Cadiz Tourist Information and Cadiz Holiday Guide

This page is all about the city of Cadiz on the Costa del Luz coast of Spain. It contains useful Cadiz tourist information for people intending to visit or holiday in Cadiz.

CADIZ TOURIST INFORMATION

In this tourist guide to the tourist city of Cadiz on the Costa de la Luz in Spain we help visitors who are planning a trip with useful and practical advice on many tourism related subjects such as car hire, accommodation, hotels, hostels, map, sightseeing, weather, where to go, where to stay, travel information and what to see and do in Cadiz.

To make the best of your visit and holiday we cover everything you need to know about Cadiz. We also have photos, picture galleries, views, videos and webcams of Cadiz.

The historic port of Cadiz itself is also the capital of the province of Cadiz.

The city of Cadiz is an important historic city and industrial port, with over 3,000 years of history it is the oldest city in the western world. Cadiz has the remains of over thirty castles as well as forts, city walls, cathedrals and monuments.

Cadiz is also an important art centre with masterpieces by El Greco, Murillo, ZurbarÃ¡n and Goya.

HISTORY OF CADIZ

The city of Cadiz was originally named Gadir by the Phoenicians who founded its trading post in 1100 BC. It later became a thriving Roman port and in the early 16th century was a launching point for journeys to the New World.

The old walled city of Cadiz is Moorish in appearance, with its narrow cobbled streets and cathedrals that loom above long rows of white houses.

The historic city of Cadiz is situated on the end of a narrow, rocky peninsular jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean. According to legend Cadiz was founded by Hercules, although in reality the Phoenicians first established a settlement here around 1100BC, making this one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe. The Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths and Moors all came and went, but it was not until the 18th century that Cadiz enjoyed its greatest period of wealth when it became an important centre for trade with the New World. Many of the town's fine neo-classical buildings were built during this time.

CADIZ CATHEDRAL

Cadiz Cathedral, also known as Catedral Nueva ("New Cathedral") was built in the 18th century in the High Baroque style. Today the town centre of Cadiz is dominated by the distinctive yellow dome of the Nueva Catedral. Construction of this Baroque-style cathedral was started in 1722 but funds soon started to run low and the building was not finally completed until 1853. The crypt contains the tomb of the great composer Manuel de Falla. Next to Falla's birthplace in the Plaza de la Mina is the Cadiz Museum. Arranged over three floors, the museum contains a fine collection of paintings including works by Zurbaran, Rubens and Murillo. There's also a display of ancient Roman, Greek and Phoenician artifacts that have been excavated in the province. Another important museum is the Museo de las Cortes de Cadiz, which traces the story of the town's unsuccessful attempt to establish a democratic constitution in 1812 while Spain was at war with France.

BEACHES IN CADIZ

The main beach in Cadiz, Playa de la Caleta, is situated next to the Barrio de la Vina district of the old town. It's particularly beautiful at night when the enormous dragon trees are floodlit. The beach was used as the location for one of the James Bond films in which Halle Berry emerges Ursula Andress-like from the sea. Playa de la Caleta can get very crowded in the high season, so the large Playa de la Victoria beach is a better option if you want to do a spot of sunbathing. Nightlife in the town is not particularly exciting; most of the action takes place within the bars and discos located near the harbour.

See the latest weather for Cadiz below:

Cádiz Weather

FIESTAS IN CADIZ

Cadiz is famous for its February carnival, regarded as one of the biggest and best on the Spanish mainland. Many of the locals spend months preparing their costumes for this 10-day extravaganza, which is marked by a series of parades, concerts, processions and fancy-dress competitions. The carnival attracts revelers from across Andalucia, so accommodation is usually booked up well in advance for this event.

GETTING TO CADIZ

Cadiz train station is at the Plaza de Sevilla just a short distance from the city's main square, Plaza San Juan de Dios. There are frequent trains to Seville, Jerez de la Frontera and the nearby town of El Puerto de Santa Maria.

The Amarillos bus company operates regular services to the resorts of Chipiona, Sanlucar and El Puerto from Avenida Ramon de Carranza, while Comes runs long-distance coaches to Seville, Algeciras, Granada and Cordoba from the bus station at Plaza de la Hispanidad.

For more advice and tourist information about Cadiz please see Cadiz.

MOVING TO CADIZ - LIVING IN CADIZ

Need help finding work? Read our guide on jobs: jobs in Spain for English.

If you have found this guide on Cadiz because you are thinking moving to the Cadiz area you may also find our move to Spain section with expat interviews and accounts of how they found their move to Cadiz Spain, useful and informative, as well as our live in Spain section which has more tips and advice.

OFFICIAL CADIZ TOURIST OFFICE

Cadiz Tourist Office, Plaza San Juan de Dios 11, Cadiz.
Telephone: 956 241 001.

CADIZ TOURIST INFORMATION VIDEO

As well as our Cadiz webcams showing pictures and images of Cadiz we also have an amazing video below showing the most famous sights, best attractions and notable landmarks in Cadiz.

8 MUST-DO TOURIST EXCURSIONS FROM CADIZ

If you are going to a holiday to Cadiz, here are some of our ideas for excursions so you make the most of your trip to the Costa de la Luz:

1. Trip to the glamourous tourist resort of Sotogrande known for its rich and famous residents and visitors. The place for designer shop and luxury yachts at the marina.
2. Granada to visit the Moorish Alhambra Palace or to ski!
3. Take a trip over the Mediterranean across to Morocco!
4. Daytrip to Sevilla
5. Daytrip to Cordoba
6. Visit the nearby city of Jerez de la Frontera
7. Visit the Rock of Gibraltar.
8. Go further down the Costa de la Luz coast to Tarifa where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic, famous for its winds which attracts windsurfers from all over the world.

Cadiz Tourist Information - Page Summary - This page contains unique content about the major city of Cadiz, a popular tourist destination on the Costa de la Luz coast of Spain.

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