History
Cadiz is a port city in the south-west of Spain, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. The city is thought to be the longest inhabited area in all the Iberian Peninsular and possibly all of south-west Europe. Cadiz has been the home of the Spanish Navy since the 18th century and is home to the University of Cadiz.
Cadiz is characterised by its very old areas of El Populo, La Vina and Santa Maria which stand in stark contrast to the newer parts of the city. The city is also the home to many exotic plants and massive trees that are thought to have been brought to Spain by Christopher Columbus from the New World. Christopher Columbus sailed from Cadiz in the second of his great voyages and the port later became the Spanish treasure fleet’s home. The importance of the port saw it become the target of many of Spain’s enemies over the centuries as well as the raids of the Barbary pirates.
Sir Francis Drake’s raid on the port in 1587 resulted in the occupation of the port for three days along with the capture of 6 ships and the destruction of another 31; the event became known as the singeing of the King of Spain’s Beard and halted the sailing of the Armada by a full year. The port suffered another English attack in 1598 when it was captured by Sir Charles Howard’s fleet. 32 ships were destroyed in the port, the city was looted, damaged and occupied for a month. Spanish royalty refused to pay the ransom demanded by the English so the city was burned and the English raiders left with much of Cadiz’s wealth and goods.
There were further English raids on the port of Cadiz in 1625 and 1655. The 1655 blockade, led by Sir Edward Cecil, lasted for almost two years. The English attacked the port again in 1702, only to be repelled this time. During the 18th century, Cadiz took over from Seville as the main port for trade with Spanish America and it boomed as a result. Cadiz became the effective home of Spanish government during the Peninsular War in1808. Cadiz was one of the few cities to repel the invading French at the time. The liberal Spanish Constitution was formulated in the city in 1812 and was also at the forefront of the 1820 and 1868 Spanish revolutions.
Population
At the time of the 2006 census, the population of Cadiz was 130,000 within the administrative boundaries of the city. The larger metropolitan area of Cadiz has a population of 630,000 making it the 17th largest city in Spain. The population of the area is slowly decreasing with over 10% leaving over the past 15 years. One of the reasons for this exodus is thought to be the land on which the city stands. The area lies on a narrow stretch of land, surrounded by sea and with very little land available for development. The old and historical nature of much of the city means many of the buildings are protected or unsuitable for development. Developers wish to replace many of these structures with taller, multi-storey properties but face opposition from locals and conservation groups.
Places to Visit
Cadiz Cathedral – This is probably the most recognisable and important site of Cadiz. The cathedral was rebuilt after a fire in 1722 and took 116 years tom complete! It is situated in the Plaza de la Catedral, which is also home to the Santiago church, built in 1635. The architecture of the cathedral is Baroque and the famous composer, Manuel da Falla was buried in the grounds.
The Church of Santa Cruz – This is the older cathedral of the city and is a structure of two halves with a dark oval chapel from the 18th century and an elaborately decorated upper floor. It is home to the painting of the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes by Goya.
Hospital de la Mujeres – This is a classic example of Baroque architecture and features an imperial staircase and two large courtyards. It is a must see for all architecture fans.
Oratory San Felipe Neri – This is yet another example of the Andalusian Baroque architecture that makes Cadiz such a striking city. The building is where the first Spanish constitution was drawn up and now contains a number of works of art including a piece by the famous painter, Murillo.
Torre Tavira – Historically used as a watch tower, this is now home to various exhibitions and provides wonderful views of the city and port.
Plaza de Mina – This includes colonial style buildings, statues and is home to the Museum of Cadiz. The museum exhibits both the arts and archaeological artefacts.
La Vina – This is the place to go for a lively night out or a bite to eat. Set in the traditional Spanish quarter, it is home to an annual carnival and is known to get very lively.
As well as the historic sites of the city, those looking for a more relaxed holiday might like to visit the city beach, Playa de la Caleta or the famous Cadiz park, Parque Genoves.
Cuisine
The cuisine in Cadiz is unique and slightly differs from that found in most parts of Spain. The coastal areas enjoy fresh seafood dishes such as Tortita de Camarones which are small omelettes, cooked very thinly and served crispy. Another great coastal delicacy in Cadiz is fideos con gambas y almejas which is noodles with prawns and clams. Moving inland, the cuisine takes a dramatic change and it is here that the food differs most from that found in other parts of the country.
Instead of the usual influence of olive oil in cooking, the locally produced sherries and vinegars take centre stage. The use of beef, ham and game birds is widespread with a popular dish being perdiz estofada or partridge casserole. The mountainous towns and villages rely more on locally reared beef and lamb as well as a lot of locally caught wild game. The area is well known for its guiso de rabo de toro or oxtail stew.
Accommodation
The great thing about staying in Cadiz or the local area is the untouched nature of the coastline. Unlike many other of the tourist hot-spots in Spain, much of the surrounding area is still made up of only small villages and towns, offering quaint and authentic accommodation with a flavour of the real Spain. The beautiful Playa de Barrosa is an 8 kilometre beach with very little commercial development. Zahara de los Atunes, near the mountains of Cadiz and the beautiful countryside, is a picturesque and authentically Spanish village which enjoys golden sandy beaches, warm and clear ocean and breath-taking vistas.
The area in and around Cadiz is amongst the wildest in all of Spain and is very popular with the Spaniards themselves. The local coastlines are very popular with surfers and the outlying villages with their beautifully white washed cottages attract people keen to see the ‘real’ Spain. Cadiz has its fair share of hotels of all standards, however, it would be a shame not to experience the history and culture of the city’s old town or the outlying villages.
Weather
The influence of the Atlantic Ocean makes Cadiz a little cooler than most parts of Spain. The average yearly temperature is 18C with the average in August being 18C – a little cooler than most of the major cities and resorts. The average temperature in January is 9C and an average of 2 inches of rain falls every month. It is driest in July where the average rainfall is actually zero! The wettest month is March when an average of 4.4 inches falls. As with most areas in Spain, rainfall is very rarely prolonged and is usually followed by blue skies and sunshine. There are 12.5 hours of sunshine per day during July and the early part of August and 4.5 hours during December.
Transport
There is a very good and comprehensive bus service operating in Cadiz. Most buses operate from the Plaza de la Hispanidad with several going to Seville, El Puerto de Santa Maria and Jerez every day. There is a train station in the middle of the city with regular daily services to all of the neighbouring cities and towns. There is no shortage of taxis in the city, with the average journey within the city costing no more than €6.
