Situated at the northern tip of the sherry triangle of Jerez de la Frontera and El Puerto de Santa Maria, the delightful small town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda is flanked by the Guadalquivir estuary which leads to the Atlantic Ocean.
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 Magallan 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. 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.
You can also catch the ferry from Playa Bajo de Guia over the river to the Parque Nacional de Doñana, the largest and one of the most important national parks in Europe. This is a spectacle in the days leading up to the annual pilgrimage of El Rocio, located in the center of Doñana, when the pilgrims, dressed in traditional Andalucian costume, cross the river with their horses en route to see Virgen del Rocío, the statue of the "Madonna of the Dew" which has been worshipped since 1280.
The heart of the old town is Plaza del Cabildo, a delightful, palm-fringed square lined with bars and restaurants. Just north is the Plaza de San Roque where the daily market is held. Nearby is the 15th century Iglesia de la Trinidad with its magnificent Mudéjar ceiling. Carry on uphill and you reach the neo-Mudejár Palacio de Orleáns y Borbón, now the ayuntamiento with its flamboyant neo-Mudéjar architecture and public library in the gardens. In the same area is the exquisite Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la O, in the small Plaza de la Paz. This church dates back to the 13th century but the doorway is pure 16th century Mudejár depicting lions bearing coats of arms. This church also has an unusual three-tier belfry from where there are magnificent views of the town. Adjoining the church is the gracious Palacio de los Duques de Medina Sidonia, the home of the aristocratic family who once owned the majority of Spain! The Duchess of Medina Sidonia, a descendant of the notorious Guzman El Bueno of Tarifa, still lives here and the palace has been beautifully restored and offers guest rooms and a cafeteria.
Another interesting church in Sanúcar is the Iglesia San Francisco which was built by Henry V111 of England as a hospital for British sailors while he was married to Catherine of Aragon. A short distance away is the quirky Museo del Mar Las Caracolas with an exhibition comprising objects retrieved from the sea and beach. The town castle has recently been restored and now hosts theatrical plays and concerts and stands amidst the buildings of the Barbadillo sherry company. This is the town's largest sherry firm and there are extensive toors of the bodega which produces four varieties of sherry - a fino, olorosa, pasada and solear muy vieja, plus an excellent table wine.
Sanlúcar is also noted for its horse racing which dates back to 1845 and takes place along a 1,800 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 Sunday). This is a thrilling spectacle where real racehorses thunder across the sand watched by a large noisy crowd of spectators. There is nothing amateur about this event and you can expect to see spectator stands, bookmakers, paddocks and, of course, the winners´enclosure. Now an international event with horses from other European countries taking part and many famous names amongst the spectators. This is a serious competition as the total prize money in 2001 was 2.5m Euros. Most of the prize money is awarded during the last weekend.
Another important festival for the town is the Feria de Manzanilla in early June which leads up to the Noches de Bajo de Guía flamenco season, classical and jazz festivals and the occasional top rate concert.
RESTAURANTS
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
Recommended seafood restaurants include Casa Bigote, located on the waterfront at Bajo de Guía and well known for its succulent prawns and delicious paella. Other excellent seafood restaurants include Arante Claro and Casa Juan. There are lots of café and bar choices around Plaza del Cabildo, including Casa Balbino for seafood tapas. Places to stay include the Hotel Los Helechos (tel 956 361 349), a stylish and relaxing hideaway in the centre of town with two pretty courtyards and Hotel Tartaneros (956 362 044), a former mansion with gracious comfortable rooms.
