From 1-10 of December, Medina Sidonia opens its doors to visitors for the 2nd edition of the Jornadas de Puertas Abiertas and hopes to attract even more people than last year’s inaugural edition when 15,000 people visited the town.

During this unique festive period, entry to many monuments is free of charge and tourists can also visit several private buildings which are usually closed to the public.

15 or so monuments and 20 patios and courtyards of private houses will be marked with flags to draw the attention of the passerby. During these “open days” all buildings of tourist interest will have guides to inform and help visitors enjoy their stay in Medina Sidonia. Visiting times will be 10-2pm and 4-6pm.

These “open days” are a unique opportunity to see the patios and courtyards of private homes as well as La Ermita de los Santos Mártires - the last Visigoth church left in Andalusia or El Convento de Jesus, María and José the burial place of Simi “La Hebrea” – a local women who escaped from Gibraltar in order to convert to Christianity.

Music also plays an important part in these Jornadas and the churches, convents and chapels offer evening concerts at 19.00.

As there is a lot to see and enjoy, the best thing to do is to stop over in Medina and taste the towns most popular dishes: snails in tomato, partridge with rice, wild asparagus omelette, venison in sauce and tagarninas (Spanish oyster plant) - a local seasonal delicacy. If you choose to stay there are a good selection of hotels, rural accommodation and hostels.

During this period, the Town Hall opens its art collection to the public and the Municipal Archive has an exhibition from its historical records which includes curiosities such as the Cartas Pueblas from 10th Century.

For those visiting Medina between the 6 and 10 December there is the added attraction of an arts and crafts fair in the market place from 12-6pm, with demonstrations of potting, glasswork, wicker and reed work, leather and fabric painting amongst other local handicraft and craftsmanship found in the province.

As a new addition to these Jornadas, the Town Hall has organized the I Muestra multisectorial del Comercio, la Industria y el Turismo de Medina – an exhibition of local Commerce, Industry and Tourism, which will be held in the Sports Centre on 6-8 of December from 12-6pm.

Not to be missed

There are certain things that you must see and do in Medina: stroll up through the Barrio Alto quarter of Santa María, taste the local cakes and pastries and visit the Roman roads and the more than 100 metres of passageways which were the town sewers when Medina was known as Asisio Caesarina.
 
Medina Sidonia is situated in the centre of the province of Cadiz in the region of La Janda and is on the Ruta del Toro (“route of the bull”).

Its name, Phoenician in origin, leaves testimony to the fact that the Phoenicians arrived here from the city of Sidon in what is today Lebanon. The ancient town of Medina Sidonia, which today has a population of 11,000, still conserves its Roman, Arabic and Medieval heritage.

For more information phone (+34) 956 41 2404