A Three Thousand Year Old City in Southern Spain (Cadiz)

Member Name: Praskipark

Product:	Cadiz
Date:	05/11/08 (200 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Wonderful climate, history, carnivals, friendly locals etc etc

Disadvantages: None

Cadiz, capital city of the province of the same name stands on a 10.58 km peninsula and has a population of approximately 157 thousand inhabitants. It is almost surrounded by water except for a narrow strip of land which connects the city to another island, San Fernando. Until the construction of the Carranza Bridge in 1969, this was the only land nexus to the rest of Europe. Cadiz is strategically placed between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The province enjoys 138 kilometres of white sandy beaches, dunes and transparent waters, while the capital has three beaches which joined make up almost ten kilometres.

It always been a city I have loved to visit over the years mainly because the city is so old, over three thousand years, the climate is Mediterranean and usually the sun shines for 300 days a year and it was always easy to travel to when I lived in the Algarve. It is a city with character as well as extreme beauty. Not only does it have numerous Baroque and Neo-Classial churches, rich historical buildings, magnificent parks, charming squares but it also has areas like the Bahia de Cadiz (Bay of Cadiz) with its salt beds bordered by settlements; dockyards and fisheries merged together to create a vast industrial zone. Shabby and scruffy some may say but to me even though it is a den of iniquity I love the seedy character of the bay.

The city of Cadiz is probably the oldest port in Europe. The Phoenicians founded their first trading post on the Iberian peninsula here - known as Gadir - around 1,000BC. As a port and centre for trade it was often targeted by pirates. During the Middle Ages, it was attacked by the Normans, and in the 16th century by the English fleet under Sir Francis Drake. After the conquest of the Americas, Cadiz served as a base and place of refuge for the Spanish fleet. Every autumn a convoy of ships sailed westward on the trade winds from Havana. After the port of Seville had silted up, Cadiz took over the virtual monoply on the Spanish-American trade in gold and silver; it remained the wealthiest port in Spain until 1778.

During the Spanish War of Independence, Napoleonic troops failed to take the port and in 1812 deputies from the National Assembly (Cortes) proclaimed the Constitution of Cadiz in the San Felipe Neri Church - a groundbreaking event as it was the blueprint of a liberal Spain under a constitutional monarchy. The city's status as capital of free Spain only lasted until 1814.

A City Divided in Two
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This bustling city can be split into two discrete halves: the old town squashed into the end of a 9km long peninsula and the modern city that has grown up away from the sea. If you enter the old town through the Puerta de Terra, part of the town's fortifications (17/18th century) the road to the right leads to the main square, Plaza de San Juan de Dios, while on the left is the coastal promenade. Right from the start Cadiz comes across as an unusual town. A salty white sheen covers the houses, its Baroque church architecture siting uneasy with the shabby harbour quarter. This is not a perfect city like Carcassonne in France or Dubrovnik in Croatia; it is jaded, quirky but teeming with character and culture.

The two cathedrals are very intersting and worth a visit. The Cathedral Vieja dates back from 1262 but it is now known as the Iglesia de Santa Cruz. It was rebuilt during the 17th century after its destruction at the hands of the Earl of Essex in 1596. Work on the Catedral Nueva, the last of the great Andalusian cathedrals, began in 1722. The striking gilded dome above the crossings looks impressive from afar, but it is in fact made from glazed yellow tiles. The cathedrals in Granada and Malaga are very similar and this must be where the architect abandoned the severity of the Renaissance building style in favour for a lighter touch. Inside the cathedral the nave is broken up by a huge choir with wonderful choir stalls. The treasury holds several precious pieces of silver and are very pleasing to the eye.

The convent of Santo Domingo and the San Felipe Neri church played an important role in the history of the city and the country respectively and there is a shrine to liberalism in the church, as it was here that the first Cortes was held in 1812. It is also worth seeing for Murillo's fine piece of art work- his painting of The Immaculate Conception (Immaculata). This can be seen at the high altar.

Opening Times :- Monday - Saturday 10am - 1pm)

Along the Waterfront
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If you follow the waterfront, you will come to the Castillo de Santa Catalina and the Parque de Genoves, and a little further on, the neo-classical Plaza de Mina, a beautiful shady square frequented by young people in the evening. There is a good range of tapas bars and cafes nearby so after a walk through the squares you can sit and relax with a glass of wine while you watch the young and old promenading, and listen to the constant chitter chatter of birds rustling amongst the palms.

Beside the plaza is the city's municipal museum Museo de Cadiz. As well as archaelogical finds relating to the history of Cadiz, mainly Roman and Phoenician findings it has an excellent collection of paintings including works by Zurbaran, Goya, Rubens and Murillo. Other places to visit are the Torre Tavira which is towards the centre of the city. It is a watch tower of an 18th century mansion and with its dark chamber where, by means of a set of mirrors and lenses, you can see the entire city of Cadiz from a bird's eye view.

If you wish to take avantage of one of the many traditional fish restaurannts then head for the Plaza de san Juan de Dios. A beautiful plamed square overlooked by the classical facade of the town hall. Alternatively there are some good shops in the pedestrian zone at the rear .

Rivalling its vast cultural offer are the leisure activities that take place within its fortified walls. The February Carnival in Cadiz is one of the oldest and best known carnivals to take place in Spain. This carnival constitutes an international tourist attraction, and, people from all over come to enjoy and participate in its costumes and popular and ingenious songs ( even Spaniards have a hard time understanding the comical lyrics). Fourty days after the carnival ends, in March or April, Holy Week takes place. This catholic celebration is a dramatic contrast to the pagan carnival. During Holy Week, thousands of gaditanos parade rich baroque images of the Virgin and Jesus through the streets accompanied by chamber music and the smell of flowers and frankincense. The carnation petal rain with which the Virgin La Palma is received is particularly striking. In May. the city transforms, once again, to recieve the Motorcylce Grand Prix which is held in the Jerez circuit.

Beyond the City
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Just 3 and a half kilometres out of Cadiz, the bridge spanning the bay of Cadiz leads to the north west and Puerto de Santa Maria. This is a typical southern Andalucian town and the main harbour for the export of the region's agricultural produce. A fun way to travel between Cadiz and Puerto de Santa Maria is by ferry. It is worth making a detour as this is a very pretty town with white washed houses and trailing oleander and bouganvilla everywehere. Don't forget to check out the the 13th century Castillo de San Marcos.

If you make it this far then you might as well add another 21 kilometres to your trip by taking in Sanlucar de Barrameda. It is attractively positioned at the mouth of the Rio Guadalquivir. Take a walk along Paseo de Clazada to the gently flowing river, lined by fish restaurants, and look across to the Coto de Donana nature reserve (ferry connection is available). Overlooking the roofs of the old town is the Gothic Castillo de Santiago, the former residence of the dukes of Medina Sidonia. A little lower down is a 14th century Mudejar church. While you are here don't miss the opportunity to sample the local sherry.

That's my tour of Cadiz over with but before I finish my review I will just mention a little about sherry and tapas - two culinary delights which will crop up all over Cadiz.

Sherry
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There are two basic types: the light fino and the darker, golden oloroso. Amontillado is a type of fino and Manzanilla which is the local brew in Sanlucar de Barrameda, is the finest of the finos. This old, light and very dry sherry has a pale, colour reminiscent of camomile tea, which is called manzanilla in Spanish. This has a delicate taste and I actually like it vey much. Classic sherry is always dry. Sweet sherries, which I don't like, are the result of blending.

Tapas
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Tapas are small, usually very tasty, portions of food that are sometimes served free with a drink. In Cadiz and the whole of Andalucia, these snacks have become real delicacies. Rinones al Jerez(kidneys in a sherry sauce), albondigas (meatballs) tortilla (potato omelette) and salpicon de mariscos (seafood salad) are classic tapas snacks you will encounter. Huevas (fish roe) is worth trying - not to be confused with huevos (eggs) in various guises. Other specialities include boquerones (marinated anchovies), small fresh fish such as scampi, pollo en salsa (chicken stew) and marinated goat's cheese (queso de cabra). A racion is a meal-sized serving of a tapa, while a media-racion is half a serving.

Summary
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In my opinion this three thousand years old city invites you to wander and relax through its beautiful narrow streets, finding along your way squares, small palaces and stately buildings. Its cathedral, Caleta Beach, typical barrios such as La Viña or Santa Maria are some of the places that make Cadiz not only the oldest city in the West, but also one of the most beautiful. The people of this area are some of the most colourful and kindest I have ever come across. Highly Recommended.

Summary: A City of Two Halves