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Spanish schools in Jerez - Puerto de Santa Maria · Coast locations
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Learning Spanish in Jerez - Puerto de Santa Maria. The tourist guide to study your Spanish course.
General Information. 88,000 inhabitants. 650 kilometres to the southwest of Madrid. ‘St. Mary's Port' is situated in the province of Cádiz, in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia and at the mouth of the Guadalete River. It is known as the ‘City of the Hundred Palaces' (Ciudad de los Cien Palacios), all of which were built in the 17th and 18th centuries to satisfy the needs of local merchants who traded overseas. It is a city which is famous for its beaches, its wine industry, its gastronomic delights and its ample range of bars and restaurants. El Puerto de Santa Maria is a very attractive place to study Spanish with some language schools offering a wide range of courses.
Surrounding Areas. Rota (12 kilometres), a town on the other side of Cádiz Bay that boasts numerous monuments. Jerez de la Frontera (15 kilometres), a traditional Andalusian city which acts as a reference point in the region and is also the birthplace of sherry (vino de jerez). Cádiz (21 kilometres), the capital of the province. Sanlúcar de Barrameda (27 kilometres), a small fishing village situated at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River, famous for its langostinos (king prawns) and its proximity to the Doñana Nature Reserve (declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, with around 54,000 hectares of marshland and home to numerous migratory birds).
Main Sights. El Puerto de Santa Maria boasts a wealth of monuments due to the many different cultures that have left their mark here: Phoenician, Roman, Moorish and Spanish. The most important examples are: the Main Priory Church (Iglesia Mayor Prioral,1486), situated in the top part of El Puerto de Santa Maria; St. Mark's Castle (Castillo de San Marcos), built on the site of an Arab mosque; the Chapel of St. Claire (Ermita de Santa Clara); the Casa-Palacio de Cargadores a Indias, a palace belonging to merchants who traded with the Indies; the bullring; the old fish market in the port; the Doña Blanca Archaeological Site, where the remains of a city wall and dwellings of a Phoenician city have been found. El Puerto de Santa Maria also has many fine squares and parks, such as Plaza de España, Plaza Isaac Peral, Plaza del Ave Maria, Parque Calderón and Parque de Europa. El Puerto de Santa Maria is famous for hosting the motorbike event Motorada, which takes place just before the Moto GP championship in Jerez de la Frontera. You can enjoy a variety of activities at the Aquópolis Water Park, in the Sierra de San Cristóbal.
Culture. The Comedy Theatre Festival (Festival de Teatro de Comedias) is held in August and Los Cristobitas, a series of puppet shows performed by different companies, takes place throughout the summer. There is also the Municipal Museum in the St Cecilia Fine Arts Academy (Academia de Bellas Artes de Santa Cecilia) and the Municipal Cultural Centre Alfonso X ‘the Wise', inaugurated in 1993.
Beaches. El Puerto de Santa Maria boasts several kilometres of beaches: La Puntilla, at the mouth of the Guadalete River; El Aculadero, which is also known as La Colorá; Vistahermosa, suitable for windsurfing and kitesurfing; Levante, which is situated in the Cádiz Bay Nature Reserve; Fuentebravía, where you can go scuba-diving, fishing and windsurfing; Valdelagrana, the most popular with tourists and also the most crowded, and two other beaches, La Muralla and La Calita, which are separated by the ruins of St. Catherine's Castle (Castillo de Santa Catalina). The beaches are a major attraction for the many students who decide to study Spanish in El Puerto de Santa Maria.
Shopping. Most of the shops can be found in the old quarter and the area near the bullring. El Puerto de Santa Maria has two shopping centres, El Paseo and Bahía Mar. On Mondays there is a street market in Paseo José Luis Tejada.
Gastronomy. El Puerto de Santa Maria has a diverse range of taverns, bars and restaurants and there are different routes for bar crawls which of course include tapas (the small snacks that traditionally accompany drinks). Some of these routes include: Calle Misericordia and its environs; the banks of the Guadalete River in the centre; the traditional city centre and the area between the bullring, the Plaza de Abastos and the Plaza de la Cárcel. Most of the typical dishes are based on fish and seafood, such as acedias (similar to a small flounder), gilthead bream, sole, pescaitos (deep fried fish), prawns, cigalas (Norway lobsters) and shrimps, which are used to make the famous tortillitas de camarones (shrimp cakes). The whole district is renowned for its sherries and brandies, which can be sampled in any bar or restaurant. The main producers in El Puerto de Santa Maria are: Osborne, Terry, Caballero, 501, Gutiérrez Colosía, Grant and Obregón, many of which offer guided tours of their premises.
Sports. El Puerto de Santa Maria boasts a sports complex, Ciudad Deportiva, the football stadium, José del Cuvillo, and additional sports facilities at Puerto Sherry and Club Naútico, which include swimming pools, tennis and paddle tennis courts and football pitches, so you can play or learn any of these sports. There is also a bicycle lane, special areas to practise climbing and skating...and a golf course.
Fiestas. The most representative local event is the Fair, also known as the Feria de Primavera y Fiesta del Vino Fino (at the beginning of May, after the Seville Fair). This is the most important and popular fiesta in El Puerto de Santa Maria, with its fairground site and arrangement of marquee tents (casetas) where people go to eat, drink and dance. There is also the Feria de los Patios (between Holy Week and the Fair), where typical patios and courtyards are decorated and put on show to the public. Carnival and Holy Week are two other important celebrations in El Puerto de Santa Maria.
Nightlife. Students who decide to study Spanish in El Puerto de Santa Maria will discover a very active nightlife. The centre of the city is the most traditional area for partying at night and here you will find a mixed crowd and a wide range of musical styles. The shopping centres on the outskirts of El Puerto de Santa Maria are also very popular places to hang out and they contain bars, bowling alleys and pubs...In summer the beach area of Valdelagrana becomes the nerve centre of the city's nightlife.
Surrounding Areas. Rota (12 kilometres), a town on the other side of Cádiz Bay that boasts numerous monuments. Jerez de la Frontera (15 kilometres), a traditional Andalusian city which acts as a reference point in the region and is also the birthplace of sherry (vino de jerez). Cádiz (21 kilometres), the capital of the province. Sanlúcar de Barrameda (27 kilometres), a small fishing village situated at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River, famous for its langostinos (king prawns) and its proximity to the Doñana Nature Reserve (declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, with around 54,000 hectares of marshland and home to numerous migratory birds).
Main Sights. El Puerto de Santa Maria boasts a wealth of monuments due to the many different cultures that have left their mark here: Phoenician, Roman, Moorish and Spanish. The most important examples are: the Main Priory Church (Iglesia Mayor Prioral,1486), situated in the top part of El Puerto de Santa Maria; St. Mark's Castle (Castillo de San Marcos), built on the site of an Arab mosque; the Chapel of St. Claire (Ermita de Santa Clara); the Casa-Palacio de Cargadores a Indias, a palace belonging to merchants who traded with the Indies; the bullring; the old fish market in the port; the Doña Blanca Archaeological Site, where the remains of a city wall and dwellings of a Phoenician city have been found. El Puerto de Santa Maria also has many fine squares and parks, such as Plaza de España, Plaza Isaac Peral, Plaza del Ave Maria, Parque Calderón and Parque de Europa. El Puerto de Santa Maria is famous for hosting the motorbike event Motorada, which takes place just before the Moto GP championship in Jerez de la Frontera. You can enjoy a variety of activities at the Aquópolis Water Park, in the Sierra de San Cristóbal.
Culture. The Comedy Theatre Festival (Festival de Teatro de Comedias) is held in August and Los Cristobitas, a series of puppet shows performed by different companies, takes place throughout the summer. There is also the Municipal Museum in the St Cecilia Fine Arts Academy (Academia de Bellas Artes de Santa Cecilia) and the Municipal Cultural Centre Alfonso X ‘the Wise', inaugurated in 1993.
Beaches. El Puerto de Santa Maria boasts several kilometres of beaches: La Puntilla, at the mouth of the Guadalete River; El Aculadero, which is also known as La Colorá; Vistahermosa, suitable for windsurfing and kitesurfing; Levante, which is situated in the Cádiz Bay Nature Reserve; Fuentebravía, where you can go scuba-diving, fishing and windsurfing; Valdelagrana, the most popular with tourists and also the most crowded, and two other beaches, La Muralla and La Calita, which are separated by the ruins of St. Catherine's Castle (Castillo de Santa Catalina). The beaches are a major attraction for the many students who decide to study Spanish in El Puerto de Santa Maria.
Shopping. Most of the shops can be found in the old quarter and the area near the bullring. El Puerto de Santa Maria has two shopping centres, El Paseo and Bahía Mar. On Mondays there is a street market in Paseo José Luis Tejada.
Gastronomy. El Puerto de Santa Maria has a diverse range of taverns, bars and restaurants and there are different routes for bar crawls which of course include tapas (the small snacks that traditionally accompany drinks). Some of these routes include: Calle Misericordia and its environs; the banks of the Guadalete River in the centre; the traditional city centre and the area between the bullring, the Plaza de Abastos and the Plaza de la Cárcel. Most of the typical dishes are based on fish and seafood, such as acedias (similar to a small flounder), gilthead bream, sole, pescaitos (deep fried fish), prawns, cigalas (Norway lobsters) and shrimps, which are used to make the famous tortillitas de camarones (shrimp cakes). The whole district is renowned for its sherries and brandies, which can be sampled in any bar or restaurant. The main producers in El Puerto de Santa Maria are: Osborne, Terry, Caballero, 501, Gutiérrez Colosía, Grant and Obregón, many of which offer guided tours of their premises.
Sports. El Puerto de Santa Maria boasts a sports complex, Ciudad Deportiva, the football stadium, José del Cuvillo, and additional sports facilities at Puerto Sherry and Club Naútico, which include swimming pools, tennis and paddle tennis courts and football pitches, so you can play or learn any of these sports. There is also a bicycle lane, special areas to practise climbing and skating...and a golf course.
Fiestas. The most representative local event is the Fair, also known as the Feria de Primavera y Fiesta del Vino Fino (at the beginning of May, after the Seville Fair). This is the most important and popular fiesta in El Puerto de Santa Maria, with its fairground site and arrangement of marquee tents (casetas) where people go to eat, drink and dance. There is also the Feria de los Patios (between Holy Week and the Fair), where typical patios and courtyards are decorated and put on show to the public. Carnival and Holy Week are two other important celebrations in El Puerto de Santa Maria.
Nightlife. Students who decide to study Spanish in El Puerto de Santa Maria will discover a very active nightlife. The centre of the city is the most traditional area for partying at night and here you will find a mixed crowd and a wide range of musical styles. The shopping centres on the outskirts of El Puerto de Santa Maria are also very popular places to hang out and they contain bars, bowling alleys and pubs...In summer the beach area of Valdelagrana becomes the nerve centre of the city's nightlife.
© TEXT: SPANISH IN TOUR.
VIDEO: Turismo de El Puerto de Santa María
VIDEO: Turismo de El Puerto de Santa María
More tourist information about Jerez - Puerto de Santa Maria
