Cádiz in 1 Day: all you need to know

Cadiz has many attractions to offer and many of them require a transfer to the outskirts of the city, so touring the Cadiz coast in a day can be very difficult, although with the right travel plan and an intensive tour you can visit some of the main sites in as little as 24 hours.

Among the best things to see and do in Cadiz on a day trip you can walk around 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 Barbara coastal circuit and watch the Cadiz sunset on a boat trip in the Bay of Cadiz.

Cadiz is one of the oldest cities in Europe and the old town is a representative place of the coast of Cadiz, because some of the main points of Andalusia are located there. The first stop will be the Plaza de San Antonio, the epicentre of the old town and also the most visited place at Christmas time, because if you plan to visit Cádiz in December you will see that the flea market and the giant tree are located there.

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

The Cathedral will catch your eye because of the mixture of styles that converge on the façade and inside, which gives a hint of the importance of Cádiz 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 Cadiz's golden age, and also climb the Clock Tower, the building's bell tower, which is the tallest building in the city at 58 metres and from where you can get a panoramic view of Cadiz.

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

Interesting details

• Price... Entrance to the Cathedral and the Clock Tower has an initial cost of approximately 6 euros per person.
• Opening hours... Open from 10.00 to 20.00 daily.
• Location... Plaza de la Catedral s/n, Cádiz.

El Pópulo is the oldest part of Cádiz and is home to the Tavira Tower, which after the Clock Tower is the tallest building in the city, but is also the most visited for panoramic views of Cádiz because it offers a 360° view and faces the coast. Tavira is only four streets away from the Cathedral, so you can reach it 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 and moving projection of everything that happens outside, thanks to an optical effect that makes objects located kilometres away seem close.

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

Please note that if you want to climb to the top of the Tavira Tower to access the panoramic view and the camera obscura you will have to climb a short staircase of 173 steps, which can be an uncomfortable alternative if you plan to visit Cádiz with people with reduced mobility.

Interesting details

• Price... Entrance to the Tavira Tower has an initial cost of approximately 7 euros per person.
• Opening hours... Open from 10.00 to 18.00 every day.
• Location... Calle Marqués del Real Tesoro 10, Cádiz.

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

You can also have lunch at the food stalls inside the market in the chiringuitos (stalls) overlooking the street, which offer tapas, fresh fish, pastries, baked goods and hot drinks. There you can take a break and relax before continuing your tour. If you plan to visit Cádiz in winter, you can also make the most of the market to take shelter from the cold.

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

Interesting details

• Price... Admission to the Mercado de Cádiz is free.
• Opening hours... Open Monday to Saturday from 9.00 to 16.00 and from 20.00 to 00.00.
• Location... Plaza de la Libertad s/n, Cádiz.

Genoves Park, located on the coast and very close to the Punta de la Candelaria, is one of the most representative places in Cadiz and the largest green lung in the old part of the city. Here you can find a large number of shrubs, trees and local 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 plan if you are planning to visit Cádiz with children.

The grotto area also includes a waterfall surrounded by dinosaur sculptures, so you can take some of the best pictures of Cádiz, especially from the profile overlooking the bay of Cádiz. The Parque Genovés also includes a food and beverage outlet and a concrete skating rink.

Behind the Parque Genovés you can access the Mirador de Santa Bárbara, located on the coastal promenade of the same name, from which you can get 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 the Plaza Mentidero, which is surrounded by bars and restaurants, and the Jardines del Paseo de Carlos III. As you can see, the old town of Cádiz is a place to walk around as the attractions are all within walking distance of each other.

Interesting details

• Price... Admission to the park is free.
• Opening hours... The park is open every day from 8.00 am to 9.00 pm.
• Where... Av. Dr. Gómez Ulla s/n, Cádiz.

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

If you want to visit Cádiz in August or during the summer you can take a swim in the warm, crystal clear waters of the beach, otherwise you can take a walk along the coast of Cádiz and then continue the itinerary through the Castle of Santa Catalina or take a bike tour to explore the beaches south of the city.

After touring La Caleta you can visit the Castle of Santa Catalina which is located next to the beach. There you can take a tour of the parade ground, the sentry boxes, the defensive towers of the walled fortress, the promenade and the esplanade from which you can look out over the coast of Cádiz.

The guided tour of Santa Catalina Castle lasts approximately one hour, so it is ideal if you are planning a short stay in the city, as in this case, as you will not be delayed for the rest of the excursions.

Interesting details

• Price... Entrance to Santa Catalina Castle has an initial cost of approximately 8 euros per person.
• Opening hours... Open daily from 11.00 am to 8.00 pm.
• Where... Calle Campo de las Balas s/n, Cádiz.

If you are planning to visit Cadiz in January or during the colder months and you are not planning to go swimming in La Caleta you can visit the beach and the Castle of Santa Catalina and then make the most of your visit to the coast of Cadiz by taking a bike tour along the promenades of Santa Maria del Mar.

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

These tours usually start at the Roman ruins of La Tacita de Plata and you can get there from the Castillo de Santa Catalina on line 2 buses or on the hop on-hop off tourist bus of Cádiz. During these tours you will also get to know the new part of the city and the Playa de la Constitución.

Interesting details

• Price... Approximately 35 euros per person, including the assistance of a local guide, the bike and the obligatory safety elements to ride.
• Duration... Approximately 1 hour and a half.

Watching the sunset in Cadiz, which is one of the most beautiful and cleanest 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 alternative. 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 visit the Carranza and Constitución bridges. If you do the tour during the summer, the boat trip will also include a stop for a swim and for water sports such as paddle surfing and snorkelling experiences, although the best part will come at the end of the trip, when you see the sun set over the Cadiz horizon.

These tours are also compatible if you plan to visit Cádiz with children, as the boats usually include inflatable games and children's activities, so the kids won't get bored during the tour.

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

Interesting details

• Price... Approximately 40 euros per person, including the ride, the swimming stop and the water sports equipment.
• Duration... Approximately 2 hours.

The Plaza de Mina is located in one of the most picturesque areas of the old town, close to the Clara Campoamor Gardens and surrounded by some of Cadiz's most characteristic restaurants, so one of the best ways to end a day's tour of the city is to dine in one of the nearby places.

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

In all these restaurants you can enjoy the gastronomy of Cadiz, which stands out for its seafood and fish in summer and for its soups and stews in winter, but which will surprise you at any time of the year.