Jerez attractions include the old town of Jerez, Alcazar fortress, Hammam Andalusí spas, Andalusia Flamenco Center, and Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Ecuestre horse shows.
Jerez old town is the area from which the modern day Jerez grew out of.
The old town offers an overview of the history of the city, as well as some of the city’s…
- best shopping,
- restaurants, and
- bars.
As a district, old town is formed out of narrow alleys and streets, showing signs of the ancient civilizations that ruled the region one after another, including Moors and the ancient Roman Empire.
Today, the Jerez old town, as an entity, has been declared a monument of historical-artistic importance.
Alcazar fortress, meanwhile, is the oldest restored building in Jerez de la Frontera, and includes a 12th century fortress, built when the area was under Islamic (Moorish) control.
The fortress includes several highlights, such as:
- city gate,
- Alcazar mosque,
- idyllic central courtyard, and
- Villavicencio Palace.
Adjacent to the fortress are its extensive gardens and historic Hammam Andalusí Arabic Baths.
Of the Jerez attractions, these Hammam Andalusí spas (www.hammamandalusi.com), part of the Jerez Alcazar fortress area, contain a total of 3 spa pools.
The spas include both hot and cold pools, and for an extra charge, you can also get…
- a relaxing massage,
- skin peeling, and
- a variety of other spa treatments.
Hammam Andalusí spa is located within a palatial, 18th century building that has been beautifully restored, with a pleasant environment to enjoy the spa services.
Andalusia Flamenco Center(www.juntadeandalucia.es/cultura/centroandaluzflamenco) is the most famous Flamenco related attraction in this city known for its Flamenco traditions.
Other similar Flamenco centers in the city include La Taberna Flamenca (www.latabernaflamenca.com).
Andalusian Flamenco Centre is located within central Santiago, as part of the Penmartin Palace, and provides Flamenco performances in a setting with modern audio-visual equipment, plus a Museum of Flamenco.
You can also see Flamenco dance performances…
- at local “tablaos”,
- at Peña Flamenca clubs,
- during the Buleria festival (held in September), and
- at the Festival de Jerez (www.jerez.es/webs_municipales/festival_jerez/).
Finally, Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Ecuestre horseshow (www.realescuela.org) offers a look into the Jerez horse riding art, which the region is famous for, in addition to its Flamenco and Sherry wines.
One of the missions of the Real Escuela is to carry on the tradition of horse riding art, a tradition started by Carthusian monks, who first brought (during the 15th century) the world-famous Carthusian horses to Jerez.
Nowadays, in addition to the Real Escuela, you can also see horse show performances in other horse riding schools in the region, including Yeguada La Cartuja (www.yeguadacartuja.com), which has weekly performances.
The region is also a host for the annual Jerez Horse Fair / Feria del Caballo event.