TOURIST AROUND
SANLÚCAR DE BARRAMEDA
We will begin our tourist walk in the Plaza de
San Roque, behind the “Rafael Pablos” library, the old Town Hall of Sanlúcar.
In this small square filled with the bustle of tke nerby Market Hall, we can
eat breaksfast at one of the tipycal bars and coffee shops around it, but we
would especially suggest Bar Juanito,
the best and most tipycal, as being the perfect place to watch the comings and
goings of the people of Sanlúcar from very early morning.
Once we have gathered the energy to start, we
can visit the nearby “ Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados”, church, 18th
century, built in the baroque style, where the patron images of the popular
Brotherhood “Nuestro Padre Jesús Cautivo y Ntra. Sra. De la Estrella” ( Our Father
Jesus Captive and Or Lady of the Star), are kept.
From religious spirituality we pass to the
quiet reflection of the “ La Cigarrera” winery. Through the passage from the
beautiful “ Mother of God”, square we reach the old winery that dates from
1758. Besides Manzanilla wine tasting, la Cigarrera offers guided tours on
which the making of our wines are explained both in the morning and the
evening. In the patio you will find a typical tavern where you can taste our
local gourmet delights.
After a pause at the winery , we cross the
Plaza de San Roque to visit the Holy Trinity Church. Small but full of history,
we can see the tomb of Alonso Fernández de Lugo, conqueror of the Island of La
Palma, as well as the Baroque image of
Our Lady of Sorrow, which is different because it is sculpted in
terracotta.
From this church we feel the bustle of the
Traspuesta street, the over spill area of the Market Hall. Suddenly we find
ourless immersed in that part of Sanlúcar most like Arab Bazaar. Once in the
Market Hall, we can see how the different stalls are placed according to their
wares. Those that perhaps are most interesanting for strangers are the fish
stalls, at which we find the famous fish and sea food of our coast that are
sold practically alive, they are so fresh.
We leave the Market Hall on to the “Cuesta de
Belén” via a monumental stone arch, (18th century), to find the old
town wall defended Sanlúcar in the middle ages. Above this crenulated wall we
can see the gardens of the ducal palace of the Medina Sidonia, residence of the
ancient Lords of Sanlucar; set in the same wall we can admire the exceptional
gothic arches, with a covered gallery inside in which is now found a tourist
information desk where we can enjoy an audiovisiual presentation of the town.
Above the “Cuesta de Belén” rises the white
front of the “La Merced” ( 17th century), church now used as an
Auditorium. Her we can watch concerts and plays, amongst other cultural
activities, but for centuries it was the covent church of the Mercedario monks.
From its viewing platform we can see part of the magnificent gardes of the
Orleans-Borbón Palace next door, designed in the 19th century as the
summer residence of the dukes of Montoensier, who made Sanlucar de Barrameda a
fashionable holiday spot. This beautiful palace with Arabic lines is the
present day Town Hall of Sanlúcar.
After seeing the Town Hall, we can walk along
the “Gentlemen’s street towards, “Charity” Street, an area evocative of our
close relationship with America and old Spanish colonies.
