Cadiz - Western Europe's Oldest City

In the 15th century, the city was experiencing a true boom due to the development of modern navigation techniques at the time, as well as the mastery of the production of shipbuilding tools.

Stąd Krzysztof Kolumb wyruszył na swoją drugą (1493r.) i czwartą (1502 r.) wyprawę do Nowego Świata…

Kadyks wielokrotnie był celem szturmów piratów, a także wojsk brytyjskich podczas wojen osiemdziesięcioletniej & angielsko-hiszpańskiej (1587-1604). Na przemian niszczony i odbudowywany, a jednymi z bardziej krytycznych momentów były „Angielski atak na Kadyks” w 1587 r, i powtórzony „Atak na Kadyks” z 1596 r.,  kiedy to spodziewając się wielkich łupów flota angielska pod dowództwem hr. Essexa, przyczyniła się do ogromnych zniszczeń portu, miasta, i zacumowanej tu floty hiszpańskiej. Hiszpanie, by nie oddać galeonów w ręce wroga, spalili je, w rezultacie doprowadzając do bankructwa królestwa Kastylii i przerwania na dłuższy czas komunikacji morskiej.

In the 18th century, the city once again experienced a great boom through the renewed, dynamic development of maritime international trade. In the following years, the city became a symbol of democracy:

 W 1812 roku podpisana została pierwsza liberalna konstytucja Hiszpanii…

Sightseeing tour of Cadiz

The entrance to the city itself is already a breathtaking experience, as it can only be reached by three road bridges. However, the most characteristic building in the city is the 18th century Catedral de Santa Cruz, whose dome is covered with azulejos (ceramic tiles) in gold. This building is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the most valuable monuments in Spain.

The residents of Cádiz, known as "Los gaditanos" (from the ancient name of the city, Gadir), refer to the cathedral as "Catedral Nueva" - the new cathedral. The old cathedral is the "Catedral Vieja", the 13th century cathedral, Iglesia de Santa Cruz.

Zwiedzając Kadyks nie może zabraknąć flamenco – Barrio de Santa María, uważana za kolebkę śpiewu flamenco. Tu urodzili się i tworzyli wielcy hiszpańscy śpiewacy tego gatunku: Luisa Butrón, Enrique El Mellizo, Curro Dulce, Paquirri el Guanté, Enrique El Mono, czy Antonio Chico Mellizo. Współcześnie z Kadyksem i samą dzielnicą związany jest artysta José Luis Figuereo Franc, znany publiczności pod nazwą El Barrio. Artysta urodził się w Kadyksie, a jego andaluzyjski temperament ściąga koncerty tysiące fanów – byłam, widziałam, nogą tupałam… 😉

Dzielnica rozciąga się od Puertas de Tierra do placu San Juan de Dios & El barrio del Pópulo – najstarszej i moim zdaniem najładniejszej dzielnicy miasta. Niektórzy mówią, że droga w El barrio del Pópulo powinna być zrobiona ze szkła aby móc oglądać bogactwa schowane kilka metrów pod nią – najstarsze fenickie osady na kontynencie europejskim.

Stara część miasta otoczona była niegdyś murami, które z różną skutecznością chroniły miasto przed najeźdźcami. Prawdziwym symbolem i pozostałością po nich są Puertas de la Tierra, które wraz z zamkami Castillo de San Sebastián & Castillo de Santa Catalina, tworzyły elementy potężnej fortyfikacji.

A great attraction is the Torre Tavira, located in the center of the old town. It is built into the Palacio de los Marqueses de Recaño complex and is the tallest (45 meters above sea level) of the 129 preserved towers in Cádiz. From the top, there is a stunning panoramic view of the entire city, the cathedral, and the coast. At the top of the tower, in a special room, you can look through the camera obscura. This is a very interesting experience, as similar devices were used to patrol the coast in the 18th century. Here we have two options for visiting: a "right away" entrance ticket - without looking through the camera obscura, or purchasing a ticket for a specific time along with the possibility of admiring the views through the device.

There are many ways to visit Cádiz. You can download  a map of the city from the link below and choose a thematic route that interests you. Each one is interesting and offers a lot of experiences.

If you want to relax on the coast, you have three main beaches to choose from: Playa de la Victoria, Playa de Santa María del Mar, and, in my opinion, the most interesting beach with a historical background, La Caleta. You can imagine the sight of Carthaginian, Phoenician, and Roman ships moored there. The sunset views are hypnotizing, especially since the impressive Art Nouveau building from the 1920s, Balneario de Nuestra Señora de la Palma Real, is located nearby. It used to be a SPA, and today it houses the Underwater Archaeology Centre. From the beach, you can admire the Castillo de San Sebastián fortress, which is said to have been the site of a temple to Kronos.

Cádiz is famous for its lively carnival celebrations, which have been inscribed on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Spain. This is a holiday of fun, jokes, dressing up in original costumes, fireworks displays, performances, concerts, parades, balls, and ... criticism. Numerous musical groups, always in outrageous costumes, sing their "chirigotas", satirical songs that deal with the hardships of everyday life or criticize the faults of the ruling class. The culmination is the election of the ball queen, the "diosa del carnaval", and a party in the open air, which is attended by revelers from all over the world. This is a unique opportunity to experience the atmosphere of Cádiz.

007 in Cadiz

Do you remember the scene in the 2002 movie "Die Another Day" starring Pierce Brosnan as Agent 007, when Halle Berry comes out of the ocean in an orange bikini? That scene was filmed on La Caleta beach, which stood in for Havana, Cuba.

Historic Cadiz, what's there to see?

• Catedral Nuevadating from the 18th to the 19th century. - inside is the tomb of Manuel de Falla (the famous Spanish composer) and a museum
• - is where the Cortes met to sign the first liberal constitution in Europe in 1812. Inside is a painting of the Immaculate Conception by Murillo.
• The 18th-century Oratorio de la Santa Cueva church is home to three frescoes painted by Francisco Goya.
• The walls from the 17th century with the Puerta de Tierra gatedecorated with the coat of arms of Castile. At the sides of the gate, the figures of the town's patron saints, St Servandus and St Germanus, can be seen on columns.
• Gran Teatro Falla - a building from the 19th century that is becoming one of the main venues for Carnival celebrations. This is where the competition of musical groups called COAC (Concurso Oficial de Agrupaciones Carnavalescas) takes place.
• Plaza de San Juan de Dios 
• Teatro Romano - ruins of an old Roman theatre
• El Parque Genovés - beautiful park overlooking the ocean

Galleries and museums worth a look 

• Yacimiento Arqueologico Gadir - excellent museum showing Phoenician remains 
• Muzeum miejskie Museo de Cadiz - the ground floor is occupied by an exhibition on the history of the city, while the upper floors house a gallery of paintings by Rubens, Murill and Zurbarán, among others
• Museo Historico Municipal de San Fernando - It houses, among other things, Phoenician sarcophagi, and the most important painting gallery in Andalusia after Seville

What to eat

Obowiązkowo trzeba spróbować smażonych na oliwie ryb i owoców morza, takich jak: adobo, acedías, ortiguillas, mojarra, chocos, marrajo, morenas, molla, anguila… lub omletu z krewetkami. Warto rozejrzeć się za dobrym jedzeniem na ulicach Sopranis i Plocía gdzie możemy znaleźć bary, restauracje i bodegi, na każdą kieszeń, oferujące wspaniałe lokalne przysmaki. Przy okazji warto wstąpić do 
 położonego w samym centrum, oferuje świeże, lokalne produkty, a także można zjeść coś w porze obiadowej.

Other interesting:

• Resteurante Marisqueria Las Flores
• Restaurante El Faro
• Café bar El Palillo
• El Mesón de la Posadilla

A very popular dish is the tartare of red tuna caught using a technique - almadraba - which is practised in the Strait of Gibraltar from April to late July/early August during the migration of these fish.

A wine from the Jerez winery is also a must-try. The sweet Pedro Ximénez Muscat will remind you of the 3,000-year-old Andalusian wine tradition.

Cadiz for water sports lovers

• Playa de Santa Maria del Mar - is one of the surfers' favourite beaches
• Playa La Victoria - when the wind picks up, kite surfers flock to the beach.

How to get there?

• The nearest airports are in Seville or Malaga
• If you're traveling by camper van, the best place to stay is the parking lot near the port (marked in blue on the map below). It's located close to the city center and is very safe. 220V power is available in the parking lot toilet (it sounds strange, but it's a valuable tip for campers ;)).

Map with the most interesting sites in Cadiz