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Cádiz, Spain

Cadiz photo

ABOVE: The Plaza de la Catedral is filled with people, restaurants, and cafés. INSET BELOW: The Cathedral's tiled dome, the Plaza de San Antonio, a streetlamp near the oceanfront, and the Caleta beach.

Sightseeing

Cádiz is a daytripper's paradise, because nearly everything of historic or cultural interest is within the city center. From the railroad station or cruise port, you can easily walk to sites such as Cádiz Cathedral (sometimes referred to as the "New Cathedral," to distinguish it from the old Cathedral, the Church of Santa Cruz.)

Allow time to enjoy views from the Cathedal's Poniente Tower, where you ascend to the top via wide ramps that aren't nearly as claustrophobic as the fan-shaped steps in many cathedrals. (Admission to the Cathedral's interior and the Cathedral Museum requires a separate fee.)

Nearby are the Roman Theatre, which was discovered and excavated after a fire in 1980, and the Phoenecian and Roman Archæological Site at the Bishop's House. Another popular sight is Tavira Tower, a remnant of the more than 160 towers that merchants once used to watch for arriving ships. You can climb to the top and visit the Camera Obscura, which offers a unique view of the city.

Plaza de San Antonio photo Other popular sights in the medieval center include the 17th Century Admiral's House or Casa de Almirante (which you can view from the outside), the Museum of Cádiz, the free Court Museum with its 18th Century model of Cádiz, and the Plaza de San Antonio (inset photo), which was the city's main square in the 1800s. The Mercado Central, or central market, is worth visiting if you enjoy shopping and don't mind crowds.

Castillo de Santa Catalina photo It's almost impossible to miss the castles and fortresses along the seawalls that protect the city center. One--the Castillo de Santa Catarina--has been turned into an exhibition space; it also offers nice views of the Playa de la Caleta beach (see photo and description below).

Another fortress, the Castillo de San Sebastián, is at the end of a long spit just below the Caleta beach. You can't enter the fortress, but the walk out to the Castillo is pleasant with its views of the fortress, the coastline, and bathers or anglers on the rocks.

Tips:

Local and long-distance ferries operate from Cádiz. For example, a local catamaran service operates a frequent passenger service to El Puerto de Santa María and Rota. (The trip takes 30 minutes each way.) Trasmediterannea, Spain's largest ferry company, will carry you--and your car, if you have one--to ports throughout the Canary Islands.
For advice on local transportation and tourist literature, see the Practical Information on page 3 of this article.

Beaches

The Playa de la Victoria, said to be one of the best beaches in Spain, is the modern resort district outside of the city center.

Cadiz beach photo Fortunately, there's no need to walk or ride that far: The Playa de la Caleta (inset photo) is conveniently located next to the Castillo de Santa Catarina at the northwest corner of the city center. Admission to the beach is free.

For more information about the city's playas, see WhatCadiz.com's Beaches page.

Parks

Cádiz has a number of waterfront parks and promenades, some with cafés or restaurants. They're easy to find by walking along the oceanfront or by consulting the free city map from the Cádiz Tourist Office.

Next page: Practical information

In this article:

Introduction

Sightseeing, beaches

Practical information

Cádiz photos

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