The Town
Arcos is Andalucía’s premier Pueblo Blanco and its Casco Antiguo (old quarter) has been declared a national monument. Its name derives from the name the Romans gave it: Arx-Arcis, meaning 'high fortress'. High it certainly is, spectacularly situated on a double crag (La Peña) in the flood plain of the Guadalete river which meanders around it. The travel book '100 things to do before you die' recommends visiting the town. The narrow whitewashed streets of the Casco Antiguo are home to an increasing number of bars and restaurants with offerings from superb tapas to the full gourmet experience. The nightlife is vibrant and continues until morning.
The area around Arcos used to belong to the Denominación de Origen of the Sherry wine region before the consumption of this much under rated and under appreciated beverage began to decline. The city of Jerez de la Frontera is only a short drive westwards. There is a fledgling wine industry here and I can recommend the local red Regantío Viejo. The new vineyards are experimenting with such foreign vines as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the mainstay of the Médoc region in Bordeaux. Even one of our neighbours, Gonzalez Byass (the eponymous producers of Tío Pepé) are getting in on the act and a few years ago planted new vineyards with the Syrah (Shiraz) vines. We await the outcome eagerly.
The Region
The town of Arcos de la Frontera is situated in the province of Cádiz (pronounced 'Ka-dith'), the southernmost province of Andalucía. Cádiz is bordered by the provinces of Málaga, Sevilla, and Huelva and both the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Morocco and the rest of North Africa is only half an hour away by ferry across the Straits of Gibraltar. Its exposure to the Ocean provides it with the finest beaches in Spain: 150 km of white and golden sand and the best seafood in the country.
The Climate
Cádiz enjoys a Mediterranean climate with long hot summers and short cool winters. Technically speaking, the province has a Zone 10 climate, described as warm temperate bordering on subtropical, similar to Southern California and Florida. Both orange and lemon trees thrive here with the banana, mango, and avocado having made an appearance in recent years. In contrast to other parts of Andalucía, Cádiz receives enough winter rainfall to provide a lush green appearance throughout the cooler months of the year.
Getting There
The nearest airport to Arcos is Jerez de la Frontera (XRY) which is only 25 mins away. Both Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) and Air Berlin (www.airberlin.com) fly to Jerez from London Stansted (STN) and Britannia (www.britanniandirect.com) flies there from London Gatwick. Monarch have now introduced a route from Manchester (www.monarch-airlines.com).
Seville (SVQ) is just over an hour's drive from Arcos and is served from London Heathrow (LHR) by BA (www.ba.com), Iberia (www.iberia.co.uk) and ClickAir (www.clickair.com). Both Air Berlin and Ryanair also fly from London Stansted to Seville. Both Aer Lingus and Ryanair also serve the city from Dublin (www.aerlingus.com).
Gibraltar (GIB) is an hour's drive from Arcos and is served by BA (www.ba.com) from London Heathrow and Monarch (www.monarch-airlines.com) from Manchester.
Málaga (AGP) is a 3 hour drive away but has the advantage that it is served from almost every airport in the UK & Ireland.
Getting Around
Whilst there is a good bus service connecting all the towns and cities in the region, it would be a pity not to get off the main roads and see more of the beautiful countryside. The following car rental companies have offices located in the airports of Jerez, Seville & Málaga:
Europcar (www.europcar.co.uk) Avis (www.avis.co.uk)
Crown Car Hire (www.crowncarhire.com) have an office in Gibraltar.
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