Cadiz General Information
Cadiz, population 130,000, was founded by the Phoenicians approximately 1,100 years before Christ, and holds the distinction of being the oldest city in Europe. With three thousand years of history, Cadiz has experienced great changes. With the discovery of the Americas and colonial sea trade, the city flourished and during the 16th century became one of the richest cities in Europe. Due to the ancient history of the city the current monuments, buildings and museums are full of stories and depictions of the past. One of the main attractions of the city is the weather. With an average of 300 days of sunshine per year, Cadiz enjoys pleasant temperatures all-year round! The pleasant climate makes it possible to spend a lot of time with family and friends in the numerous terraces, cafes or at the beach.The people from Cadiz (“Gaditanos”) are friendly, kind, talkative, welcoming and love to have a laugh.
What to see and do
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Carnival of Cadiz
The Carnival of Cadiz is one of the best-known carnivals in Spain. It takes place in February each year during eleven days of fun and entertainment. The costume is the real king of the carnival, as it is almost obligatory to wear fancy dress. Music is another one of the components of the Carnival celebrations. Local people work hard throughout the year to develop their performances. Many will be competing at the city's Gran Teatro Falla. -
Social life
Cadiz has a vibrant social life. The seafront promenade and the perpendicular streets are full of cafes and bars to enjoy a pleasant afternoon. The Square Ingeniero La Cierva, the Chiringuitos (beach bars) and the bars and clubs near Plaza de San Francisco are other perfect places to socialize and make new friends. -
Other markets
During summer time, stands of clothing, jewels and craftwork are usually set up in the Cathedral Square and in the seafront promenade in the new part of the city. In Cadiz, there are as well many markets and open-air markets in Plaza de la Libertad, Avenida de la Bahia and Plaza de las Flores. -
Other museums
Cadiz has many other museums. Contemporary art lovers can opt for ECCO, GALERÍA BENOT and SALA RIVADAVIA . The Museum of the Cortes is a must-see place if you are passionate about history and if you want to learn more about the History of Cadiz in the XVIII and XIX centuries. Finally, the Interpretation Center “Prehistoric Cadiz” seeks to bring visitors closer to the reality of what was prehistoric Cadiz. -
Museum of Cadiz
The museum hosts a collection including works that goes from the Gothic period through to the 20th Century. It has many works from the Seville school of the 17th Century (the Golden Age of Sevillian painting), with artists including Murillo, Zurbarán, Francisco de Herrera and Valdés Leal.
How to arrive
With some of Spain’s best beaches, Cadiz – the oldest city in Europe - is definitely worth a visit and is very well-connected by bus and by train.
Most buses operate from the Plaza de la Hispanidad, next to the train station. There are regular daily buses to and from cities such as Seville, Jerez, Malaga and Ronda. There is also a bus to Madrid which takes 8 hours.
The train station is just off the Plaza de Sevilla, next to the bus station. There are trains running daily to and from Jerez de la Frontera, Cordoba, Madrid, Seville and Barcelona.
The nearest international airport is in Jerez de la Frontera, 49 kilometers from Cadiz. The main origin / destination countries, apart from Spain, are Germany and the United Kingdom. There are more and more international flights. The airport has regular flights to cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, London, Munich, Berlin, Brussels, Frankfurt and Amsterdam. From there, you can take a taxi to Cadiz. There are also frequent trains and buses from Jerez to Cadiz. Other close international airports include Seville and Malaga. To come to Cadiz from these airports, you can choose between taking a bus and getting a train or a taxi.