The beach at Sanlúcar de Barrameda |
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Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Jo Quintero reports...
Situated at the northern tip of the sherry triangle, 8 km from Chipiona, the delightful small town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda is flanked by the Guadalquivir estuary. The speciality tipple here is the distinctive manzanilla wine, which acquires its dry, slightly salty tang from the seaside environment and the moist poniente wind. The town is equally famed for its excellent seafood, for which manzanilla is (coincidentally!) the ideal accompaniment.
As popular for its historic and cultural heritage as for its beautiful beaches, Sanlúcar experiences a huge influx of tourism all year round, especially during the summer period. To accommodate… More →
Located right next to the Doñana National Park, Sanlúcar gets visitors all year round, but especially during the summer season. There are many self-catering options in and around Sanlúcar de… More →
Sanlúcar is also noted for its horse racing which dates back to 1845 and takes place along a 2,000 stretch of beach at the mouth of the Río Guadalquivir during the month of August, daily from 6.00… More →
Sanlucar is divided into the older quarter, the Barrio Alto where most of the interesting sights can be seen, and the newer Barrio Bajo, closer to the river.
Sanlucar de Barrameda is delightful small town situated at the northern tip of the sherry triangle and is home to the first beaches of the Cádiz side of the Costa de la Luz. The first beach (i.e.… More →
Ferdinand Magellan (c. 1480 - 27 April 1521) was a Portuguese explorer who organised the Spanish expedition to the East Indies from 1519 to 1522, resulting in the first circumnavigation of the… More →
This modern course (previously known as Sanlúcar de Barrameda golf course) is situated opposite the beautiful Doñana National park, where the Rio Guadalquivir enters the Atlantic. This allows for… More →
Every year the beaches of Sanlucar de Barrameda in the province of Cádiz come alive with the pounding of hooves as the famous horse races take over the coast. Traditionally, the races take place… More →
Luisa Isabel María del Carmen Cristina Rosalía Joaquina Álvarez de Toledo y Maura, Isabel to her friends, was the 21st Duchess of Medina-Sidonia, one of the oldest aristocratic families in Spain… More →
You can catch the open ferry boats from Playa Bajo de Guia over the Guadalquivir river to the shores of Parque Nacional de Doñana (and back again). From here you can walk along the beach or walk a… More →
History
The town dates back to Roman times. Later the Moors built a defensive fort here which evolved into a major port under the Catholics. Columbus set sail from Sanlúcar in 1498 and, a few decades later, the Portuguese, Ferdinand Magellan set off to circumnavigate the globe from here, in search of a westerly route to the spice islands of Indonesia. Unfortunately, he was killed by local Indians in the Philippines.
Orientation
Today, the town is divided into the older quarter, the Barrio Alto where most of the interesting sights can be seen and the newer Barrio Bajo, closer to the river. The Sanlúcar beaches are also magnificent and stretch several kilometres to the south-west, while the former port and fishing quarter, the Bajo de Guía is unsurprisingly where some of the best seafood restaurants can be found.
Ferry to Doñana
You can also catch the ferry from Playa Bajo de Guia over the river to the Parque Nacional de Doñana. This is a spectacle in the days leading up to Rocio when the pilgrims cross the river with their horses here at the end of the tree-lined Calzada del Ejército.
Horseraces on the beach
Sanlúcar is also noted for its horse racing which dates back to 1845 and takes place along a 2,000 stretch of beach at the mouth of the Río Guadalquivir during the month of August, daily from 6.00 pm, on the 2nd and 4th weekends of the month (Thursday to Saturday). More>
Art Galleries
A permanent exhibition of religious art at the Convento de Carmelitas Descalzas includes paintings, sculptures, devotional objects and works of embroidery and metal created by local artisans. Calle Descalzas.
Situated in a 19th-century building, the Museo Barbadillo de la Manzanilla is dedicated to all aspects of wine, from growing the grapes to bottling and marketing. The exhibits, which include many ancient tools and a large collection of photographs, also follow the history of the Barbadillo family through the evolution of manzanilla.
Calle Sevilla 6 (opposite Castillo de Santiago). Tel. 956 385 500.
Open Tuesday to Saturday, normal working hours. Guided tours in English and Spanish.
