Cadiz

Founded around 3,000 years ago by the Phoenicians, Cadiz is the oldest city in the West.

Discover Cadiz

Discover the best of Andalusia, the attractions and things to do during your visit. Cádiz, the sea, its people, its bay, its history and its will to live. The province of Cádiz is very diverse, with areas well worth visiting, from the countryside of Jerez de la Frontera to the villages of Campo de Gibraltar or a visit to the white villages and rest somewhere on the coast between Tarifa and Sanlúcar de Barrameda. And let's not forget its capital, which retains within its walls the culture and traditions that make it and its people so different. Cádiz is an ideal holiday destination.

Location

This is the southernmost province on the Iberian Peninsula, just 14 kilometres from the African continent. The province is bordered to the north by the provinces of Seville and Huelva, to the east by the province of Málaga, to the south-west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south-east by the Mediterranean Sea and to the south by the Straits of Gibraltar and the British colony of Gibraltar.

History

The Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans populated this province, leaving us important evidence of their presence all along the Cádiz coast. On the other hand, a series of historical milestones allow us to verify the close links between Cádiz and the rest of the peninsula: In the year 711, the Visigothic defeat on the River Guadalete allowed the Muslims to conquer these lands, changing the course of history; on three occasions during his voyages to the new continent, Christopher Columbus' ships set sail from here and arrived in its ports, transforming them over time into meeting points for the cultural currents between Andalusia and America; Finally, it is worth noting that in 1812 the first Spanish Constitution was drafted in Cadiz, making the city the nation's capital for three years.

Landscape

Its 260 kilometres of Atlantic coastline are characterised by long, fine sandy beaches, many of which have not yet been developed or are heavily exploited for tourism. The entire coastline forms part of the Costa de la Luz. We can find urban beaches of excellent quality such as La Victoria in the capital Cadiz or La Barrosa in Chiclana, to pristine beaches such as Levante in El Puerto; Los Caños de Meca and Zahora in the municipality of Barbate, Bolonia in Tarifa and El Palmar in Vejer. Inland, the wineries of Jerez or the Route of the White Villages and the Bull Route are worth mentioning.