Alcázar of Jerez
The Alcázar of Jerez is a 12th-century Almohad fortress-palace in the centre of Jerez, one of the oldest Almohad buildings in Spain, with a mosque, Arab baths and a camera obscura.
About Alcázar of Jerez
The Alcázar of Jerez was built by the Almohads, probably in the 12th century, as the fortified palace and seat of power of the Moorish city. It fills the south-west corner of the old city walls beside the Alameda Vieja and is one of the few surviving examples of Almohad architecture in the peninsula. After the Christian conquest new owners adapted it, adding the Baroque Palacio de Villavicencio. It is a Bien de Interés Cultural.
The visit takes in the small mosque, later the chapel of Santa María la Real, with its octagonal dome, and the Arab baths, whose star-shaped skylights light the warm and hot rooms. Walk the gardens and the walls with the octagonal tower and the keep, see the old oil mill and enter the palace, whose tower holds a camera obscura projecting live views of Jerez.
Admission is €5, or €1.80 for pensioners, students and residents; with the camera obscura €7 or €4.20. Entry is free on Mondays from 13:30 to 14:30 in winter and 16:30 to 17:30 in summer, camera excluded. Tickets are sold on site or online, with no timed slots. Allow 90 minutes. Garden paths are level, but the palace and towers have stairs.
From October to June it opens daily 08:30 to 14:30. From July to September it closes at 17:30 on weekdays and 14:30 at weekends. Go early in summer, as the gardens give little shade at midday.
Alcázar of Jerez in pictures
What you’ll find
- Free entryFree visit (13:30–14:30)Free
- GardensGarden visit (€2–€5, 08:30–14:30)Ticket
- Monument visitSelf-guided visit (€2–€5, 08:30–14:30)Ticket
- Tower climbTower climb (€4–€7, 08:30–14:30)Ticket
Nearby places to visit
Jerez Cathedral (200 m) stands just across the Alameda Vieja, so the two make an easy half day in the old town. Out of the centre, Sherry Golf Jerez (2.7 km) and Montecastillo Golf & Country Club (9.4 km) are the nearest courses, and the Circuito de Jerez Museum (9.9 km) tells the story of the racing circuit. The coast is close too: Castillo de San Marcos (12 km) in El Puerto de Santa María pairs a medieval fortress-church with sherry tasting. Several sherry bodegas offer tours within walking distance of the Alcázar gates.
Alcázar of Jerez at a glance
Location
Campiña de Jerez, Cádiz
Town
Jerez de la Frontera
Address
Alameda Vieja s/n, 11403 Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz, Spain
Opening hours
Jan–Jun and Oct–Dec: daily 08:30–14:30. Jul–Sep: Mon–Fri 08:30–17:30; Sat, Sun and holidays 08:30–14:30. Free entry Mondays 13:30–14:30 (winter) or 16:30–17:30 (summer).
Prices
€5, reduced €1.80; with camera obscura €7, reduced €4.20; free Mondays 13:30–14:30 (winter) or 16:30–17:30 (summer)
Checked 1 Nov 2026 on the official website. Times and prices can change, so confirm before you go.
Website
jerez.es/webs-municipales/conjunto-monumental-del-alcazar
Phone
+34 956 149 955
More places nearby
Other places within 25 km of Alcázar of Jerez, nearest first.
