Area Guide for Cadiz
The province of Cadiz is located in the southwestern part of Andalusia on the Costa de la Luz. With a population of well over one million residents, most of the towns and cities are built up nicely and offer tourists with a wide array of sightseeing, shopping, and dining.
Cadiz is broken into six main areas: Bay of Cadiz, Cadiz Mountains, Countryside of Gibraltar, Countryside of Jerez, La Janda, and the Northwest Coast. Each area offers tourists with unique activities and scenery.
Everything from Culture to Nightclubs
The Bay of Cadiz has six cities or towns worth mentioning, but Cadiz City is the most popular. While Cadiz is the name of the province, there is also a city named Cadiz. Cadiz City is the homeport of the Spanish Navy and has been since the 1700s. The city is populated with college aged students thanks to the University of Cadiz, so younger tourists will find many bars and dance clubs suited to their tastes. The Isle of Leon is just off the coastline and accessible via boats from Cadiz. Older tourists will enjoy viewing the Cadiz Cathedral, Falla Grand Theatre, Old City Walls, and the Roman Theatre. Also within the Bay of Cadiz are Chiclana, El Puerto de Santa Maria (Strong ties to Christopher Columbus), Puerto Real, and San Fernando.
The Cadiz Mountain area has dozens of towns; among the list are Algar, Arcos de la Frontera, El Bosque, Espera, Olvera, Prado del Rey, Torre Alhaquime, Ubrique, Villamartin, and Zahara de la Sierra. Many of these towns are known as “white towns” meaning the town sits upon a hillside and all the buildings are whitewashed giving the town a stunning look with rows of white buildings against a green background of hills and mountains.
Algeciras, Castellar de la Frontera, Jimena de la Frontera, La Linea de la Concepcion, Los Barrios, San Roque, and Tarifa are the main towns in the Countryside of Gibraltar. Algeciras is the largest of these towns with a population of more than 100,000 people. From Algeciras, tourists can visit the famed Rock of Gibraltar.
Visit the Bodegas and Enjoy a Glass of Sherry
The Countryside of Jerez has two main towns to see - Jerez de la Frontera and San Jose del Valle. Jerez de la Frontera is the home of sherry and brandy and is a popular location for cattle and horse (Andalusians) ranches. San Jose del Valle is much smaller and has many olive groves that are worth seeing.
La Janda has beautiful vistas. Alcala de los Gazules, Barbate, Benalup-Casas Viejas, Conil de la Frontera, Medina Sidonia, Paterna de Rivera, and Vejer de la Frontera are towns worth mentioning. Conil de la Frontera is known for six stunning beaches. Vejer de la Frontera offers views of the Straits of Gibraltar and is also known for its annual Running of the Bulls.
Finally, the Northwest Coast has four towns worth visiting. Chipiona, Rota, Sanlucar de Barrameda, and Trebujena are found the valley of Guadalquivir. Rota’s population of 27,000 makes it one of the largest in this region. Rota is a large fishing port that draws in a large tourism base and houses the Naval Station. San Lucar de Barrameda is famed for its sherry production. San Lucar’s yearly Tapas Festival is definitely enjoyable and should be added to itineraries.
