We spent some time in Jerez de La Frontera – Or often just “Jerez” – pronounced Her-reth. The “de la Frontera” means “of the frontier” and comes from the fact that it was on the border of Christian and Islamic populations. Jerez de la Frontera is located in the province of Cadiz in Andalusia, Spain. It is known for many reasons, but the most significant is its production of sherry and it lays claim also to the beautiful dance of Flamenco. I love this city and in this article, I’m going to attempt to convince you to love it too. Here’s my guide to the best things to do in Jerez de La Frontera.
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We’re staying right in the center in an apartment that overlooks the Alcazar (a Spanish palace or fortress of Moorish origins). Jerez is glorious. Every which way you turn there’s another street or alley to wander down and another café, restaurant, or tapas bar to discover. There are squares (Plazas) galore. Each is a delight to discover. There might be tourists here but they blend in, we’re hardly noticeable. It feels very local without being a weird local place for local people. I love it. I’d love to be here when there’s not a global pandemic and truly experience the lifestyle here.
But before I wax lyrical about this glorious corner of Andalusia here are some basics.
Where to Stay in Jerez
If you are looking to splurge a little bit, Hotel Casa Palacio is a great place to stay. It has a premium location and is pretty new, so the facilities are clean and in pristine condition. Hotel Casa Palacio also has an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness center, and an on-site restaurant. You can check rates and availability here.
Hotel Bodega Tio Pepe is ideal for a mid-range option, especially if you see yourself checking out multiple bodegas in Jerez de la Frontera. It also features an outdoor pool that overlooks the magnificent Alcazar of Jerez. Reserve early, this is a perfect, but very popular location!
There’s also budget accommodation on the other side of the Alcazar – Apartamentos El Alcazar. This is perfect if you just want a place to sleep at night at such an affordable price. But you can also pay a little more to get an entire apartment with a well-equipped kitchen. This is the building in which we stayed. If you’re driving there’s underground parking, it’s perfect! Check your dates now
Why Come to Jerez de La Frontera?
Jerez’s Alcazar costs 5 euros to enter. And there’s a downloadable set of audio guides to talk you around. When it opened at 0930 we were waiting at the gate. During the 90 minutes we spent there, we saw 4 other visitors. It may not have the razzmatazz of Seville’s Real Alcazar, but it has a quiet architectural elegance and some lovely surprises around corners.
Jerez is famous also for its equestrian school here – it’s one of the world’s foremost schools and trains beautiful Andalusian horses to dance. We were lucky enough to be here on the one day a week this season that they perform “How an Andalucian Horse Dances” – and they truly dance.
The other thing that Jerez is famous for it’s sherry wine. But I’m getting totally ahead of myself. Let’s go through this all logically. Ready?
The Best Things to Do in Jerez de la Frontera
Jerez de la Frontera is home to the Royal Andalusian School of Equestarian Art. If you love riding horses or watching horses, then this is a marvelous place to come for that reason too. There’s sherry, and fabulous tapas and Jerez de la Frontera is not too far from Seville and Malaga. Still, it significantly has fewer tourists – an ideal place if you want to avoid big crowds during any season. Let’s kick off with getting to know Jerez and what we always do when we arrive in a city.
Take a Walking Tour of Jerez
If you want the best, most convenient, and most affordable way to learn more about Jerez de la Frontera or its history, there’s a walking tour of Jerez that takes around 2 hours. The knowledgeable tour guides share Jerez’s rich history, discuss its culture, and show you this glorious small city. It’s the perfect way to get to know Jerez, and you’ll also get (like we did) some brilliant tips on where to eat and what to eat in Jerez. You can sign up for the Jerez Walking Tour here.
Go sherry tasting in Jerez
Jerez is in the Sherry Triangle – used to describe a geographical area that goes from Jerez to El Puerta de Santa Maria to Sanlucar de Barrameda. Sherry is a type of fortified wine and in the bodegas there the wine (sherry) is fortified and stored all within the city. So you can literally walk to all the bodegas.
Tours of the Sherry Bodegas in Jerez are popular, especially the most famous one, so you’d be advised to book as soon as you know your dates for visiting Jerez. Here are the main bodegas and how to visit them.
Sherry Taste at Bodegas González Byass (Tio Pepe) in Jerez
Bodegas Gonzalez Byass aka Tio Pepe is the most famous bodega in Jerez de la Frontera for finding the best sherry. However, due to its popularity, you must book in advance. The tour lasts for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, including wine tasting. You can also opt for one that comes with tapas. What you do have to do is book. Or you’ll be going somewhere else.
- Address of Bodegas González Byass: C. Manuel María González, 12, 11403 Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz, Spain
- Opening Hours of Bodegas González Byass: 11 AM to 1 PM on Saturday and Sunday, 11 AM to 1 PM, then 4-5 PM one Tuesday-Friday, closed on Monday
- Entry Fees for Bodegas González Byass: €22-€28 > book your sherry tour and tasting here.
Sherry Taste at Bodegas Domecq Alvaro
Domecq Alvaro is a smaller winery yet still famous with foreign visitors and locals since it’s one of the oldest in the area. Its location is only a few steps away from Jerez de la Frontera’s central train station. During the tour, you will learn the history of sherry and Cadiz and then enjoy some tasting. There’s also an option for tapas, and you can also see a traditional “Andalusian Horse Dance”.
- Address of Bodegas Domecq Alvaro: C. Madre de Dios, 11401 Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz, Spain
- Opening Hours of Bodegas Domecq Alvaro: 9 AM to 2 PM from Monday to Friday, closed on the weekend
- Entry Fees for Bodegas Domecq Alvaro: varies depending on group size, must inquire in advance – https://www.alvarodomecq.com/en/visits/
Sherry Taste at Bodega Díez Mérito in Jerez
Diez Merito is a bigger bodega with a grand entrance and spacious area. Here, you can learn about the history and production of sherry. Get up close to massive barrels of sherries and different chambers in the building while you get more information from a well-informed guide. When the tour is over, you will be served with a flight of sherry tasting while learning more about its features, aroma, and context.
- Address of Díez Mérito: Calle Diego Fernández Herrera, 10, 11401 Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz, Spain
- Opening Hours of Díez Mérito: 9 AM to 3 PM daily except Sunday
- Entry Fees for Díez Mérito: €15, must be booked in advance
Sherry Taste at Bodegas Tradición, Jerez
Bodegas Tradición stands out among other bodegas. Apart from serving you tasty sherries and other wines, they have decorated the walls with beautiful Spanish paintings from Picasso, Zurbaran, Murillo, and Goya. This is a sherry tour suitable for people who love art and wine.
- Address of Bodegas Tradición: C. Cordobeses, 3, 11408 Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz, Spain
- Opening Hours of Bodegas Tradición: 10 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Saturday, 10 AM to 12 PM on Sunday
- Entry Fees for Bodegas Tradición: €51 for a 90-minute tour, booking in advance required
Sherry Taste at Lustau in Jerez
Lustau is a sherry and Vermouth maker located in a colonial building not too far from Jerez central. There are two tours that you can book. A standard tasting with must-try sherries and Vermouth, which is available five times a day. While the other offers a full tasting experience featuring extensive sherry and Vermouth options, however, only available once a day.
We picked Lustau, or rather Lustau picked us – we’d aimed for Tio Pepe but didn’t get our act together and book, and so we grabbed a tour at Lustau. And I loved it.
They’ve been making sherry since 1896 right here in the city. This ain’t no Harvey’s Bristol Cream nonsense. Sherry is made from white grapes, the word sherry comes from the Moorish word for Jerez. Sherry is a fortified wine (like port), which means that distilled alcohol is added to it. This was originally done to ensure that it survived being shipped for long months overseas. The grapes used to make sherry are Palomino, Pedro Ximenez, and Muscat. Lustau stores more than 10,000 500-liter barrels in Jerez.
- Address of Lustau: C. Arcos, 53, 11402 Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz, Spain
- Opening Hours of Lustau: 10 AM to 3 PM
- Entry Fees for Lustau: €21-€31 – book here
Taste Sherry at Fundador in Jerez
Fundador is a different bodega than the rest on the list. Aside from sherry, they are known for excellent brandy as well, although you’ll also taste brandy at most of the bodegas above too. If you sign up for a tour, it will take an hour and 20 minutes, including a tour of the cellar, a lecture, and the best part – tasting. You’ll also have the option to pair the tasting with yummy tapas.
- Address of Fundador: C. Prta de Rota, S/N, 11408 Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz, Spain
- Opening Hours of Fundador: 12 PM to 2 PM on Tuesday to Thursday, 12 PM to 2 PM, then again 7 PM to 9 PM on Friday, 11 AM to 12 PM, 1 PM to 3 PM, and 7 PM to 9 PM on Saturday, closed on Sunday and Monday
- Entry Fees for Fundador: €13-€22 – book a tour here.
Now that we’re sorted you on tasting sherry, let’s look at the food, which was another key reason we traveled to Jerez. And there’s lots to eat here throughout Andalusia and the best way to get the best of it is to have a local guide you.
Take a Food Tour in Jerez
If there’s one thing to describe the cuisine of the Andalusian region, it’s tapas. While it’s not 100% proven, tapas is thought to have originated in Andalusia. This is another reason why joining a food tour is another fantastic way to learn more about this part of Spain. I’ll touch on some of the dishes to try here in Jerez shortly, but this is how we learned, from a local and I do highly recommend this Jerez food tour. The tour is 2 hours to discover Jerez’s historical and cultural heritage regarding food and a list of recommended must-try restaurants. You can take a look at what’s involved, and what you get and check the dates for your travel here.
Jerez is really rather lovely. There’s a surprise around each corner, but a nice one. It’s friendly, not touristy and yes, the tapas is seriously good here too… if you like Seville, I’m convinced you’ll love Jerez.
There is more coming… I’m just a wee bit slow at writing this one up!!
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