Jerez and Cádiz Day Trip

South of Seville the land flattens into vineyards of chalky white soil, the albariza, and the towns of the sherry triangle, Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María and Sanlúcar de Barrameda, make some of the most distinctive wines in the world. Beyond them, on a narrow peninsula surrounded by the Atlantic, lies Cádiz, which claims to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in Western Europe, founded by Phoenician traders some three thousand years ago. This day trip links the two and takes care of the driving. The morning is in Jerez, where you visit one of the town's historic bodegas, the cathedral-like wine cellars where sherry ages in stacked oak barrels under the solera system, each year's wine blended gradually with the older wine above it. A guide explains how fino and manzanilla age under a natural layer of yeast called flor, which keeps them pale and dry, while amontillado and oloroso develop richer, nuttier flavours, and Pedro Ximénez is made from sun-dried grapes into a dark, sweet wine; the visit ends with a tasting of several styles. If you choose the option with the horse show, you then attend How the Andalusian Horses Dance at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art, a ballet of horses and riders in traditional dress, set to Spanish music in a grand indoor arena; it is one of the great spectacles of Andalusia. The afternoon is in Cádiz, with a guided walk through the centre to the golden-domed cathedral and the old quarters, and free time for lunch, a stroll along the sea walls, or a swim in season at La Caleta, the little beach between two castles.

Practicalities: the tour lasts about ten hours, with morning pickups at a few central meeting points in Seville, and is guided in Spanish and English. The bodega entrance and tasting are included; lunch is not, though an optional meal can be added, and Cádiz is a wonderful place to eat fried fish, the pescaíto frito, from a freiduría or at the Mercado Central. The horse show is included only if you select that option, and it is performed on set weekdays rather than daily, so choose your date accordingly if it is important to you. Free cancellation is available up to a day before.

Why this trip works: Jerez and Cádiz are both easy to reach from Seville by train, and independent travellers can certainly do them alone, but combining them in one day with a bodega visit and the horse show is hard to arrange on public transport, and the tour does it with no planning at all. Sherry lovers will appreciate the chance to taste in the place it is made; those who think they dislike sherry are often converted by a cold, bone-dry fino with almonds or olives. Cádiz, meanwhile, is one of the most charming small cities in Spain, with whitewashed streets, watchtowers on the rooftops, a relaxed seaside atmosphere and a long history, from the Phoenicians to the liberal Constitution of 1812, drafted here while the rest of Spain was occupied.

What else to know: Jerez is also one of the cradles of flamenco, the home of the bulería, and its February flamenco festival and its Horse Fair in spring are famous. If you have more time, consider a night in Cádiz or in the sherry towns: Sanlúcar, where the Guadalquivir meets the sea, is the place for manzanilla and langostinos. From Seville, this trip pairs well with the Ronda and Córdoba day trips, giving you the countryside, the coast and the great Moorish city in turn, and back in Seville you can continue the sherry theme in the old taverns of Triana and the Arenal.