Jerez de la Frontera

Now on to Jerez, the home of Sherry, Andalusian horses, Flamenco (Lola Flores), Churros and Tabancos (quirky old taverns where people here go to buy the Sherry they use at home and to have a drink with friends and family). Jerez is a happening little city!

Our trip to Jerez took some planning. We had to return the rental car in Malaga’s airport (not far away), pay for a little scrape (caused by a flower pot and no insurance!), and pick up another rental car for the one way trip to Jerez that takes about 2 1/2 hours. Buses and trains took at least 5 hours and stopped in Seville. Cost was comparable.

We originally wanted to take the highway to Ronda to see the huge gorge there but decided to take the coastal route by the Rock of Gibraltar. Actually it stressed us out to drive on the coastal route as there was so much traffic and tourists. It is a hot spot for foreigners. Once we passed Gibraltar all was good, except for all the toll roads! We ended up paying three times.

Anyways, we ended up safely in Jerez and easily found our apartment, Sherryflat Atipika, in the historic centre. It originally was a palace that has since been subdivided into modern apartments. I read an interesting fact that there are about 100 abandoned palaces in Jerez. Some of the lucky palaces have been bought and have been transformed into restaurants, apartments, hotels or businesses. The architecture from long ago days on the main streets is beautiful.

We tried to return the rental car earlier to a local hotel that’s under construction, but didn’t have luck. It’s a long story. We returned it the next morning, as booked.

Then off to do some food shopping. We are here for 6 days. The grocery store and market are a 5 minute walk away on interesting pedestrian streets.

Our apartment is just perfect for us. It has one good-sized bedroom, is modern and has everything that we need for a 6 day stay - a comfy bed, big windows that let in the sun, fast wifi, smart TV, great bathroom, hot water, a washing machine, in a great location, quiet and a very responsive owner. 10/10 for us!

It started raining when we went to explore the city so we stopped in a local bar and ate tapas and drank beer until it stopped. Nice way to start our time in Jerez.

There are a lot of trees and plazas here, quite enjoyable, giving an air of calmness.

We have a good feeling about what’s to come during our week in Jerez.

P.s. It seems that everyone here loves their cute little dogs, especially Dachshunds, Maltese, Chihuahuas and small terriers. Everywhere you look, you always see a little dog on a leash going for a walk.Leer más