Cádiz in 1 Day: all you need to know

Cadiz has many attractions to offer, and many of them require a trip outside the city, so touring the Cadiz coast in one day can be very difficult. However , with a proper travel plan and an intensive itinerary , you can visit some of the main sites in just 24 hours.

Among the best things to see and do in Cádiz on a day trip, you can walk through the old town to see the Cathedral, take in the panoramic view of the city from the Tavira Tower, have lunch at the Central Market, lose yourself in the Santa Bárbara coastal circuit, and watch the Cádiz sunset on a boat trip around the Bay of Cádiz.

Cadiz is one of the oldest cities in Europe and the old town is representative of the Cadiz coast, as it is home to some of the main landmarks of Andalusia. The first stop will be at Plaza de San Antonio, the epicentre of the old town and also the most visited place at Christmas. If you plan to visit Cadiz in December, you will see that this is where the market and the giant Christmas tree are located.

In the areas near Plaza de San Antonio, you will also find some of the best restaurants and bars in the city. From there, you will continue to the next stop, Cadiz Cathedral, located seven streets away, which you can reach in a 10-minute walk.

The Cathedral will catch your attention with its mixture of styles that converge on the façade and interior, giving an indication of the importance of Cadiz during the Muslim invasion and the subsequent Spanish reconquest.

In the Cathedral , you can also visit the Cathedral Museum, which houses religious ornaments, Renaissance frescoes and sculptures from the golden age of Cadiz. You can also climb the Clock Tower, the bell tower of the building, which is the tallest structure in the city at 58 metres and from where you can enjoy a panoramic view of Cadiz.

If you wish, you can also take a guided tour of Cadiz Cathedral and its surroundings to see the Plaza de España, the Plaza Mayor and the Roman Theatre, which is one of the main attractions of the old town.

Useful information

• Price... Admission to the Cathedral and the Clock Tower costs approximately £6 per person.
• Opening hours**...** Open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day.
• Location**...** Plaza de la Catedral s/n, Cádiz.

El Pópulo is the oldest part of Cádiz and home to the Tavira Tower, which is the second tallest building in the city after the Clock Tower. It is also the most visited spot for panoramic views of Cádiz , as it offers a 360° view and is located directly opposite the coast. Tavira is only four streets away from the Cathedral, so you can get there in a 5-minute walk.

In the Tavira Tower , you can also access the camera obscura, a periscope in which you can observe a live, moving projection of everything that is happening outside, thanks to an optical effect that makes objects located kilometres away appear close by.

The Tavira camera obscura is also famous because it was the first in Spain and because it is one of the few that is still operational in Andalusia.

Bear in mind that if you want to climb to the top of the Tavira Tower to enjoy the panoramic view and visit the camera obscura , you will have to climb a narrow staircase with 173 steps, which may be uncomfortable if you are planning to visit Cadiz with people with reduced mobility.

Useful information

• Price... Admission to the Tavira Tower costs approximately £7 per person.
• Opening hours**...** Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day.
• Location... Calle Marqués del Real Tesoro 10, Cádiz.

After seeing the city from above, I suggest stopping for lunch at the Central Market of Cádiz, which is just one street away from the Tavira Tower. At this market, you can visit the stalls selling vegetables, fruit, fish, meat and cold cuts and mingle with the locals where the people of Cádiz do their daily shopping.

You can also have lunch at the food stalls inside the market, in the beach bars that overlook the street and offer tapas, fresh fish, pastries, bread and hot drinks. There you can take a break and relax before continuing with your tour. If you plan to visit Cadiz in winter, you can also make the most of the market to shelter from the cold.

Once you have finished your lunch at the Central Market in Cadiz , you can head towards the Cadiz coast , passing through the fishing district of La Viña, which is one of the most colourful in the city with its small houses and winding streets.

Useful information

• Price**...** Admission to the Cádiz Market is free.
• Opening hours**...** Open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and from 8 p.m. to midnight.
• Location**...** Plaza de la Libertad s/n, Cádiz.

Genovés Park, located on the coast and very close to Punta de la Candelaria, is one of the most representative sites in Cadiz and the largest green space in the old town. Here you will find a large number of local shrubs, trees and flowers, as well as monuments, palm trees, a grotto with a pond inhabited by ducks and a children's play area, making it an ideal place to visit if you are planning to explore Cadiz with children.

The grotto area also includes a waterfall surrounded by dinosaur sculptures, where you can take some of the best photographs of Cadiz, especially from the side overlooking the bay. Genovés Park also has a shop selling food and drinks and a concrete skating rink.

Behind Genovés Park, you can access the Santa Bárbara Viewpoint, located on the coastal promenade of the same name, from which you can enjoy a wide view of the bay, especially on clear days if you plan to visit Cádiz in summer

In the park area, you can also visit Plaza Mentidero, which is surrounded by bars and restaurants, and the Jardines del Paseo de Carlos III gardens. As you will see, the old town of Cádiz is a place to explore on foot, as the attractions are very close to each other.

Useful information

• Price**...** Admission to the park is free.
• Opening hours**...** The park is open every day from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Where... Av. Dr. Gómez Ulla s/n, Cádiz.

The next stop on the tour includes a visit to La Caleta Beach, one of the most famous beaches in the city, located in an area close to the old town. La Caleta is also a favourite among visitors, so if you plan to visit Cádiz during the high season, you will find it crowded with tourists. However, it is a very long beach, so you can walk along it and even set up a parasol.

If you want to visit Cádiz in August or during the summer, you can take a dip in the warm, crystal-clear waters of the beach. Otherwise, you can take a walk along the Cádiz coast and then continue your itinerary at the Castle of Santa Catalina or go on a bike ride to explore the beaches in the south of the city.

After exploring La Caleta, you can visit Santa Catalina Castle, located next to the beach. There you can take a tour to see the parade ground, the sentry boxes, the defensive towers of the walled fortress, the rampart walk and the esplanade from which you can contemplate the Cadiz coastline.

The guided tour of Santa Catalina Castle lasts approximately one hour, making it ideal if you are planning a short stay in the city, as in this case, since it will not take up too much time for the rest of your excursions.

Details of interest

• Price... Admission to Santa Catalina Castle costs approximately £8 per person.
• Opening hours**...** Open every day from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Where... Calle Campo de las Balas s/n, Cádiz.

If you are planning to visit Cádiz in January or during the colder months and you don't plan on taking a dip in La Caleta, you can explore the beach and Santa Catalina Castle and then make the most of your visit to the Cádiz coast by taking a bike ride along the Santa María del Mar promenades.

Santa María del Mar is one of the beaches on the way south from Cadiz, located in the bay opposite the Puente de la Constitución bridge. It is also one of the most beautiful beaches in the city, with white sand and paths for cycling around the area.

These excursions usually start at the Roman ruins of La Tacita de Plata, which you can reach from Santa Catalina Castle on bus line 2 or the Cádiz hop-on hop-off tourist bus. During these tours, you will also see the new part of the city and Playa de la Constitución beach.

Details of interest

• Price... Approximately £35 per person, including the services of a local guide, the bicycle and the safety equipment required for cycling.
• Duration**...** Approximately 1 hour and a half.

Watching the sunset in Cádiz, one of the most beautiful and clearest in Spain, is one of the best things to do in the city, and experiencing it from the water on a boat trip is the best way to do so. These excursions depart from El Puerto de Santa María, 20 kilometres north of the old town, an area you can reach by taxi or on the M-040 bus line.

During these excursions, you can sail for approximately 2 hours around the Bay of Cádiz and pass under the Carranza and Constitución bridges. If you take the tour during the summer, the boat trip will also include a stop for swimming and water sports such as paddle surfing and snorkelling, although the best part comes at the end of the tour, when you can watch the sunset over the Cádiz horizon.

These trips are also suitable if you plan to visit Cadiz with children, as the boats usually include inflatable games and children's activities to keep the little ones entertained during the trip.

Towards the end of the trip, the boat will return to El Puerto de Santa María, and from there you can take a taxi or the M-040, M-060, M-961 or M-0967 bus lines back to the old town of Cádiz to end your intensive 24-hour tour of the Cádiz coast with dinner at one of the restaurants in Plaza de Mina.

Details of interest

• Price... Approximately £35 per person, including the trip, the stop for swimming and water sports equipment.
• Duration**...** Approximately 2 hours.

Plaza de Mina is located in one of the most picturesque areas of the old town, near the Clara Campoamor Gardens and surrounded by some of Cadiz's most characteristic restaurants, making it one of the best ways to end a day's tour of the city by dining at one of the nearby establishments.

If you prefer tapas , you can choose the Balandro restaurant, located near the coast in Caletilla de Rota, or the Taberna de Anteojo, which is one street further south. If you fancy meat, empanadas or fish, you can choose La Marmita de Buenos Aires, Casa Lazo or Mesón Casa Antonio, and if you're in the mood for a signature dish , I recommend La Curiosidad de Mario Barreiro.

At all these restaurants, you can enjoy the cuisine of Cadiz, which is known for its seafood in summer and soups and stews in winter, but will surprise you at any time of year.