Old and Proud ... the sights of Cadiz

The town of Cadiz, also known as the "tacita de plata" meaning "the silver cup", is 3,000 years old and is considered to be the oldest city in Europe. My hotel is quite a ways from the old city center but is walkable. The first on my must see list “The Puertas de Tierra (Earth Gate) which establishes the limit between the old city and the extra walls of the new city.

Puertas de Tierra


Next, I come across the Teatro Romano, a theatre built in 70-60 BC. It is the oldest and one of the largest theatres in the Iberian Peninsula. Underneath the stands is a gallery built for the distribution of spectators. The entrance is free of charge and you can walk all the way down to the stage and into the gallery that is dug up underneath the stands. It is sort of dark and scary going into the gallery. Luckily there were two other Spanish tourists in there with me otherwise I would have been in and out in a hot second. It’s funny how I can be fearless in some things(like traveling solo) and yet be a real chicken in others.

Teatro Romano

Underneath the stands . . .

Next, I climb up the Torre de Poniente to get a better look at that yellow tiled dome that I have been so looking forward to seeing and also to get a good view of the city below. The fee is only $4 Euros and is well worth the money, time and effort to climb up.

From the top of the Tower I have a fantastic close-up view of the Cathedral's golden tiled Dome . . . Supposedly, the color of the dome was chosen so it would be visible from far away to the fishermen coming into port.

Cool view from the top of Torre de Poniente . . .

I walk over to look around at Plaza San Juan de Dios, which is not as large and grand as the other plazas in Madrid or Sevilla, but it is small and quaint.


I then go back towards the Cathedral and down through the city’s Old Quarter and approach what's known as the Square of Flowers and right behind it is a bustling open market, sort of the Cadiz version of Venice’s Rialto Market.


There was nothing but locals here shopping and “me”! I keep walking with no clue of where I am or where I’m going. The streets are narrow and the buildings go straight up which provides no point of reference for me. I figure Cadiz is built on a peninsula and I am bound to hit the ocean sooner or later. This area of Cadiz seems really really old. But just like in Cordoba some of the houses have these pretty flowered plants on their terraces so although this area looks old it is somewhat charming too.


Finally after following this one local for a few blocks I find the ocean and Castillo San Sebastian. I just knew that following her would guide me in the right direction.

Well, I think my feet can take it no longer and it’s getting kind of late, so I start hoofing it back to my hotel. It seems so far away and for the very first time on this trip I begin to really miss my car back home. I am so tempted to wave down a taxi, but I carry on. Plus it was kind of nice walking along the beach. Never know what you'll see.

Cool view of the Cathedral on my loooong walk back to my hotel.

On my walking exploration I was approached by two locals who were so excited to spend some time to give me an explanation about what I was photographing. Well, at least I wasn't holding a Starbuck Grande of Coffee Americano! It really was very kind of them to educate me on what I was seeing. The locals here are so proud of their town and although it is considered really old it does have a certain charm.

You know, I’ve now been in three very different cities/towns in Spain . . . Madrid, Seville and now Cadiz. IMHO, I think that each one has their own unique vibe and appeal. Madrid is lively and high octane with great art and traditions, Seville is sort of young, hip and soulful and Cadiz is old but charming and proud. And in all three cities/town the people have been very friendly and helpful.

For now, I'm off to get one last glass of Cava and then tomorrow I'm off to Granada to see what is considered to be the jewel of Andalusia, the "Alhambra".

So as I watch the sun touch the ocean for the third night in a row . . .

. . . and the day ends here in this 3,000 year old town in Andalusia . . .

. . . I reflect quietly on my wonderful time here. I think of two things . . . First, I am so glad that I came here to Cadiz and secondly, the Cava is just as delicious as Prosecco! :)