Jerez de la Frontera
Jerez de la Frontera is situated 117 km northwest of Tarifa and is the largest city in the province of Cádiz with a population of about 213,000. The old town invites you to stroll through its pretty alleys and squares planted with orange trees. At almost every corner you will find sights like palaces, churches, monasteries, museums, the old city wall as well as parks and gardens. The Alcázar fortress from the 12th century is particularly worth a visit, and in the Archaeological Museum you will discover exhibits from the time of the Phoenicians, Romans and Visigoths, who left their traces in this area.
In Spain Sherry is called vino de Jerez (wine from Jerez).
Since the 19th century at the latest, Jerez has been famous all over the world for the production of sherry (Spanish: vino de Jerez). This wine, fortified with brandy, undergoes a special maturing process to which it owes its characteristic aroma. Only wines from the areas around Jerez, Puerto de Santa María and Sanlúcar de Barrameda are allowed to bear the name Sherry, which derives from the earlier pronunciation for Jerez: "Scherez".You can find your personal favourite at wine tastings in the bodegas of the city. And if you want to learn more about the history of sherry, many famous sherry bodegas offer daily guided tours.
Do you love flamenco music? Jerez has been and still is home to some of the most important flamenco artists. In the Palace of Pemartín you can visit the Centro Andaluz de Flamenco, and in the countless peñas and tablaos of the districts of Santiago and San Miguel you can experience the fascination of flamenco live. Every year, artists and fans from all over the world travel to the Jerez Flamenco Festival, which takes place at the end of February and beginning of March.
The Andalusian, also known as the Pure Spanish Horse also comes from Jerez. It is a particularly old breeding line of the Pura Raza Española (PRE for short) from the 15th century. These horses are bred in the local stud farm La Cartuja. The Royal Andalusian Riding School (Real Escuela Andaluza de Arte Ecuestre) is also located here.
One of the world's most popular motorcycle races takes place in Jerez.
Of course, we don't want to forget motor sport. The Circuito de Jerez, just outside the city, was originally built in 1986 for Formula 1 races, which took place only a few times in Jerez. Since 1987, however, the circuit has hosted the Spanish Motorcycle Grand Prix, one of the most popular motorcycle races in the world, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
The small international airport of Jerez is served by various airlines several times a week. The onward journey by public transport to Tarifa, however, is a bit difficult.