're booking Madrid hotels and want to experience something altogether more lively, try your hand – or rather, your feet – at flamenco. While this dance is not technically native to this region of Spain, it proves very popular, especially in the city of Madrid. It will be easy to find local classes offering flamenco lessons, should you want to master this passionate dance. Of course, Spain's next door neighbour is just as enthusiastic about its cultural dance, so make sure you take a trip over to Portugal for some more exciting lessons. In fact, if your travels in Portugal take you to the Algarve you might get to witness – and hopefully take part in – the corrindho. This is a traditional dance almost exclusive to this region, and involves dancing in pairs in a circle. Traditionally, the man will take the outer circle and his partner will form the inner ring, and as the dance progresses, the inner circle turns, and partners are switched. Corrindho involves the stamping of feet to the music, and later on, there is a form of waltz as well. This will be a wonderful dance to watch, but dancing is not a spectator sport, so make sure you have a go!
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