Jerez de la Frontera

Spring and autumn are the best seasons, with warm, sunny days. Summer is hot and dry, and winter is mild with some rain.

The Horse Fair (Feria del Caballo) in May is the main festival, with parades of horses and carriages. The grape harvest festival is in September, and the Flamenco Festival is in February and March.

• Alcázar de Jerez is a Moorish fortress from the 12th century, with a mosque, baths and gardens.
• Catedral de San Salvador is a cathedral that mixes Gothic, Baroque and Neoclassical styles, next to the old Alcázar.
• The Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art holds shows with dancing horses. Check the schedule before you go.
• Bodegas such as González Byass and Domecq offer tours with sherry tasting. Book ahead in busy seasons.
• Centro Andaluz del Flamenco explains the history of flamenco and holds performances.
• Palacio Bertemati is a Neoclassical palace in the center.
• Cartuja Santa María de la Defensión is a monastery south of the center with a Baroque façade.
• Museo Arqueológico Municipal de Jerez shows local archaeology, including a Greek helmet.
• Zoobotánico Jerez is a zoo and botanical garden.
• Iglesia de San Marcos is a historic church in the old town.

• Take a bodega tour with a sherry tasting, and learn how the wine is aged in barrels.
• See a flamenco show in a small venue in the old town. Jerez is one of the birthplaces of the art.

• Cádiz (about 35 km, 30 minutes by train or car): an old port city on a narrow peninsula.
• Seville (about 90 km, 1 hour by car or train): the Andalusian capital.
• Ronda (about 100 km, 1.5 hours by car): a town above a deep gorge.
• El Puerto de Santa María and Sanlúcar de Barrameda (about 20 to 30 km): sherry towns on the coast, known for seafood.

Other places in Andalusia:

• Coast: Cádiz.
• Cities: Seville and Granada.
• Hill town: Ronda.

• By air: Jerez airport (XRY) is about 10 km from the center and has some domestic and European flights. Seville airport (SVQ) is about 90 km away and has more.
• By train: Trains link Jerez with Seville, Cádiz and Madrid. Book on Renfe.
• By bus: Coaches run to Cádiz, Seville and the nearby coast.

• On foot: The old town is compact. Most sights and bodegas are within a 15 to 20 minute walk.
• Cycling: The city is mostly flat, but cycling paths are limited.

• Is a car worth it?: Not for the old town. A car helps for the coast and the white villages.
• Parking: Use a car park at the edge of the old town.
• Restrictions: Parts of the center are closed to normal traffic.

Sherry is the signature drink. Try fino and manzanilla (dry, light) with tapas, and amontillado and oloroso (richer) with stews. Tabernas serve sherry from the barrel.

Local dishes include rabo de toro (oxtail stew), tortillitas de camarones (shrimp fritters) and fried fish. Tabanco is the local name for a traditional bar with sherry and tapas.

Jerez is a safe city. Summer heat is strong, so avoid the middle of the day, drink water and wear sun protection. Sherry is stronger than it tastes, so pace yourself on tastings.

Jerez was settled by the Phoenicians and Romans, and the Moors ruled it from the 8th century until 1264. It stayed on the frontier with the Moorish kingdom of Granada for two more centuries, which is the origin of the de la Frontera in its name.

The sherry trade grew from the 18th century, with English and Spanish families building the bodegas that stand in the city today.

Quick practical facts for Spain at a glance: