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In the geographic border of the province of Cadiz and Huelva, with little distance to the marshes of the National Park of Doñana and sprinkled by the delicious waters of the Bay of Cadiz, Sanlúcar de Barrameda is built. It is and Andalusian city by excellence, of white small houses, low and narrow side streets, filled with churches, castles, palaces and noble houses, that transfer to the visitor to different stages of the historical happening that the city has been object.
Before initiating a route by the city one should keep in mind that Sanlúcar is a population with two souls, one that watches the land and the vine (the High District), and another one the ocean (the Low District). And it is indeed in this last zone, at the border of the mouth of the Guadalquivir River, where the typical taverns, restaurants and bars prosper, offering to the foreigners their best Andalusian food like the delicious fried "pescaíto" or the "tortillitas" of shrimp.
Whatsoever, the name of Sanlúcar is associated mainly to two products: the prawn and manzanilla, one of the most representative types of Sherry wine. In fact this locality is next to Jerez de la Frontera and Puerto de Santa Maria, the "triangle" that forms the `zone of aging' of the Sherry, the most international of Spanish wines. It is a relatively recent product since it was not until 1811 that appeared the denomination of Manzanilla. And although diverse theories exist on the origin of the name, the one that has more support of being certain is that which makes it derive from the similarity that has its taste with the infusion obtained from the plant `camomile', profusely bred in the marshes of the Guadalquivir River. This type of wine has not been able to be obtained in any other part due to its characteristic process of elaboration and aging, which has as raw material the "Palomino fino" grapes that together with the peculiar local microclimate, give rise to the exquisite and only wine of Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
After enjoying that combination of Manzanilla and prawns, the tourist cannot lose the opportunity to visit some of the monumental treasures of the city like the Ducal Palace of Medina Sidonia, which dates from 15th century, with a noticeable Renaissance style and that has been the residence of the Dukes of Medina Sidonia, gentlemen of Sanlúcar. And indeed in one of the lateral sides of this building there are "Las Covachas". It is a stone decoration, late gothic style, one of the walls of the palace with pointed arcs and stirrups that maintain winged serpents. And another essential visit while touring by the city is, without a doubt, the Castle of Santiago, constructed in the 15th century. It is a place from where the mouth of the Guadalquivir River is visualized and served as defence of the city.
And if the tourists choose the month of August to visit this enclave, they will be able to enjoy, as its slogan says, of the "greater spectacle of beaches of the south": the horse racing by the beach of Sanlúcar at sunset. According to popular tradition, the origin of this activity is due to the races that made the men selling the fish to arrive to the place of the auction, although it was with the arrival of the vacationers in the 19th century and their desire to organize playful activities to cheer its vacations, when it got to become the sport activity that we know today. With a trajectory of more than 160 editions, they are at the present time the most veteran of Spain and one of the older equestrian activities of Europe. They were declared International Tourist Interest in 1997 and constitute a unique spectacle in which the sport activity is associated to the social and festive character of the event, all this under spectacular sunsets on the shore in the border between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
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