VEJER AND AREA
Squeezed between the sierras and the sea this hill town is a perfectly preserved example of what many Andalucian towns were like during five centuries of Islamic occupation. Declared a national monument in 1978 It is a classic, beautiful hilltop white town or 'pueblo blanco' it has a magnificent church and ancient castle walls. The streets are narrow winding and full of fabulous eateries and local craft shops, reflecting its Moorish past . Events like Semana Santa at Easter with religious processions; flamenco evenings and the spring or summer fiestas, really reflect the passion of the area.
When driving into town the more interesting arrival is from the outpost at the bottom of the ravine called La Barca de Vejer. From here take the steep road up following the escarpment around the town until eventually you arrive in the beautiful Plaza de Espana, undoubtedly one of the prettiest village squares in Spain. The town square, shaded by vast palm trees, has a wonderful old fountain with traditional ceramic Andalucian frogs, which spout water high into the air, thus forming a fountain.
Set 200m. above the surrounding countryside the old town has a mass of historical monuments.
When driving into town the more interesting arrival is from the outpost at the bottom of the ravine called La Barca de Vejer. From here take the steep road up following the escarpment around the town until eventually you arrive in the beautiful Plaza de Espana, undoubtedly one of the prettiest village squares in Spain. The town square, shaded by vast palm trees, has a wonderful old fountain with traditional ceramic Andalucian frogs, which spout water high into the air, thus forming a fountain.
Set 200m. above the surrounding countryside the old town has a mass of historical monuments.
Plaza De Espania
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Plaza de España - A meeting place with numerous cafes and bars around the outside. In the centre there is an ornate ceramic fountain featuring 4 frogs. The town hall is located in the square and a notable feature is the facade of the fabled Casa de la Inquisición.
Arab Castle - is hidden in the old quarter. A classic 11th century arch leads into a courtyard. Church of El Divino Salvador - Like many was built on the site of an old Mosque. The front of the main aisle is Visigothic while the remainder is Mudejar. Santuario de Nuestra Senora de la Oliva - is a local chapel, which houses a 16th century carved image of the Virgin Mary. Casa de Mayorazgo - Enter the courtyard of this private house and walk through into an inner patio well kept with lots of potted plants. Climb the corner tower of the old walls for a view down to Plaza de España. This is open while daylight lasts. City Walls and Arches - The city walls are very much still intact and you can climb up on to them at various points. There are half a dozen entrance arches such as Arco de la Villa, Puerto de Sancho IV. |
Local Villages
Villages in the area are no more than a 10-20 min drive, Cadiz is approx 40min, Tarifa and beaches are 30 mins, Jerez is 45 mins and Seville 1hr 30 mins. All have great things to offer including the famous Sherry houses of the area and the old quarter in Cadiz.
One of the many pleasures of Vejer is its accessibility to local beaches (10km. away & no more than 15mins. by car) while not being a ‘beach’ town. You can choose between an immense 12km long beach of fine sand or a series of sandy coves where fresh water trickles on to the beach through the sandstone cliffs above. Cape Trafalgar (scene of the famous battle) is just 15km. from Vejer and its white sand beaches are quite unblemished by any type of development. In fact this area is famous in Spain for the ‘virgin’ quality of the beaches.
One of the many pleasures of Vejer is its accessibility to local beaches (10km. away & no more than 15mins. by car) while not being a ‘beach’ town. You can choose between an immense 12km long beach of fine sand or a series of sandy coves where fresh water trickles on to the beach through the sandstone cliffs above. Cape Trafalgar (scene of the famous battle) is just 15km. from Vejer and its white sand beaches are quite unblemished by any type of development. In fact this area is famous in Spain for the ‘virgin’ quality of the beaches.
