Day trip to Jerez de la Frontera

<p>Jerez de la Frontera is one of those places where three completely distinct and extraordinary things happen to exist in the same town. Sherry wine has been produced here for at least 3,000 years. Spanish Thoroughbred horses are trained here in one of the great equestrian traditions in the world. And Flamenco, particularly the deep, serious form called Flamenco Jondo, has its roots firmly in Jerez. You could spend three days here and not run out of things to do; a day trip is more than enough to get the flavour.</p> <p>The sherry bodegas are the obvious starting point. González Byass, home of Tío Pepe, offers excellent guided tours of its cathedral-like ageing cellars, where hundreds of thousands of barrels are stacked under the care of old sherry culture. Lustau, Domecq and Harveys all have tours too. The tasting sessions are not incidental; the range of styles from bone-dry Fino to rich Pedro Ximénez dessert wine is genuinely educational and the quality is exceptional.</p> <p>The Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Ecuestre, the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art, puts on a full performance show on certain days of the week where Carthusian horses and their riders perform choreographed movements to music. It is one of the most impressive equestrian displays in the world, and tickets are available in advance on their website. Even on non-show days you can often watch the morning training sessions.</p> <p>The Flamenco dimension: Jerez has several peñas flamencas, private clubs where local aficionados gather, and some of the best authentic Flamenco in Andalusia happens here rather than in Seville or Granada. Ask locally for current recommendations; the most interesting venues change with the seasons.</p> <p>The old town has a good Moorish quarter, the Alcázar of Jerez (smaller than Granada's but less crowded), and the Gothic Cathedral. The drive from Gibraltar is around 95 minutes.</p>