Greg

Has anyone spent a day or two in Cádiz?I've <BR>been to the other popular cities, and it <BR>seems Cádiz is a bit off the tourist circuit <BR>and has good beaches. Thanks, Gp

Bishop

Cadiz could mean the provence or the city. The city of Cadiz is about 3,ooo years old and is one of the oldest cities in Europe. It is a wonderful place to wonder around, look in the many shops and the varied architecture is great for pictures. The Spanish iron doorways are very beautiful and it is fun to look through some of these into some really beautiful courtyards. <BR>You could spend several days scouting around the provence of Cadiz. Many interesting towns in the mountains and the coastal towns are gems! Enjoy this area as I have for many years.

bo_jack

Yes. My wife and I (Americans) have been in Cadiz twice -- went back the second time because we enjoyed the first so much. (However, having twice driven through the outskirts of Sevilla - which most people rave about - we have yet to stop. So, our tastes may be a little off-normal. Cadiz, in the old part, is a very attractive city -- compact and good for walking. We stayed at the Parador Hotel Atlantico, which is a relatively modern hotel -- not a historic structure. It has an very good breakfast spread; and -- depending on the chef -- can have excellent seafood in the restaurant at night. It is in a very good location at the tip end of the peninsular and seems to be a center for local social life. There is a nice, small museum (free admission, I believe) which has a good model of the ancient city and is worth seeing. Also, near the hotel is a relatively large theater with frequent musical or stage performances. There is a fairly good flea market on Sundays. Traffic is quite manageable in Cadiz, and Cadiz is a good base point for visiting Jerez, Arcos or Gibraltar. Cadiz is not a city to see "great" sights, but it is an excellent place to relax and enjoy a mix of cultures -- Spanish, North African and English influences seem to predominate. We are not "beach" people -- so I cannot speak for them; but the Bay of Cadiz is an extremely attractive seaport area.

frankR

The sea at the beach at the old town isn't very clean, but a 5 min bus trip will take you to a good beach.(see rough guide for bus number etc.)Try a visit to the Torre Tavira, at the centre of the old town, it has a wonderful old camera obscura.It is not as swamped with tourists as it should be - it's position <BR> means it's not on the route to anywhere else.The are also some nice little fishing towns/villages on the coast to the NW.I'm going back in April!

Joyce

I spent 6 weeks in Rota Spain which is across the bay from Cadiz, and visited Cadiz about 4 times. Very few people speak English, so it helps to know some Spanish. On my first trip, we wandered through the maze of streets and got hopelessly lost; a local woman finally led us out, as we would never have found our way on our own. So, on my second visit I kept to the perimeter and had a very enjoyable walk and day. The seafood in that part of Spain is fantastic, along with their Garlic Chicken. I'd highly recommend eating the menu of the day; you'll get more than twice the food you could possible eat (and that way drinks are free, too!) at about one-third the price. Although I enjoyed Cadiz, I think Savilla has a lot more to offer, and my favorite place was Granada. If you are interested in beaches, Rota is a good choice. <BR> <BR>Feel free to email me for more info.