This beautiful square is one of the welcome sights for people coming into Old Town Cadiz…read more The old Plaza Mayor of the city, also known as La Corredera, was found outside the walls, as was common in medieval cities, and near one of the access gates, in this case to the original Puerta del Mar, today Arco de la Pópulo. The irregular layout of this square is conditioned, since in the past it coincided with one of the mouths of the ancient sea, which crossed the current island of Cádiz. In the Plaza de San Juan de Dios, several buildings of interest stand out, such as the Municipality, the church of San Juan de Dios and the Casa de los Pazos Miranda. We loved seeing the activity in here, kids running around and playing, people strolling, just a nice cute cozy place in Cadiz.

The is a beautiful plaza and very easy to find coming from the cruise port as it is the first thing…read moreyou see on your way into the city. It is a very vibrant area with a lot of activities going on. There are tents with merchants selling local made products at reasonable prices. We worth a stop to check them out.

A great place to see the entire town of Cadiz from high above. The entry fee for just going up to…read morethe tower and sightsee was 5 euros. There are steep stairs to climb to get to the top, but the view was amazing...we could see the ocean, the parks, the castles, the old town, the port, and much more. There is a small history museum about 60% up as you come from the ticket lobby. This attraction also had a "camara oscura" but we did not do that.

Great view from the top. No elevator, so you must take steps all the way. Near the top, there is a…read moreroom with a big white "wok" bowl, and the city is projected into this bowl. There is a camera (lens) on top of the tower, and the person in the room (with the bowl) only allows a few guests at a time, and she takes you on a tour of the city. She did ours in English, and I could understand most of what she was saying. Once she was finished, she turned the lights back on, and we went to the top of the tower.

Located in a corner of Plaza de Catedral, this arch is another pretty old landmark in Cádiz. Can't…read morego inside, can't climb it, etc. just for taking pics and touching really old stone. Still pretty cool! Arco de la Rosa (Arch of the Rose), dates to the 13thC. There is conflicting info about this arch, from Wiki vs tourism sites. I would trust the Spanish to know their own stories (thus the tourism sites win for me), but to go by the actual plaque on the wall, beside the arch, here's a loose translation: "This arch, called rose, named after the image of the virgin that it housed in its niche, is part of the Medieval wall. It [the wall] was ordered by Alfonso X the Wise (1221-1284), to be built to reinforce the city, when [he was] reconquering this city in 1262. "The literary, artistic, and scientific athenaeum (institutions) of Cádiz, in tribute to, and memory of that same king, to whom this city owes so much, dedicate this plaque on March 28, 2006." (español) "Este arco llamado de la rosa por la imagen de la virgen que albergó en su hornacina pertenece a la muralla Medieval. Se mandó reforzar por Alfonso X el Sabio (1221-1284) al reconquistar este ciudad en 1262. "El ateneo literario, artístico, y científico de Cádiz, en homenaje y memoria de aquél rey, a quien tanto debe este ciudad, colocó esta lápida el 28 de marzo de 2006."

The cruise port in Cadiz is near the old town. My husband and I were on a Celebrity Cruises ship…read morethat docked in this port for several hours. We had no problems with the terminal or employees. Our tour guide took us on walks down old cobblestone alleys past historical buildings such as a cathedral, to a fantastic central market that sold a variety of delicious foods, to an entertaining flamenco show, and to a beautiful park with unique trees and birds. Cadiz also has beaches that you might consider using. Overall, Cadiz is not one of our favorite cruise ports, but we were happy to visit once.

This is the main cruise port for ships visiting Cadiz Spain. There could be several ships visiting…read moreat the same time so depending on the location of your port, you may be able to walk right off the ship and into town within 10 mins. The other docks are farther and require you to ride a shuttle bus which is provided complimentary. The port was easy to enter as a passenger and had a good security process.

As an ancient city, Cádiz is a huge tourist destination. It is known as the oldest city in Western…read moreEurope (technically the oldest continuously inhabited city in Western Europe). Cádiz city, is the capital of the province of Cádiz, within Andalucia. They host archaeological remains dating to 3100 B.C., with various civilizations, and periods of history, along the way. TONS to see! There are 4 tourism offices in Cádiz. This one it along the Paseo de Canalejas, opposite the Port of Cádiz and a short walk from the Plaza de San Juan de Dios and City Hall. This location is the main reception and information center for tourism in Cádiz (city). It is a busy office, even in the off-season, with foreign and Spanish tourists streaming in and out all day long. However, due to the city's popularity and importance as a major touring hotspot, the office has had enough pressure and practice to be well-run, and has info galore, at convenient disposal. The best feature about tourism in Cádiz is that they provide city maps (in all languages) with color-coded walking routes, that correspond to lines painted on the ground, to lead you on a self-guided tour through the city. Choose which theme you want to visit (Medieval District, Castles, Shippers to the Indies, or Cádiz Constitution), and voila, your own specialized tour, done at your own pace, with options to stop or switch routes at any time. VERY COOL! * * * TIP * * * FREE secure WIFI !!!!! (just ask for password inside) * * * TIP * * * NO public restrooms in this location. You must use the adjacent parking garage bathrooms, or some on the street nearby.

Puerta de Tierra is one of the most significant monuments in Cadiz. It was built in the 18th…read morecentury, includes remnants of an older defensive wall, and separates the Old Town from the modern town. In front of the wall are statues holding crosses.

Fun free museum to see Roman and Phoenician ruins under the city streets. Free to enter but you…read morehave to pick up tickets at the ticket booth ahead of time. I was there in December on a weekday and there were only three time slots (11:00/12:00/13:00). The ticket office opens at 10:45 so be there then if you want to have your choice of time slots.

The tours here last about 45 minutes. While there is no admission fee, you *DO* need to reserve a…read moreticket, since tour group-size is limited. Here you will see Gadir (Cádiz) in situ from the time it was colonized by the Phoenicians, through the Roman period. The building houses a beautifully preserved space, with translucent walkways over the ruins. Different-colored gravels distinguish between Phoenician and Roman structures. A multimedia presentation at the beginning lends a wonderful overview to the space throughout its history. There are even skeletal remains of an unfortunate that was overcome by smoke during a fire some 2,800 years ago. The tour guide we had spoke wonderful English, was VERY knowledgeable, and enthusiastic. Kudos to her! The only reason for losing a star: apparently in very recent history, lightning knocked out the air conditioner and dehumidifier for a while... this has led to some very musty odors at one end of the site, that made it difficult for us to breathe without covering our noses. This site is definitely worth a visit!