My Favourite Cruise Ports – Cadiz (for Seville)

Over the next few weeks I will be blogging about some of my favourite (and maybe not so favourite) cruise ports of call. Today I have chosen the charming little town of Cadiz in Southern Spain, on the Costa de la Luz. I have been here many times and never tire of it. The ship docks right by the town so you can just walk off the ship and you are right there.

Cadiz is on a peninsula jutting out in the bay and is almost surrounded by water, so feels like an island. You can walk around the whole city by the sea in a couple of hours. there are beautiful parks and gardens that are so well kept. Ancient city walls and a castle, overlooking an unspoilt beach and the Atlantic Ocean. The old town is a maze of narrow cobbled streets that burst out into busy and colourful squares full of tapas bars and street entertainers including flamenco dancers.

One of the highlights for me is the cathedral in one of the main squares. You can climb to the top of the bell tower and the views are amazing, although one time I was right by the bell when it chimed! I nearly jumped out of my skin.

Cadiz unlike a lot of the better known cities in Spain is still very Spanish and everyone seems to know everyone. The menus in many of the restaurants are not translated to English, so can be a bit hit and miss on what you are ordering, but that is all part of the charm. We have had some great meals and tapas here with absolutely no idea what would be put in front of us, but enjoyed everything. You can sit for hours in a bar on a square and just people watch, the atmosphere is great.

We have never bothered to go to Seville so far, I’m sure we will in the future, but we did take a trip to Jerez to see the Spanish Riding School, The Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art, which is basically an equestrian university and students come from all over the world. The horses were absolutely stunning and the facilities state of the art. I could have spent the whole day there watching them train the dancing horses. Afterwards we looked around the famous bodegas where the sherry that Jerez is famous for is produced.

Back in Cadiz, walking along the promenade by the sea wall, there is a wild cat ‘sanctuary’ in the rocks. Shelters have been built amongst the rocks for the many wild cats and they are fed regularly and live there wild, but cared for, so sweet.

You cannot really do justice to Cadiz in words you have to see it for yourself.

Dee