Cádiz
You could write several weighty tomes about Cádiz and still fall short of nailing its essence. Cádiz is generally considered to be the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in Europe, founded as Gadir by the Phoenicians in about 1100 BC. Now well into its fourth millennium, the ancient centre, surrounded almost entirely by water, is a romantic jumble of sinuous streets where Atlantic waves crash against eroded sea walls, cheerful taverns fry up fresh fish and salty beaches teem with sun-worshippers.
Spain's first liberal constitution (La Pepa) was signed here in 1812, while the city's distinctive urban model provided an identikit for fortified Spanish colonial cities in the Americas.
Enamoured return visitors talk fondly of Cádiz' seafood, sands and intriguing monuments and museums. More importantly, they gush happily about the gaditanos, an upfront, sociable bunch whose crazy Carnaval is an exercise in ironic humour and whose upbeat alegrías (flamenco songs) warm your heart.
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Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Cádiz.
Cathedral
Catedral de Cádiz
Cádiz' beautiful yellow-domed cathedral is an impressively proportioned baroque-neoclassical construction, best appreciated from seafront Campo del Sur in the evening sun. Though commissioned in 1716, the project wasn't finished until 1838, by which time neoclassical elements (the dome, towers and main facade) had diluted architect Vicente Acero's original baroque plan. Highlights within are the intricate wood-carved choir (one of Andalucía's finest) and, in the crypt, the stone tomb of renowned 20th-century gaditano composer Manuel de Falla (1876–1946).
Museum
Museo de Cádiz
Admittedly a little dusty, the Museo de Cádiz is the province's top museum. Stars of the ground-floor archaeology section are two Phoenician marble sarcophagi carved in human likeness, along with lots of headless Roman statues and a giant marble 2nd-century Emperor Trajan (with head) from Bolonia's Baelo Claudia ruins. Upstairs, the excellent fine-art collection displays Spanish art from the 18th to early 20th centuries, including 18 superb 17th-century canvases of saints, angels and monks by Francisco de Zurbarán.
Beach
Playa de la Victoria
An enjoyable walk/jog along the promenade from the Barrio de Santa María, this fine, wide strip of Atlantic sand, with summer beach bars, starts 1km south of the Puerta de Tierra and stretches 4km back along the peninsula.
Archaeological Site
Teatro Romano
On the seaward edge of the Barrio del Pópulo, Cádiz' Roman theatre dates from the late 1st century BCE and, originally, had space for 10,000 spectators. A Moorish castle was later erected here, then rebuilt by Alfonso X El Sabio. You can access the excavated theatre via its modern interpretation centre, which has English- and Spanish-language displays detailing the site's history.
Beach
Playa de la Caleta
Hugging the western side of the Barrio de la Viña, this small, popular golden city beach catches the eye with its mock-Moorish balneario (bathhouse). It's flanked by two forts: the Castillo de San Sebastián, for centuries a military installation, and the star-shaped Castillo de Santa Catalina, built after the 1596 Anglo-Dutch sacking of the city and with a 1683 chapel.
Gate
Puerta de Tierra
The imposing 18th-century 'Land Gate' guards the southeastern (and only land) entry to Cádiz' old town. You can wander the upper fortifications and defence tower, where Spanish- and English-language panels detail visible sights and the evolution of Cádiz' complex fortification system.
Church
Oratorio de la Santa Cueva
Behind an unassuming door, the Santa Cueva conceals quite the surprise. Of its two superposed neoclassical 18th-century chapels (built on trade wealth from the Americas), the bare, pillared subterranean Capilla de la Pasión is washed in white. Above is the richly adorned, oval-shaped Capilla del Santísimo Sacramento, its altar graced by six Corinthian columns, and with five religious canvases strung between its pillars – three of them important works by Goya.
Church
Iglesia de Santa Cruz
Cádiz' most ancient church and original cathedral was a Gothic-Mudéjar creation commissioned by Alfonso X El Sabio in 1263, on the site of a former mosque. After suffering serious damage during the 1596 Dutch-British sacking of the city, it was rebuilt in the 18th century. Beyond the restrained facade, its moody interior has a gilded 17th-century baroque main altarpiece, above which rise beautiful vaulted ceilings and arches.
Square
Plaza de Topete
About 250m northwest of the cathedral, this triangular plaza is one of Cádiz’ most intimate. Bright with flowers, it's usually talked about as Plaza de las Flores (Square of the Flowers). Beside is the revamped 1838 Mercado Central de Abastos, the oldest covered market in Spain (note the original pillars), now also a buzzing gastromarket.