Given its strategic location it has served as a settlement for diverse cultures ever since prehistoric times. Since the mythical Tartessus to the more than evident Muslim presence, not forgetting the numerous testimonials that refer to Roman times, during which period it was known as Portus Gaditanum or Portus Balbus.

Given the need for a royal port in the area, from which its name derives, Puerto Real was founded by the Catholic Monarchs by a Municipal Charter awarded in 1483.

The numerous cultures that have made Puerto Real their home over the centuries have left behind an enormous architectural legacy. Its most outstanding monuments are the San Sebastian Prioral Church, built between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries in the renaissance and baroque styles, the Convent Church of La Victoria and the Church of San José, from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries respectively, the Arco alleyway, the Central Market and the Caja del Agua, all dating from the eighteenth century.

This industrial university city has a number of cultural centres and theatres that confer a varied cultural life and extraordinary ambiance. Similarly, one of the greatest attractions of Puerto Real is its exquisite cuisine, based fundamentally on farm-raised fish and shellfish, with delicious dishes that provide perfect pairings for the excellent wines of the region.