In the province of Cadiz, 30 kilometers from Jerez de la Frontera, on top of a rocky ridge, is the ancient town of Arcos de la Frontera, a real architectural jewel crossed by a maze of small streets and surrounded by the walls of the Arab castle, the Castillo de los Arcos, built in sandstone.
Arcos de la Frontera part of the White Towns cosiddetti, i white villages of Andalusia, and its historic center boasts marvelous Renaissance palaces topped by wrought iron rejas, white houses, towers and beautiful churches including the XNUMXth century Basilica of Santa Maria de la Asuncion, worth a visit. Also beautiful are the XNUMXth century palace of the Count of Águila, a mixture of late Gothic and Mudejar, the convent of La Encarnacion, those of La Caridad and Mercedarias and the hospital of San Juan de Dios.
The heart of the old City, which stretches between the Cuesta de Belen and Puerta Matrona, is Plaza de Cabildo where there is also a belvedere overlooking the rolling countryside at the foot of the hill. The best tapas bars can be found near Callejón de las Monjas: alboronia and meat and fish stews are the typical dishes of the local gastronomy.
Very beautiful i festivity of Semana Santa, especially the picturesque running of the bulls through the winding streets of the village, the Fiesta de la Virgen de las Nieves, an event that takes place in late August with a great flamenco show, and the Fiera de San Miguel, the patron saint of small town.
The surrounding areas are ideal for trekking, mountain biking, horse riding, hang gliding and paragliding while the nearby Lago de Arcos is the right place for boating and swimming.
To reach Arcos de la Frontera you can take a rental car or travel by bus thanks to the services that connect it with Ronda, Seville, El Bosque and Cadiz.
