Cádiz is a fascinating port city, the oldest inhabited city of Western Europe and one of the absolute highlights of the Costa de la Luz. Cádiz is perhaps a fairly unknown city for you but we would like to change that. Cádiz is really worth a visit and it’s also nice that it’s a unique destination. Are you wondering; what things to do in Cádiz? Then we definitely recommend you to continue reading!
Things to do in Cádiz; city, nature, architecture and beach
Things to do in Cádiz; there are plenty of things to do in Cádiz and there are various sights you can visit. Because Cádiz is a port city, you naturally also think of the port. But in the center there are many old buildings, fortifications and a large cathedral which are nice to visit. You can also visit various museums in Cádiz that vary from architecture to visual art. You also have large and well-known theaters in Cádiz, including a Roman theater which is the second largest Roman theater in the world. This theater has only been surpassed by a theater in of course, Rome. Probably nice to know is that you can visit the theater for free.
Habanita ‘Little Havana’
Because of its resemblance to Havana, the capital of Cuba and also the sister city of Cádiz, Cádiz is also called Habanita (Little Havana) or the ‘Havana of Europe’. This resemblance is mainly due to the Malecón, a world-famous boulevard in the Cuban capital that closely resembles the Malecón in Cádiz. For this reason, the James Bond film, Die Another Day, which took place in Havana, among other places, was partly recorded in Cádiz. Do you want to imagine yourself in Cuba? then you should definitely visit the Malecón.
The city that smiles
The best thing about Cádiz? If you ask us, that is the characteristic cheerfulness of the Gaditanos, the inhabitants of the city. Gaditanos are cheerful, satisfied and enjoy life to the fullest. Cádiz is ‘la ciudad que sonríe’, the city that smiles, something you experience everywhere in the old town. At Plaza de Mina, where people greet each other with kisses and hugs and start to sing flamenco spontaneously. Or on the promenade Duque de Nájera, where you really see everyone enjoying the nice sea breeze and the beautiful sunset in the evening. To see this for yourself is a great experience.
Playa de la Caleta
Cádiz has several beautiful beaches. The most atmospheric is without doubt Playa de la Caleta on the edge of the old town. The beach is located on a wide boulevard and overlooks the old harbor and two historic forts, Castillo de San Sebastián and Castillo de Santa Catalina. Behind the beach is the Barrio de la Viña, this is an old fishing district where you’ll find the famous and exquisite seafood restaurant El Faro.
Curious about the best beaches in Spain? Read our blog about the top 5 best beaches in Spain.
Catedral Nueva
One of the highlights of Cádiz is the Catedral Nueva from 1838 with its impressive towers and the beautiful golden dome. The cathedral was built over a period of 116 years and as a result a there’s a mix of the architectural styles baroque, rococo and neoclassical. At the spacious open square in front of the cathedral, the Plaza de la Catedral, there are all kinds of tapas bar and cozy terraces. Perfect to enjoy the sun while enjoying a snack and a drink.
Torre Tavira
Cádiz is known for the many Miradores (watchtowers) that were built on houses throughout the city in the 18th century. From the towers, merchants watched the arrival of ships from South America. The Torre Tavira is the highest (45m above sea level) and from here you have a beautiful view over the city and the harbor.
Parque Genovés
City park ‘Parque Genovés’ is the perfect place to go for a walk or cool down when it’s too hot. The park consists of many tall palms, beautifully pruned trees, fine springs and a special botanical garden. In the park there’s a café with a lovely large terrace, a playground and an open air theater where there are often concerts.
Plaza Topete
Because of the many flower stalls this square is also called Plaza de las Flores. Start your day here with café con leche and a newspaper, while the square and the adjacent central market come to life. Plaza Topete is also the place to get acquainted with the specialty of Cádiz: fresh fish from the Bay of Cádiz fried in olive oil.
Besides these nice places that you could visit during your stay in Cádiz. Cádiz is also a real party town with festivities throughout the year. The highlight of the year and the pride of the city is the Carnaval de Cádiz, one of the most famous and largest carnival celebrations in the world. For a week and a half there will be non-stop singing and dancing. The most important part of all festivities are the satirical singing groups that scoff at politicians and public figures. In 2019 this festival will take place from the 28th of February till the 10th of March. You’ll find the agenda here.
Things to do in Cádiz; thanks to this article you don’t have to worry about this anymore!