√ El Puerto de Santa María (Spain): information on the city, what to visit and what to do in El ...

El Puerto de Santa María

Population: ~ 73.000

Time difference to London - Time zone GMT/UTC: 1 hour (+/- changes due summertime/daylight saving)

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El Puerto de Santa Maria is located in the Northwest of the Cadiz province, on the Guadalete River outlet, in the Bay of Cadiz.

With 22 kilometers of coastline, the city offers a rich variety of low sandy beaches. The privileged location, between Rota, Sanlucar, Jerez, Puerto Real and the sea, makes El Puerto the centre of the Bay.

3.100 hours of sunlight per year

An average of 3.100 hours of sunlight per year, the warm autumns, the soft springs, the warm (but not too hot) summers, and the moderately winters, make El Puerto a tempting city any time of the year.

Founded by Greeks

A legend tells us that the town was founded by the Athenian leader Menestheo after the Troyan Wars.

In the year 711 the Muslims won the Battle of the Guadalete and ruled the town until the year 1260 whenthe city was conquered by Alfonso X and named Santa María del Puerto.

Christopher Columbus and his ship Santa Maria

In the years 1483 - 1486 Christopher Columbus was a guest of the rich families of El Puerto who also helped him to prepare and outfit his main ship Santa Maria for the voyage which would lead him to the Discovery of the New World.

Gastronomy & Wine

If there is something that distinguishes El Puerto de Santa Maria from other cities, it is its exquisite gastronomy: The variety of products of the Bay of Cadiz, fish, seafood and crustaceans and its fields of fruit trees, vegetables and legumes will surprise you.

In the old wine cellars of El Puerto like Osborne, Terry, Caballero, M. Gómez, Gutierrez Colosia, 501,etc., sherry is produced by using the traditional and classic system of "solera".

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