SHERRY

Cádiz province in the south-western corner of Spain is home to the “Sherry Triangle” where the fortified wine is made. Once a staple of the festive trifle, it has become a trendy aperitif. The triangle consists of Jerez de la Frontera, capital of the region, El Puerto de Santa Maria (a fishing port at the mouth of the river Guadalete) and Sanlúcar de Barrameda, home of Manzanilla.

Jerez is probably the Spanish city with the strongest historical ties to the UK, according to Jesus Fernandez Salido, head of property portal MiMove Spain.

He says: “Since the 16th century the UK has been the main market for sherry, and there’s even a monument to Shakespeare, in whose plays sherry appeared [called ‘sack’]. Many British wine merchants settled in the area, and Jerez taught English as a second language in schools – not French, as is the norm.”

Fernandez says the beaches of the Costa de la Luz are a popular alternative to the busy Costa del Sol. “Prices took a great slump in Jerez in 2008 and are taking time to recover,” he adds. In Jerez you can buy a three-bedroom house for €290,000 with Chestertons, or there’s a rare opportunity to purchase a 19th-century country home with seven bedrooms, set in nine hectares of Palomino grape vineyard for €1.79million (through Al Andaluz).