12 Things you should do in Sanlúcar de Barrameda

Did you know Sanlúcar de Barrameda was the departure point of Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan and several Spanish conquistadores? This little town is full of interesting history, great food and some beautiful sights! The next time you visit Sanlúcar make sure to check the following places and activities off your list!  If you’ve got any suggestions on other activities in town to add to my list leave a comment below! Si se te ocurre alguna actividad más que debería añadir a mi lista de cosas que hacer en Sanlúcar, no dudes en dejarme tu sugerencia en los comentarios de abajo!

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1. See the Plaza de Cabildo and Calle Ancha

The Plaza de Cabildo is one of my favorite places in town; apart from the fact that it features a mosaic stone floor and beautiful fountain, the plaza is also lined with great restaurants to check out! Calle Ancha is the main avenue in town and connects to the plaza; both sides of the street are lined with local shops, bakeries, restaurants and pharmacies. Calle Ancha is also my favorite area to eat breakfast! There are tons of places to choose from; order a zumo de naranja natural and media tostada con jamon, aceite y tomate aka fresh squeezed orange juice, toast with spanish ham, oil and tomato puree! On most afternoons and weekends (especially in summer) you’ll see locals strolling up and down Calle Ancha, running errands, enjoying a meal or sipping on wine as they watch the hustle and bustle of the city centre.

2. Visit the Mercado de Abastos

If you want to get fresh fruit, veggies, seafood and meat this is the place to go. Sanlúcar’s market is open from 8am to 2pm every day except Sundays. I’ve heard the vendors sometimes increase prices on the weekends (during summer when there are lots of visitors from other Spanish towns) so I’d recommend going on a weekday. The market is located on Calle Trascuesta and you’ll find plenty of fresh food and great prices!

photo via gastronofilia.blogspot.com.es

3. Walk along the Paseo Marítimo

If you walk all the way down the Calzada (open walking area) from the center, you’ll eventually find yourself at the paseo marítimo. The paseo is a walkway along Sanlucar’s beaches and ends at Bajo de Guía (explained below). I love walking along the paseo in the evenings—it’s the perfect spot to watch the sun set over the water and enjoy the view of all the boats anchored just off the beach. My hometown in Florida is famous for its beautiful sunsets too, and Sanlúcar de Barrameda is the only place I’ve found that rivals its beauty!

Paseo Maritimo at sunset in Sanlúcar de Barrameda

4. Check out Bajo de Guía

Bajo de Guía is Sanúcar’s maritime neighborhood. You’ll find the city’s nautical club here along with a variety of fantastic seafood restaurants and cool bars. Definitely stop by this area while you’re in town and check out the old ice factory (visitors center). The visitor’s center has a free exhibit on Doñana National Park and replicas of archaeological items that have been discovered there.

Enjoying the views (and cocktails) Bajo de Guía

5. Visit Doñana National Park

Doñana National Park is one of the most important wetland reserves in Europe. It’s also rumored to be the location of the ancient city of Atlantis. The park is a favorite spot for bird watchers and is home to a variety of wildlife like lynxes, deer, wild boars, etc. You can visit the park with a guided tour or take a ferry in Bajo de Guía (6€) and cross the Guadalquivir River to Doñana’s beach. You’re allowed to enjoy the beaches of the park, but to go inland you must be part of a tour. You can learn more about tour options at the ice factory (located at the entrance of Bajo de Guía).

El Botero in Bajo de Guia with views of Doñana National Park across the river

6. Visit the Castillo de Santiago

Theis castle was originally built in the late 1400’s to defend the city of Sanlúcar and the mouth of the Guadalquivir River (the second longest river in Spain). Isabel the Catholic saw the sea for the first time from the castle’s tower, and the likes of Columbus and Magellan have been there too. You can take guided tours in the castle with companies like Sanlúcar Smile or do a self-guided tour (available Monday through Sunday 10:15am to 3pm / 7:15pm to 9:30pm). The guided tour should include access to the museum, which contains clothing from the 18^th, 19^th and early 20^th century.

Photo via castillodesantiago.com

7. See the Medina Sidonia Palace

The Medina Sidonia Palace was built in the 12^th century. Nowadays it functions as a unique hotel and historical archive filled with 6 million documents. You can take a tour of the palace on Sundays at 11am or 12pm. I would recommend visiting the hotel’s cafetería to have a café con leche and enjoy the views of the palace gardens and interior courtyard. The café is open all week from 9am to 9pm but Mondays and Tuesdays it’s closed from 1pm to 4pm.

8. Visit the churches of Sanlúcar de Barrameda

Nuestra Señora de la O in Barrio Alto is one of the most important churches in the city. It was founded in 1360 and features Mudejar architecture. The Ermita de Nuestra Señora del Carmen (1896) in Bajo de Guia is another one of my favorites because of its unique interior—the inside of the chapel is covered in a huge fresco painting of local Sanluqueños and fisherman (the Virgin Carmen is the patron virgin of fisherman in all of Spain). You’ll come across a number of beautiful churches as you explore the city and I encourage you to go inside each one and take a look!

Javi and I got married in Nuestra Señora de la O

9. Enjoy the rooftop view from Hotel Guadalquivir

The Hotel Guadalquivir is the tallest building in Sanlúcar de Barrameda and has some of the best views in the area. Go into the lobby of the hotel and take the elevator to the rooftop bar, order some Moroccan tea (té moruno) and enjoy the view.

Views from the rooftop bar

10. Visit a local winery in Sanlúcar de Barrameda

You can’t visit Sanlúcar without doing a wine or sherry tour! There are several bodegas (wineries) located in and around Sanlúcar where you can take a tour and learn how the famous manzanilla is made. This blog post has useful information about tours available at Bodegas Delgado Zuleta, Bodegas Barbadillo and Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana. Personally, I’ve attended several tours at Bodegas Argüeso in Barrio Alto; this bodegas has daily tours available and Argüeso makes one of my favorite wines…Viña del Carmen!

photo via turismodevino.com

11. Eat like the locals

Sanlúcar is known throughout Spain for its delicious and affordable food. The famous prawns or langostinos are a local delicacy and definitely worth a try (they can be quite expensive though so ask about prices before ordering). You can enjoy all sorts of local and fresh seafood as well as traditional tapas here. Check out my blog posts on the most popular restaurants in Sanlúcar as well as some of the newest restaurants to try in town.

Traditional tapas in Sanlúcar

12. Attend some cultural events and fiestas

Sanlúcar hosts a variety of local and cultural events throughout the year. Three of my favorite annual events are feria, the horse races and the Ruta del Mosto. Before visiting the city check out the local tourism site to see if anything is going on when you plan to visit.

The annual horse races in Sanlúcar

Enjoying Sanlúcar’s annual fair with friends!

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