Free walking tours in Sanlúcar de Barrameda and what to see

Must-sees

Sanlúcar de Barrameda is at the mouth of the Guadalquivir, opposite Doñana National Park. The town is divided into Barrio Alto and Barrio Bajo. Up top are Santiago castle, the Palace of the Dukes of Medina Sidonia, the church of Nuestra Señora de la O and many manzanilla bodegas. Below are Plaza del Cabildo, the Orleans-Borbón Palace, now the town hall, and the shopping streets.

The Bajo de Guía district, by the river, is the place to eat king prawns and fish looking out at Doñana. In 1519 the Magellan-Elcano expedition, the first to sail round the world, set off from this port. In August the town holds horse races on the beach, a tradition more than a century and a half old.

Free tours and guided visits

Sanlúcar has the odd free tour of the historic centre, but guided visits are more common. The most recommended are manzanilla bodega tours with tastings and the Palace of the Dukes of Medina Sidonia, which holds a very valuable historical archive. Santiago castle can also be visited. The signature trip is Doñana: boats sailing up the Guadalquivir with stops on the park’s bank, or 4x4 routes through its beaches, dunes and marshes.

How long to spend

Allow at least a full day: the morning for the Barrio Alto, the castle and a bodega, and the afternoon for Bajo de Guía. With two days you can add the Doñana trip, which takes half a day. If you have more time, Chipiona, Jerez and El Puerto de Santa María are close by.

Where to stay

The best area to stay is the Barrio Bajo, near Plaza del Cabildo. From there you can walk up to the Barrio Alto and down to Bajo de Guía, where the Doñana boats leave, in a few minutes. If you prefer to be by the river and the beach, look in Bajo de Guía or the Calzada area. In summer and during the horse races, book ahead.