Is Cadiz Spain’s hidden gem?
I was truly enamored with Cadiz (Cádiz) in the couple of weeks that I spent there – so impressed with the architecture, beaches, food, parks, and the warm welcome. With few tourists visible, I asked myself whether Cadiz was Spain’s hidden gem?
A brief history of Cadiz.
Founded by the Phoenicians as a trading post, Cadiz is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe. Hannibal had Cadiz as his starting point when he famously journeyed from Iberia, across the Pyrenees and the Alps, to attack the Romans; the Romans later returning the “gift” by taking Cadiz in their invasion of the Iberian peninsula, and bringing with it prosperity and public order. The Byzantines, Moors, and Visigoths each claimed the city after the removal of the Romans, until the reconquest in the 13th Century and the subsequent arrival of King Alfonso X. It was from here that Christopher Columbus sailed on his second and fourth voyage. What then followed were centuries of attacks from various outside forces – most notably by the British and the Dutch. Cadiz was also important during the Spanish Civil War, as a support base for the Republican side.
The volatile history of invasions and the city’s strong dependence on its port for commerce has resulted in a rich cultural heritage that is most apparent in its architecture and cuisine. It has also influenced the city’s style of music – African, Arab, and European influences have fused to create the unique style of “cante flamenco”.
Today, Cadiz is a working city. It doesn’t need to promote itself to foreign tourists because it creates its own wealth and receives a huge number of Spanish tourists in the summer months. The only visible example of a tourist invasion is the cruise-ship industry that drops significant numbers of tourists off a few times a day, to go souvenir shopping for an hour or two, before returning on deck. If you yearn for an authentic Spanish city with relatively few tourists, Cadiz ticks all of the boxes.
What to see in Cadiz?
Because it is located on a peninsula, the most obvious choice of activity is to walk the coastline and visit the beaches. Cadiz is a very walkable city. The most popular beach is Playa La Caleta, a beautiful stretch of sand just minutes from the center of the city. From here, it’s a short walk to the Castle of Santa Catalina and San Sebastian Castle.
Other Cadiz highlights worth noting:
- Catedral de Cádiz. The Cathedral of Cadiz boasts Baroque, Neoclassical and Rococo architectural styles – you can climb its (steep) bell-tower for fantastic views of the city and ocean.
- Cadiz Museum. Housed in a Franciscan convent and modern building, the Cadiz Museum showcases Spanish collections from the 17th Century. It also contains Roman and Phoenician artifacts, as well as traditional puppet exhibits. Even if you are not so keen on spending time in the museum, it is worth passing by to view the spectacular facades of its buildings. More info: https://www.museosdeandalucia.es/web/museodecadiz
- Torre Tavira. The 18th-Century Tavira Tower is another Cadiz landmark that is easy to reach because of the condensed nature of the city. The top of the tower is the highest point in the old part of the city, and there is a terrace at the top where you can enjoy spectacular views. It’s here that you can also experience the fascinating Camera Obscura. More info: https://torretavira.com/en/what-is-a-camera-obscura/
- Parque Genovés. Park Genoves is an incredible green space in Cadiz. It is trapezoidal in shape and a green-oasis of topiary. There is fountain that you can walk under (which I wasn’t so blown away by) and the manicured bushes and trees, together with the black and white floor tiling, are so striking as you walk with the ocean to the left of you. I highly recommend stopping by Cafe Bar El Parque for something to eat and drink.
As I earlier mentioned, Cadiz is a very walkable city and you can easily visit all of the main sites in two days. The center of the city is made up of a maze of narrow streets, dotted with accommodation options, bars, shops, squares, and restaurants. It is here in Cadiz where I urge you to frequent what appear to be the dive bars because they are the ones most frequented by the locals and the ones that invariably offer the best value-for-money experience.
Places that I recommend.
Accommodation
There are many value-for-money accommodation options in Cadiz. Compared to Seville, where almost every place is a family-run establishment, accommodation in Cadiz has a more commercial bent – this means that it is less likely that you will be staying in a pension or hotel run by a whole family, but more likely that you will be in a place where there is an individual entrepreneur owner. At least this is the perception that I had, and I have stayed in five different pensions in the city.
My hands-down favorite accommodation in Cadiz is Apodaca Rooms, C. Antonio López, 10. I stayed here twice – once having an ensuite room and the second time having a room with a shared bathroom. Both rooms were immaculately clean, with tasteful furnishings and a balcony, and the owner was very approachable. The location is also excellent because while it is central, it is also a few blocks away from the busier streets and away from the background noise of the city. The prices are also very reasonable and both times I had a strong WIFI and cellular signal. You can also rent a bicycle for free from the property, but I stuck to walking because everything is within walking distance. Apodaca Rooms’ website: http://www.apodacarooms.com/
Food
I wasn’t that impressed with the Central Market – compared to other city markets, such as Valencia, I though it was too small and lacking in variety – but where it did excel was in its offerings of fresh, ready-to-eat seafood. Cadiz is a seafood foodies paradise. You will pay slightly more at Mercado Central de Abastos de Cádiz, but you should also be guaranteed freshness of ingredients.
According to one local whom I spoke with, the most popular local food in Cadiz is pescaíto frito (little fried fish). Personally, I prefer to experience the natural taste of smaller fish and without the inclusion of whatever oil it has been prepared in. For this reason, I often gorged on shucked oysters – freshly-caught oysters, with their virgin taste adulterated only by the squeeze of a wedge of fresh lemon.
When I had eventually gotten bored of Oysters from the Central Market, I began frequenting Bar – Cerveceria Europa for their coffee, raciones, and tapas. It’s run by two brothers and is a popular place among the locals. Here they specialize in fried fish, but not exclusively of the tiny variety, and I can personally recommend the Cazón en adobo (marinated, fried dogfish). The added bonus of this establishment is that it is so close to the Central Market and other central sites. The bar does look grungy from outside, but it’s all finger-licking goodness inside.
Final thoughts.
Cadiz is a true diamond-in-the-rough destination, with world-class seafood and friendly locals who aren’t subjected to a foreign-tourist invasion. I didn’t meet one person who displayed symptoms of being jaded by visitors to their city. The only noticeable tourist presence are the cruise-liner day-trippers, but even they only spend an hour or two on shore and appeared too preoccupied with the areas that their tour guide had designated for them to visit.
Come for the architecture, beaches, food, the history, the locals, perfectly-manicured green spaces, and come for a peninsular slice of Spain that very much feels like a step back in time.
Have a wonderful time in Cadiz!
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