Jerez in May is one of those weeks that horse lovers talk about for years.
The Feria del Caballo runs from 9 to 16 May 2026 in the González Hontoria Park. It is one of the most prestigious equestrian events in the world, daily carriage parades, dressage competitions, the Pure Bred Spanish Cartujano horse, and nearly 200 public casitas serving fine sherry to the sound of flamenco.
Entry to the fairground is free. But the Feria is only one part of what makes a trip to Jerez in May worth building a holiday around.
Within 90 minutes of the city, there are three experiences that belong on every horse lover's itinerary. Each one adds a different layer to the week. Together they turn a festival trip into something you will still be describing to people long after you get home.
Navigation
1) Stay at Tambor del Llano
A 32-hectare organic estate set four kilometres from the village of Grazalema, inside the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, the first Biosphere Reserve ever declared in Spain, designated by UNESCO in 1977.
Tambor del Llano is a family-run working farm and rural hotel, named after a line from a Lorca poem that describes the sound of a horse's hooves galloping across an open plain.
The food is grown on the estate, the horses know every trail in the park, and the people running it have spent years building something that feels genuinely cared for.
Why It Belongs on This Trip
The Feria del Caballo is loud, social and full of energy. Tambor del Llano is the counterweight. Two or three days in the mountains either side of the fair, riding through limestone passes, eating farm food in the evening, waking up to birdsong, resets everything and makes the return to Jerez feel like arriving somewhere again.
What a Guest Said
"If you are active and looking for a rustic, informal, peaceful holiday to explore the beautiful area and great outdoors with some wholesome home-cooked meals, this is absolutely the place to come. The staff could not have been more friendly. Both rides were utterly stunning and the horses were superb for both advanced and novice riders.", Guest review, Google (4.9 stars, 488 reviews).
Good to Know
- Getting there: 1 hour 15 minutes east of Jerez by car via Arcos de la Frontera. A car is essential
- Price: Rooms from approximately €109 per night. Horse riding excursions priced separately
Read the full guide to Tambor del Llano →
2) Make a Day Trip to El Rocío
A village in the province of Huelva where the streets are made of sand, horses are tethered outside buildings the way cars are parked elsewhere, and the Hermitage of the Virgen del Rocío sits at the edge of a vast wetland that stretches to the horizon. It looks, to a first-time visitor, like a Spanish village that wandered out of a Western and decided to stay.
Why It Belongs on This Trip
The village is unlike anywhere else in Spain. The Hermitage is open year-round and free to visit. The atmosphere is part quiet devotion, part wild south.
What a Guest Said
"El Rocío was one of the most surprising places I have ever visited. The sand streets, the horses, the flamingos on the water, nothing prepares you for it. We spent a full day and it was not enough.", Traveller review, TripAdvisor.
Good to Know
- Getting there: 1 hour 30 minutes northwest of Jerez by car. No direct public transport from Jerez, a car is recommended
- Price: Village and Hermitage entry is free. Doñana guided jeep tours from approximately €35–€50 per person
- Best time to visit: Early morning for wildlife. If visiting during Pentecost weekend, book accommodation months in advance
Read the full guide to El Rocío →
3) Visit the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art
The Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Ecuestre is the school that trains the Pure Bred Spanish horse to its highest possible level of classical dressage, and it sits in the heart of Jerez, a short walk from the fairground where the Feria is taking place.
Founded in 1973 by Álvaro Domecq Romero, the school occupies a 19th-century estate with a grand indoor arena, formal palace gardens and a Museum of Equestrian Art.
Why It Belongs on This Trip
The Royal School shows you what the Spanish horse becomes under the most refined training in the world. Visiting both (the festival & the school) in the same weekgives you the complete picture of what Jerez and its horses actually represent.
On selected days, the school's signature performance, How the Andalusian Horses Dance, takes place in the grand arena. Horses and riders perform classical dressage choreography set to live music. It sells out well in advance during Horse Fair week.
What a Guest Said
"The level of skill and dedication on display is nothing short of sensational. The training session alone was worth the visit, watching those horses move in the arena is something I will never forget.", TripAdvisor review (4.6 stars, 6,190+ reviews on GetYourGuide)
Good to Know
- Getting there: Central Jerez, walkable from most hotels in the city. Address: Avenida Duque de Abrantes S/N, Jerez de la Frontera
- Price: Full visit from €16 per person. How the Andalusian Horses Dance show tickets priced separately
- Book at: realescuela.org or via GetYourGuide, book the show well in advance during Horse Fair week
Read the full guide to the Royal Andalusian School →
Experience This as Part of a Curated Andalusian Holiday with Cavago
The best equestrian holidays in Spain are not found by accident. They are built with intention.
Cavago curates bespoke riding holidays across Andalusia, connecting the finest equestrian experiences in the region into a single, considered journey tailored to your riding level, your pace and what you want from the trip. Every destination is hand-selected. Every detail is arranged. Nothing is left to coincidence.
If this experience is on your list, there is an Andalusian holiday worth building around it.
Explore curated Andalusian horse riding holidays on Cavago →
