Faraway Spain attracts travelers with amazing traditions, happy holidays, marvelous nature and fantastically beautiful monuments. In a sunny country, a variety of architectural attractions are collected that convey the atmosphere and mood of different eras. Most often, tourists associate charming Spain with Madrid and Barcelona, but there is one wonderful city that you should pay attention to.
A small but extremely interesting city
Not the most famous among the guests of the country, Cadiz, whose attractions reflect its history, is most often perceived as a regular port, and its cultural values, unfortunately, do not attract the attention of visitors to Spain. But those who come here on vacation, never remain disappointed. The “silver spoon”, as the locals call the city because of the large mines located here, is easy to walk around in one day, but this does not mean that there are few interesting corners.
History tour
The small town has a very rich history. Curiously, Cadiz was not indicated on the world map, since it was considered to be the real end of the world. Mentioned even in the legends of Ancient Greece, it is one of the oldest cities in Europe, because the settlement was founded in 1110 BC by the Phoenicians, who learned about the deposits of silver on the peninsula. Because of the advantageous geographical location, the Romans fought for the right to possess the city, and after the fall of a powerful empire, often changing masters destroyed ancient and medieval buildings.
In the XIII century, Christians conquered Cadiz from the Arabs, who ruled for about six centuries, after which it becomes a major trading point, attracting the attention of robbers and pirates.
From here , Columbus ships set off on expeditions , here the townspeople held a siege for two years, reflecting the attacks of Napoleon’s troops, and after the proclamation of the first constitution of Spain in the city chapel, Cadiz becomes the political center of the country.
A day-round resort
Modern Cadiz, whose attractions have made the city unique, is the capital of the province of the same name (Provincia de Cadiz). Divided into two parts, old and new, it strikes with an amazing harmony of architectural structures, and the mixture of Arabic and European styles gives it an indescribable charm.
Tourists visiting the Spanish fairy tale know that you can get around all its interesting places in less than a day, and numerous excursions to the remarkable objects of the city are organized very rationally, and in just a few hours, guests will get acquainted with historical monuments.
Puerta de Tierra
The first thing that foreign travelers pay attention to is the Earth Gate, which protected local residents several centuries ago, and now you can go through them to the historical part of the city, where everything breathes history. The stone wall, fortified laterally with bastions, housed the only entrance to Cadiz. Sights, photos of which convey the power and grandeur of the many-sided pearls of the Spanish Atlantic, appeared in the 16th century. They are decorated with the Castilian coat of arms and are framed on both sides by snow-white columns with figures of saints - patrons of the provincial capital.
Above the gate there is a gloomy tower with loopholes, which two centuries ago was a telegraph communication point, and, according to historians, this saved the gate from destruction.
The main architectural monument
The next point of the route passes through the country's largest cathedral, Santa Cruz. For more than 100 years, work was underway on the construction of a religious building, and several generations of architects were replaced before a cultural monument made in the form of a Latin cross appeared in the XVIII century, whose dome can be seen from afar. Not a single guest of the city passes by the main attraction of Cadiz, because this is a cathedral made in several architectural styles and having differences in the used finishing materials, which gives the snow-white building a special highlight. Explicit eclecticism makes its appearance very memorable.
The facade of the ensemble with a temple, chapels and crypt, where famous personalities of the city are buried, is rather modest, but thanks to the skillful carving on the stone and the unusual silhouette, it is easy to recognize against the background of the rest of the resort facilities. The interior will delight the works of famous sculptors and artists, and a rich collection of gold and silver jewelry makes the treasury of the cathedral truly unique.
old cathedral
Nearby is the old cathedral, whose age exceeds 500 years. Once it was destroyed and rebuilt, but its historical appearance has not been preserved. Cadiz, whose sights were destroyed by pirates who often attacked the city, in the 17th century conducted active trade with India, which allowed for restoration of the old architectural monument with a new profit, however, with a new design. Now he acts as a parish church.
Castillo-fortalesa de santa catalina
When it comes to the most popular sights of Cadiz, you can not ignore the complex of defensive structures that appeared in the XVI century after the city repelled a sudden attack by pirates. The fortress built on the shore with the beautiful name of Santa Catalina did not resemble an impregnable bastion, since not all work was done in its intended scope, and the structure did not look very powerful and formidable.
Anyone can get inside the fortress, and from its height tourists enjoy the breathtaking panorama of the Atlantic Ocean. All those who come to the fortification in the evening will be rewarded with the spectacle of the most incredible sunset in the world.
Castillo de san sebastian
Another fortress, the construction of which began quite late - in the XVIII century, boasts the ancient Cadiz. The sights of the city reflect its military past, and this is what attracts travelers who are thus acquainted with the history of the hospitable resort.
Fortress of St. Sebastian, connected by a dam with the city, was built for about thirty years by the Spaniards, who in every possible way opposed the English pirates. From the massive structure washed by the ocean, consisting of stone blocks, it was possible to get out to land by an unmade road. Inside the fort is the only metal lighthouse in the country built in the 20th century. It is equipped with a modern alarm system for ships calling in Cadiz. Sights, reviews of which only confirm their significance for the city, are incredibly popular, because they are silent witnesses of eventful history.
Beach vacation
It is worth noting that the ancient city is, first of all, the luxurious resort of Andalusia with well-equipped sandy beaches stretching for several kilometers. No wonder the locals consider them the main pride of the Spanish pearl. They are not crowded, which is very popular with guests, and captivating sunset paintings mesmerize with delicate glare playing in the water.
Victoria, Santa Maria del Mar, Cortadur, La Caleta are the most popular holiday destinations for locals and tourists hurrying for positive emotions in sunny Cadiz. Sights, the description of which can be found in all city guides, are considered one of the cleanest in Europe.
Colorful extravaganza
On the last Sunday of February, a bright and cheerful holiday begins that has long gone beyond the local. Thousands of tourists rush to recharge with the positive energy of the carnival, which has made the cozy resort famous around the world. The extravaganza of colors, music, floating in the air of happiness, which is saturated with all the participants of the festival, lasts only ten days, and the city prepares for the most important event for a whole year.
The carnival, similar in scale to the Venetian one, has gained unprecedented proportions, and the street festival, which has not subsided even at night, is of great interest not only to tourists, but also to various creative groups who come to show their talents in Cadiz.
Sights (reviews of tourists allowed to highlight the most interesting) of the miniature town deserve to be seen with their own eyes. Going on vacation to the oldest settlement in Europe, you should know in advance what to look for in order to independently build your route.
What do tourists pay attention to?
Guests who have arrived here for a few days fall in love with the hospitable Cadiz so much that they decide to stay here for a long time.
Tourists love observation platforms, from which the resort appears in a completely different way: only from a height you can see the unique location of the city washed by the ocean, located on the peninsula. They pay attention to medieval houses that look gloomy, but inside the guests a pleasant surprise awaits - cozy patios, which are carefully looked after by the owners. By the way, even competitions for the best courtyards are held, but most tourists do not know anything about this.
The city in which the Middle Ages comes to life is famous for its wonderful cuisine, and montaditos snacks with various types of fillings conquer even experienced gourmets. About luxurious beaches worthy of admiration, tourists leave only enthusiastic reviews and regret only that the vacation is coming to an end.
The city at the end of the world will make you forget the problems and worries, and the gentle sun, the good-natured locals, the color of the Spanish capital of the carnival will remain in the memory of all guests for a long time.