As Jerez is located basically between Africa and Europe, it’s a central starting point for many outdoor excursion routes. The four main routes that branch out from the city include the Southern Forests Route (through Los Alcomocales Natural Park), the Southern Mountains Route (through the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park), the Donana Area and Marshes Route (through the Guadalquivir River estuary), and the Lagoons and Jerez Countryside Route. All of these can be done on horseback or on foot. More information can be found in the detailed pamphlets provided at the information center. If you’re not feeling like totally giving into those tent and sleeping-bag tendencies, there are plenty of other options in and around Jerez that combine accommodation with nature.
Club Ecuestre la Arboleda and A Campo Abierto. (La Arboleda: Camino La Jara }630 867 672; www.clubecuestrelaarboleda.com. A Campo Abierto: A-381 exit 31 or A-396 km 1 }649 958 446; www.acampoabierto.com) If the Real Escuela de Arte Ecuestre isn’t enough for you, there are definitely other options to get your full dose of horse time. At La Arboleda you can take guided horseback-riding tours along the beaches and pine groves of the outskirts of Jerez. And at A Campo Abierto you can see the breeding grounds for the horses and bulls used in equestrian competitions and bullfights. A Campo Abierto also offers exhibition shows on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 11:30am. As there are no direct buses to either of these sights, you’re best off taking a cab.