Cadiz is the southernmost of the 8 provinces making up Andalucia which are Seville, Granada, Huelva, Jaen, Córdoba, Málaga and Almeria. It is the most southern part of Spain and mainland Europe, and includes the Straits of Gibraltar, where the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea meet a few miles from Africa. This makes for some extreme weather conditions, particularly the Levante wind which makes Tarifa Spains capital for wind based sports and surfing.
National parks cover half of the province, stretching from the coast to the mountains inland where white Moorish villages and ancient fortresses perch on hilltops amidst a vast untouched mountain wilderness. The mild weather, the beaches, golf courses, expansive natural environments, active sports and thriving culture of Cadiz, (bull fighting, horsemanship and flamenco) make it very popular. Many people choose to rent property and buy property in Cadiz and the Costa de la Luz, over 600,000 live in the Bay of Cádiz area alone.
The Costa de la Luz is 138km long and characterised by its protected natural reserves, vast, unspoilt beaches and low key resort towns frequented mainly by Spanish tourists. Situated at the mouth of the River Guadalquivir and separated by the river from Doñana Natural Park to the north are Chipiona and Sanlúcar de Barrameda, with Trebujena inland nearby. South of the busier Bahia de Cadiz are 90km of undeveloped beach stretching down to Tarifa. Outside the main tourist centres of Conil de la Frontera, Vejer de la Frontera, Los Caños de Meca resort (near Barbate), Zahara de los Atunes, and Tarifa, there has been little building and although it can become crowded in the high season, the beaches are very different to those of the more popular Costa del Sol to the east. The more remote stretches of sand tend to be naturist areas.
Bahia de Cadiz Cádiz city, one of the oldest cities in Europe is the capital of the province. It is surrounded by the sea on all sides, connected to the mainland by a thin strip of land 8km long. which separates the Bay of Cádiz, a large natural harbour, from the sea. Due to this unique location little new urban development and hardly any high rise building has occurred, adding to its charm. The regions busy industrial area and port has allowed other towns on the shores of the Bay of Cádiz to thrive: Rota, Chiclana, El Puerto de Santa María, Puerto Réal, San Fernando are all vibrant centres close to good beaches: Playa La Barrosa in Chiclana de la Frontera, Playa La Victoria in Cádiz, Playa de Levante in El Puerto de Santa María, Playa de Camposoto in San Fernando, Valdelagrana in El Puerto. Jerez de la Frontera is a large city and important business centre inland.
Sierra de Cadiz The spectacular and wild Sierra de Grazalema covers the north east interior of Cádiz province from Arcos de la Frontera in the north to Medina Sidiona in the plains of the south. Away from the coast and from heavily touristed areas and large urban centres, the white villages that nestle in the mountains of the Sierra are delightful. Alcalá del Valle, Algar, Algodonales, Arcos de la Frontera (near Jerez), Benaocaz, Bornos and Villamartin nearby. Also El Bosque, El Gastor, Espera, Grazalema (the wettest place in Spain), Olvera and next to it Torre Alháquime. Prado del Rey, Puerto Serrano, Setenil, Ubrique, Villaluenga del Rosario, and Zahara de la Sierra are also picturesque places with wild coutryside surrounding them boasting a wealth of flora, fauna and natural beauty.
Campo de Gibraltar refers to the area near British owned Gibraltar, and includes the busy port of Algeciras, linked to Barcelona, Italy, Portugal and South America via the sea. Jimena de la Frontera sits on a mountain on the eastern border of the national park, north of Castellar de la Frontera. San Roque is beautiful town declared a national historic-artistic monument next to los Barrios. La Línea de la Concepción has the international airport of Gibraltar adjacent. Sotogrande is the main tourist resort; a 20km stretch from the Mediterranean Sea into the foothills of Sierra Almenara, with views of the sea, hills, cork forests and golf fairways.

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