9 Best Things to Do in Cádiz
What is Cádiz Most Famous For?
The best things to do in Cádiz include magnificent historical and cultural landmarks. The best place to take in its historical charms is in its old town by the sea. Beachfront promenades connect you to majestic cathedrals, with bell towers that you can climb up for panoramic views. Lush town gardens and island castles also let you enjoy the calm and open seascapes.
Compact and mostly flat, exploring Cádiz is a breeze. There’s a small but stunning beach that’s great for sunbathing and a swim, and which offers more during and after the sun sets. Here’s a roundup of great things to do in Cádiz in a day or two, showing you a pleasant escape that’s worth the half-hour transfer southwest from Jerez Airport.
What are the best things to do in Cádiz?
1. Playa La Caleta
Cool drinking spots around the main beach of Cádiz
Ideal para: Alimentação, Vida noturna
Playa La Caleta features a 300-metre stretch of golden sand flanked by the Club Marítimo Gaditano La Caleta yacht club and the causeway entry to the San Sebastián castle. Soak up some rays or swim in its calm blue waters by day, and enjoy magical sunsets with a cocktail or cold one at hand at the few great bars nearby. Bar Club Caleta on the northern end has an outdoor terrace overlooking the beach and yacht club. On the southern end, there’s Juanito Villar Peña Flamenca, a good choice for Spanish cuisine with cold beers on tap, live music, and with the castle on the horizon.
Localização: Paseo Fernando Quiñones, 11002 Cádiz, Spain
Playa La Caleta
2. Cádiz Cathedral
Climb the bell tower for a different angle of Cádiz
Ideal para: História, Foto
This magnificent Baroque and neo-classical cathedral by the southern seaside of Cádiz overlooks its own quaint plaza. There are tapas bars, ice cream shops and cafés with terrace setups around Plaza Catedral, with the imposing landmark in view. Climb up the adjacent bell tower – Torre de Poniente – for dramatic views over the city, with the blue waters of the Bay of Cádiz on the other side. Inside, admire the impressive vaults over its high altar and choir, all adorned with neoclassical art and sculptures. Entry is from €6 per person.
Localização: Plaza Catedral, 11005 Cádiz, Spain
Abre: Tuesday–Friday from 10 am to 1 pm and from 4.30 pm to 7 pm, Saturdays from 10 am to 1 pm (closed on Sundays and Mondays)
Telefone: +34 956 259 812
Cádiz Cathedral
3. Castillo de San Sebastián
Scenic fortress surrounded by sea
Ideal para: História, Foto
You can find this castle on top of a rocky islet on the westernmost point of Cádiz, right at the end of La Caleta beach. It’s connected to the town by the scenic concrete and stone brick causeway of Paseo Fernando Quiñones. This path provides one of the most scenic walks in Cádiz, with the open blue waters of Cádiz Bay on both sides. The grounds of Castillo de San Sebastián (Sebastián Castle), with its 20th-century lighthouse, sometimes hosts concerts and cultural shows. The site may be closed without prior notice for gradual renovations.
Localização: Paseo Fernando Quiñones, Cádiz, Spain
Abre: Daily from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm
Castillo de San Sebastián
4. Torre Tavira
Peek through its camera obscura
Ideal para: História, Foto
You can climb up this 18th-century watchtower in downtown Cádiz for bird’s-eye views from the city’s highest viewpoint. Alongside the cityscape and the cooling breezes, a fascinating modern feature you can enjoy here is its camera obscura. It has large focal lenses that project real-time imagery of the city’s 360° panoramas onto a concave screen inside a dark room. It can get quite hot outside in the summer, so the camera obscura is a great alternative. The tower also houses 2 separate exhibition halls in its midsection. Tickets are around €6.
Localização: Calle Marqués del Real Tesoro, 10, 11001 Cádiz, Spain
Abre: Daily from 10 am to 6 pm (open till 8 pm from May to September)
Telefone: +34 956 212 910
Torre Tavira
5. Plaza de San Juan de Dios
The central city square of Cádiz
Ideal para: Foto, Econômico
The lovely and spacious Plaza de San Juan de Dios is lined with tall palm trees, featuring monumental statues, water features, and the magnificent clock tower of the Casa Consistorial town hall in the background. It’s a great place to chill and people-watch. Sit on the steps around the statues, or escape the daytime heat at any of the café terraces surrounding the plaza. The square is charming by night, with subtle lighting from classical lampposts and a multi-coloured LED-lit fountain.
Localização: Plaza de San Juan de Dios, Cádiz, Spain
Plaza de San Juan de Dios
6. Mercado Central de Abastos
The fresh market of Cadiz
Ideal para: Compras, Alimentação, Econômico
Cadiz’s Mercado Central (central market) is a fun stop where you can witness a full array of fresh local goods. These range from seafood, cold cuts, and colourful fruits, vegetables, and spices. The market is on the site of an old orchard and features various stalls set under colonnades. There are plenty of shops where you can buy cheeses, drinks and local snacks such as crackling pork chicharrón, and you can enjoy them at small open-air table setups under the sun. Other stalls sell souvenirs worth looking at.
Localização: Mercado Central De Abastos, 11005 Cádiz, Spain
Abre: Mondays from 9 am to 4 pm, Tuesday - Friday from 9 am to 3.30 pm and from 7 pm to 12 am, Saturdays from 9 am to 4 pm and from 8 pm to 1 am (closed Sundays)
Telefone: +34 670 750 837
Mercado Central de Abastos
7. Museo de Cádiz
Cadiz’s fascinating historical collections
Ideal para: História, Econômico
The Museum of Cádiz houses a significant collection of historical art items and archaeological finds over 3 levels, collected over a century with some confiscated from charterhouses. Important artworks include classical paintings by Spanish Baroque painter Bartolomé Esteban Murillo and Flemish Baroque artist Sir Peter Paul Rubens. Among the notable archaeological finds is a Phoenician sarcophagus that was uncovered in Cádiz’s San Fernando Navantia shipyard. On the museum’s 2nd floor, check out the impressive La Tía Norica string puppets. Admission for non-European citizens is around €1.50.
Localização: Plaza de Mina, 11004 Cádiz, Spain
Abre: Tuesday–Saturday from 9 am to 9 pm, Sundays from 9 am to 3 pm (closed on Mondays)
Telefone: +34 856 105 023
Museo de Cádiz
8. Genovés Park
Charming seaside garden with shaped trees and lakes
Ideal para: Famílias, Foto, Econômico
This lush green space on the north-western tip of Cádiz is filled with sculpted gardens and paths lined with prettily shaped trees, some of which are ancient and massive. You’ll also find ponds and artificial waterfalls where you can feed ducks, and even a small kids’ playground with benches in the shade where mum and dad can relax. Genovés Park is technically cliffside, and you can enjoy pleasant, quiet walks while taking in the seascapes along its oceanfront promenade.
Localização: Av. Dr. Gómez Ulla, 11003 Cádiz, Spain
Abre: Daily from 8 am to 9 pm
Genovés Park
9. Peña Flamenca la Perla de Cádiz
The Spanish dance spectacle you ought to experience
Ideal para: Casais, Vida noturna
There are a few flamenco clubs around town that can provide you with a memorable evening in Cádiz. Worth checking out is Peña Flamenca la Perla de Cádiz, which has a weekly schedule of performances. Another is the La Cava on Antonio López, around 15 minutes’ walk north along Calle San Francisco. Besides usual flamenco shows, they also commonly feature dance derivations and variations, such as alegrías and tangoes, as well as competitions that put maestros from Cádiz, Seville, and Madrid to the test, showing their best moves on the dance floor.
Localização: Calle Concepción Arenal, 0, 11006 Cádiz, Spain
Abre: Showtimes vary, but performances start around 8 pm or 9 pm
Telefone: +34 956 259 101
Peña Flamenca la Perla de Cádiz
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