Jerez de la Frontera, Cadiz

Southern Spain - Sherry, Flamenco and Horses

Jerez de La Frontera is located in southern Spain, in the province of Cadiz in Andalusia. About 100 kilometers from Seville and 40 kilometers from the city of Cadiz lies this beautiful city world-famous for its sherry, horses and flamenco. The word Jerez is the English corruption of the word Sherry, hence the name "Sherry City. Walking the streets of the city, the smell of sherry permeates the whitewashed walls of the wineries. This is why Jerez is the undisputed purveyor of this aperitif wine.

• The sherry city of Jerez de la Frontera is not only known for its sherry, horses and flamenco also characterize the city.
• Jerez de la Frontera is a real festival city. It starts in March with the flamenco festival "Festival de Jerez. For horse lovers, there is the big horse festival 'Feria de Cabello' in May. There is also the 'Campeonato de Motociclismo de Jerez,' the World Motor GP Championship, which attracts as many as a hundred thousand visitors.

This hot-blooded Spanish city has an interesting past: it served in the Middle Ages as the border between the Christian north and the Islamic south of Andalusia. Hence the addition "de la Frontera" meaning "on the border. The region of Jerez literally and figuratively exudes sherry. The soil of the area around the city contains a lot of lime. This white chalk layer holds water in the summer and reflects the sun, allowing the grapes to ripen evenly. The "Vino de Jerez," the Spanish name for sherry, dates back to 1100 B.C., making it as much as 3,000 years old! Now there are as many as 20 sherry producers based in the city, including the well-known Tío Pepe and Sandeman.  

Jerez de la Frontera is not only known for its sherry. Jerez, according to many, is the birthplace of flamenco. Although Andalusia has produced great flamenco artists, the official school is in Jerez de la Frontera. The city also invented the "Buleria," belonging to flamenco, one of the most important flamenco inventions. Much of this dance can be seen during the Festival de Jerez, known as the most influential flamenco festival of any Spanish city. Everyone who means anything in the flamenco world attends this annual festival in March.

Besides sherry and flamenco, the city has another pride: horses. The world-famous horse breed "Cartujano" is one of the oldest and purest horse breeds in the world. The famous Horse Academy is also located in Jerez de la Frontera. Your visit to Jerez is not complete until you have attended a training session or performance! For true horse lovers, in May there is the Feria del Caballo, a horse festival where proud Andalusian riders show off their horses. Of a completely different order is World Motor GP which takes place every year on the Jerez de La Frontera circuit. This event attracts more than150,000 visitors each year and is counted among the largest sporting events in Spain.

Jerez de la Frontera is characterized by its sherry, flamenco and horses. In addition, the city has much to offer the vacationer: art, culture, gastronomy and sports activities. The city is surrounded by two natural parks, so it is also a pleasant place for nature lovers. The city has an airport just a half-hour drive from Jerez. During your vacation in Andalusia, do not forget to taste a glass of Sherry from Jerez!