Cádiz
Virtually an island, Cádiz is surrounded by the sea on all sides, connected to the mainland by a thin strip of land 8km long. This peninsula separates the Bay of Cádiz, a large natural harbour, from the sea. Today, Cádiz is an evocative and enchanting city. It is still surrounded by fortified walls, which were built in the 19th century to protect the city from foreign attacks by sea. Old men can be seen casting their rods over the sides of this wall into the sea 30 feet below, where huge fish nibble at hunks of bread floating on the surface of the water. Elegant, tall houses line the long and narrow streets opening out onto leafy squares in which bands play on summer evenings. Despite being such a fascinating and beautiful city, Cádiz has managed to escape relatively unscathed by tourism.
Cádiz is said to be the oldest continuously inhabited town in Western Europe. It was founded by the Phoenicians in 1100BC who named the city Gaadar, meaning enclosure, a name which was later corrupted to Gades by the Romans, under whom the city flourished. During Moorish rule, Cádiz went into decline until the 16th century when trade with the New World became important to Spain. During the 18th and 19th centuries, Cádiz prospered and many of the important buildings in the city date from this period.
The enormous gold-domed cathedral dominates the southern half of the town and stands as testimony to the prosperity enjoyed by Cádiz in years gone by. South of the Plaza Catedral is all that remains of medieval Cádiz, the Barrio de Pópulo, whose entrance is marked by a medieval arch. North of the cathedral is Plaza Topete where a colourful and photogenic flower market is held and a little further on, the town's fresh produce market is held in a 19th century market building.
South of the old town, the city becomes a grid of unattractive modern housing blocks which run alongside Playa de Victoria, Cádiz's beach. On the strip of land connecting Cádiz to the main land is the continuation of this beach, Playa Cortaduna, along with a dual carriageway and a rail line. The strip is just wide enough to accommodate the transport routes.
The people of Cádiz are famous for both their excellent food and their sense of humour. Evidence of the former can be found in the delicious range of food, especially fresh seafood, offered by the various bars and restaurants around the town. Their wit is on full display during Carnival. Carnival is celebrated just before Lent across the whole of Spain, but nowhere does it reach such frenzied and colourful proportions as in Cádiz. The carnival processions begin a week before shrove Tuesday and continue until a week after. Elaborate costumes and figurines are made and paraded through the street and comical tableaux are acted out. The humour is subtle, clever and hilarious to the locals, although outsiders will find it difficult or impossible to grasp. People travel from all over to Cádiz for Carnival and the town is lively and bursting for the entire two weeks.
Although on a peninsula, Cádiz has excellent road and rail connections, main roads run both south to San Fernando and north to El Puerto and Jerez via a bridge over the narrow entrance to the Bay of Cádiz. The rail line runs south to San Fernando and then north to Seville. Cádiz is 35km from the airport at Jerez and 130km from Seville.

Bay of Cádiz
This area is quite heavily industrialized and a number of towns encircle the Bay of Cádiz. A large portion of this area used to be taken up by salt works and a few of these are still in operation. Some of the salt works have been transformed into fisheries, most of them however, are now an important nature reserve for migratory birds.

San Fernando
Sprawled along the Bay of Cádiz, San Fernando is a modern town of 87,000 inhabitants. It was known as La Isla de León because of its geographical position among the salt flats and next to the ocean and its inhabitants still refer to San Fernando as “La Isla”. Due to the existence of the Marina de la Carraca Arsenal in the town, it has an important history in naval construction and the salt works near to the town have traditionally been significant to the town’s economy. The houses in the old town are typically Andalucían with traditional doors and façades and iron wrought windows. The Marina Astronomical Observatory was built there in the 18th century, the oldest observatory in Spain. Peculiar to San Fernado is a shellfish dish known as “Bocas de la Isla” which is made a type of crab whose claws, when severed, grow back. San Fernando is 10km south of Cádiz.

Chiclana de la Frontera
To the south of the Bay of Cádiz, Chiclana is a modern urban centre with an typical Andalucían old town of narrow streets, flower bedecked balconies and courtyards. Its 50,000 inhabitants are noted for preserving Andalucían traditions such as bullfighting, flamenco and wine production. There is a puppet factory in the town that produces puppets dressed in traditional Andalucían dress. West of Chiclana, along a small country road, is the village of Sancti Petri where, at low tide, the Island of Sancti Petri is accessible. A ruined Roman temple dedicated to Hercules stands on the Island.

Puerto Real
This university town whose current population is 37,000, became the Royal Village of Puerto Real in the 15th century when the Catholic Kings were redistributing land in Spain and realised that they needed to creat a port that belonged to the state. Differentiated by the other towns around the Bay of Cádiz by the pine groves which surround it, Puerto Real was developed with a uniform city design, its streets arranged on a grid pattern as they still are today. It is still used as a port and the naval and ship building industries are still important to the town's economy. Some of the faculties of the university of Cádiz are located in Puerto Real and consequently it is a vibrant town with important cultural events taking place all year round which encompass theatre, literature and art. The sports facilities in the town are excellent, there is an olympic sized swimming pool and a well equipped sports centre. Puerto Real is seperated from the capital of Cádiz by a bridge which crosses the Bay of Cádiz.

El Puerto de Santa Maria
Located at he mouth of the River Guadelete to the north of the Bay of Cádiz, El Puerto is a town of 79,000 people. It was an important port and exporter of wines in the 15th century and today it is a summer resort, popular with residents of nearby Jerez. There has been widespread modern development but the old town is pleasant, its tall 18th and 19th century houses arranged on a grid pattern and reminiscent of the streets of Cádiz itself. The 13th Castle of San Marcos which was built by Alfonso X is an important historical site. It was built on the site of a former mosque. The bullring in El Puerto is also important amongst bullfighting aficionados. There is a plaque inside containing a quote from a famous bullfighter that reads "he who has not seen the bulls at El Puerto does not know what a bullfight is like." A number of old wine cellars can be visited in the town. During the summer, an old fashioned boat called a "vapor" runs from El Puerto to Cádiz, the service being operated by a Galician family who have run it since 1929. El Puerto's beaches are situated to the west of the centre at Valdelagrana, which is a smart resort that seems to ignore the industrial landscape that it is set in. El Puerto is 18km from Cádiz and 24km from the airport at Jerez on main roads.

Rota
An old village to the west of El Puerto with a population of 25,000, Rota is a seaside resort. Away from the industry near to Cádiz, the village has a picturesque main square, a castle that has been heavily restored and an elegant 15th century church. A less than attractive American military base has been built next to the village. There are some lovely beaches near to Rota, including the 4km stretch at La Costilla, Punta Candor, which is edged by huge pine groves and La Ballena to the south. As a growing resort Rota has a number of discos, bars and restaurants catering to international tourism, although most of the tourists are Spanish. Sports facilities in Rota include a Tennis Club, a Horse Club, a Hunting and Fishing Centre and a sports Centre. More development is planned near to La Ballena beach. Rota is 15km east of El Puerto.

Jerez de la Frontera
The busy, cosmopolitan city of Jerez is the largest in the Cádiz province in terms of population with 185,000 inhabitants. It is an important business centre rich in history and tradition. Famous for its sherry, Jerez has been exporting wine to England as early as the 16th century and many people became rich from the sherry industry. Consequently, many of these "sherry magnates" moved to Jerez and even today, the city has a reputation of being the home of the "señorito" or "toff", a legacy of the time when the rich of Jerez copied the social mannerisms of the English aristocracy. Today, the town is a mixture of modern, ugly development, spacious and attractive residential districts and an attractive, shabby old quarter. It is also the home of one of Andalucía's oldest gypsy quarters. In the old quarter and the gypsy quarter, a maze of narrow streets and old squares meander around notable churches and renaissance palaces. There are many important and interesting sites in Jerez including the Watch Museum where there is a display of some of the oldest time pieces in Europe and an Archaeological Museum. Famous Andalucían horses were bred here traditionally, which led to the establishment of the Royal Andalucían School of Equestrian Art, where you can see the skill and beauty of the Andalucían horseriding tradition. The large gypsy population means that the town is an important centre for flamenco and the tradition of flamenco art is kept alive at The Andalucian Flamenco Foundation. There is a Speed Circuit in the town where world championships in motor racing are held. In the area surrounding Jerez, there are mountain ranches where bulls are raised and amateur bullfights can be seen using young bulls.
Jerez's airport serves the surrounding region and is located 4km north of the town. Jerez is well connected by road and rail to Cadiz, 25km to the south and to Seville, 85km north.

North West of Cádiz

Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Situated at the mouth of the River Guadalquivir, Sanlúcar is separated by the river from Doñana Natural Park to the north. A town of 59,000 people, Sanlúcar was once a hugely prosperous town and the remains of this prosperity can be see in the austerity of its crumbling churches and palaces. In the summer, Sanlúcar is a busy tourist centre, popular with mainly Spanish tourists. Its location by the river means that the beaches are not the cleanest, the water has a muddy appearance and the strong currents make swimming difficult. Sanlúcar has a reputation of fine foods, particularly seafood and langostinos - large prawns. It is also famous for the production of a fortified wine known as Manzanilla. Divided into the upper town, El Barrio Alto and El Barrio Bajo, the lower town, the old streets of Sánlucar are pleasant. Small upper storey balconies overhang the front doors of the houses, which are often open and if you glimpse inside, you'll see huge porches leading to the internal doors, often elaborately tiled. The main square is spacious and lined with palms and cafes. At Plaza de San Roque, the town's market hall contains one of the best markets in Andalucía, with a huge range of produce being sold here. Towards the seafront, most of the buildings are newer holiday apartments and the road that runs behind the beach is transformed at night into a main drag where teenagers loudly parade their neon-decked cars with elaborate spoilers and their shiny mopeds in continuous laps up and down the road. Bajo de Guía, to the north of the town centre, is the old fishing district-which has a row of bars along its recently modernized seafront. On the 15th of August, a fiesta takes place where the streets are covered with patterns of multi-coloured sawdust and salt to make a fantastic "floral carpet". At the end of August, horse racing takes place up and down the beach from Sanlúcar to Bajo de Guía. There is a golf club in Sanlúcar. Sanlúcar is 35km from Jerez de la Frontera. 4km north of Sanlúcar is the fishing port on Bonanza where a lively afternoon fish auction is held.

Trebujena
A village of 7000 inhabitants, the white village of Trebujena stands in fertile lands that are well cultivated. Relatively isolated, Trebujena is surround by gently rolling hills, many of them covered in sunflowers, which are beautiful in early summer. By September, the brown skeletons of the flowers can be seen on their shrunken stalks, charred by the sun. Trebujena is 35km from Sanlúcar, near the border with the province of Seville.

Chipiona
The popular tourist resort of Chipiona has clean, if crowded beaches. The sea waters are supposedly iodine rich and Chipiona has long been a tourist destination. There are numerous Roman ruins near to the town, as early as 140 BC, a lighthouse was built in order to guide sailors heading into the River Guadalquivir around the notorious reefs in the area. It is an attractive and lively town, popular with visitors and famous for its Moscatel wine. Beaches near to Chipiona include La Regla, Camarón-Tres Piedras, Cruz del Mar Canteras and Ballena beach to the south. Chipiona is 9km west of Sanlúcar.

Southern Costa de la Luz
One of the loveliest stretches of coast in Andalucía, miles of undeveloped beach stretch from Cádiz 90km down to Tarifa in the south. Outside the main tourist centres, there has been little building and although it can become crowded in the high season, these 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.

Conil de la Frontera
This popular resort has a population of 16,000 which swells in the summer months with visitors who come to enjoy the beaches that stretch north and south from the town. Holiday makers are mostly Spanish and there are a number of housing developments and camp sites surrounding the old town which accomodate these visitors. The town of whitewashed houses perches on a headland next to the mouth of the River Salado that enters the sea here, seperating the beaches to the south from those to the north. There are a multitude of restaurants in the town serving excellent fresh seafood. Conil is 30km south of Cádiz on the main N340 coastal road.

Vejer de la Frontera
Situated inland on a hill, the white town of Vejer retains its Moorish origins with a labryinth of narrow streets and whitewashed houses. The original Moorish gates still exist and the village is entered through these gates. In the village, the 16th century church was built over a mosque and there is a Moorish castle here from which excellent views of the surrounding area can be seen. On Easter Sunday, part of the festivities include that of a bull with padded horns being let looase through the streets. Vejer is a small town of 10,000 inhabitants and is popular with daytrippers from the coast. Vejer is 55km from Cádiz, just off the main N340 road.

Barbate
Located at the mouth of the Barbate river, this modern town is an important fishing centre, Tuna fish being the speciality of many of the bars in the town. It is not a particularly attractive town itself, but with 20,000 inhabitants, it is an important service centre for the surrounding area.
Just west of Barbate is the resort of Los Caños de Meca, a resort by a very picturesque stretch of beach that has been growing over the last few years. In contrast to the other tourist centres in the area, Los Caños attracts a number of German and other northern European holiday makers as well as Spanish and French. It has a reputation of being a "hippy" centre and as well as the usual tourists, a number of unorthodox people live near the beach during the summer. The stretch of sand from Los Caños down to Barbate is particularly attractive and at the furthest point, a spring water shoots down over the face of the cliff forming a natural shower. To the other side of Los Caños is the Cape of Trafalgar, where Admiral Nelson famously defeated French and Spanish fleets far larger than his own. The Cape is a wonderful place for watching sunsets although the currents in the ocean are notorious in this area and care should be taken if swimming here. Barbate and Los Caños are approximately 40km from Cádiz, 14km off the main N34o coastal road.

Zahara de los Atunes
A low key, attractive resort blessed with beautiful sweeps of sand stretching both north and south from the town, Zahara is a mainly Spanish resort with a population of 15,000. A large, decaying fortress is situated on the beach of the town and the sand stretches from here to Barbate, 12km north down to Bolonia, 15km south. Much of the land to the south of Zahara is owned by the military and to reach the tiny resort of Bolonia, a 30km detour inland must be taken. The surfers mecca of Bolonia is located next to a small but attractive beach. It is popular in the summer and barely has enough parking spaces to accomodate its visitors.

Tarifa
Tarifa is set on the southernmost point in Spain, just 14km from Africa. It was the first town in Spain to be captured by the Moors and takes its name from Tariqibn Malik, a Moorish leader. A 10th century Moorish castle still stands in the town. Today, Tarifa is a surfer’s paradise. Thanks to its position where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic, the winds usually blow strongly enough for windsurfers and kitesurfers alike. The Levante wind is notorious here and when it blows, only the most experienced of windsurfers venture out to sea. A beautiful 9km sweep of sand stretches west from the town and is undeveloped despite attracting a huge number of tourists, due to its national park status. The town itself is largely devoted to surf shops and laid back cafes that line the main street. The old part of the town however is a delightful maze of narrow, sloping, cobbled streets that meander past white buildings bedecked with foliage and open out onto quiet squares. Just next to the town on the hills behind the beaches is a large windfarm, which stretches towards Algeciras, the modern windmills gathered on the hills generate a surreal image. Despite the large number of tourists that Tarifa attracts, it is a quiet town during the day as most of them are at the beach. it comes to life at night however when the bars and the restaurants become packed with partygoers.
Ferries run from the port at Tarifa to Tangers in Morroco and take 45 minutes. There are numerous shops offering kitesurfing lessons and watersports on offer include kitesurfing, windsurfing, surfing, bodyboarding, skimboarding, just for starters. The Foundation for Information and Research on Marine Mammals has an office in Tarifa and offers whale and dolphin watching trips in the Strait of Gibraltar where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, attracting a number of species of Cetaceans.
A town of 16,000 people, there are 3 supermarkets in Tarifa, a number of internet shops, and plenty of bars, cafes and restaurants. Tarifa is 35km from Algeciras and 110km from Cádiz.