"Jerez de la Frontera" a Jerez de la Frontera Travel Page by elucas

Jerez de la Frontera is one of our favourite destinations in Andalucia. Andrew and I spent one night in Jerez back in 2001 on our first visit to the fabled destinations of Seville, Cordoba and Granada.

Jerez Airport is about 10 minutes drive outside the town and Ryan Air fly direct from Stanstead Airport, which is about 30 minutes by car from where we live. So, Jerez has become our "Gateway to Andalucia" - but then we found we liked the place enough to return several times and spent a week here in 2003.

Jerez is a very southern city with its white and ochre buildings, palm trees, bright Andalusian sunshine and deep shadows. Yet the heat is tempered by coastal breezes which bring relief from the intense summer sun. The centre is an attractive network of streets and squares, with some handsome old buildings, which often show noticeable Moorish influence, and impressive churches. In the spring dozens of Jacaranda trees produce bright mauve flowers. When these flowers fall they are so colourful it looks as if a parade has just passed along the street.

Jerez is not yet an especially known tourist destination, yet it has more than once claim to fame. The name Jerez translates into English as Sherry, and the town is the official worldwide producer of sherry. There are many Bodegas, some lesser known, some very famous names, and plenty of opportunities for tasting.

Jerez has a second claim to fame and this is the impeccable Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art just to the north of the city. Even if you know nothing about horses it is worth seeing a performance here where they seem to teach these magnificent creatures "to dance".

Finally, Jerez is renowned for Flamenco - real, intense, flamenco, danced in clubs tucked away in discreet squares which do not open until late in the evening and continue into the small hours of the night. We have not yet ventured here !

Or, you can simply stroll around the streets and squares, enjoy a Tapas or more substantial Raciones, accompaned by a glass of Fino sherry if you wish,at one of the many cafes and "watch the world go by". Jerez is a great place for that.

A stone horse rears up on a pedestal in a small square in the city centre. In the evenings you can sit here, have a drink, and watch the goings on in Plaza del Asuncion which Calle Betan adjoins.

The Virgin Mary, resplendent in glory, on a church wall. The rich colours of deep blue and gold make a dramatic contrast to the otherwise quite plain wall of the church.




. . . .and there is yet another claim to fame. If you would like to see a real Andalucian festival with its kalaidoscope of colours, equestrian perfection and pride, and sheer enjoyment of life, come to The Feria del Caballo held in Jerez in May. It was unforgettable. Look under my Local Customs tips for details on this event and more pictures in a travelogue.