RSS
Home
The Perfect Spanish Trip Begins in Cadiz
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
By Marcus Wilder
Our Perfect Spanish Trip begins in friendly, historic Cádiz [KAH deeth]. Cádiz is the oldest continuously inhabited city still standing in Iberia, possibly in all Europe. Few tourists go there.
Cádiz is one of the nicest places you never thought you would go. The people of Cádiz are famously the friendliest in Spain. Lord Byron thought the women the prettiest, most flirtatious of Spain.
Unusual for Southern Spain, it is easy to eat well in Cádiz. Seafood predominates. Ask the locals where they eat. You will make wonderful discoveries.
Our Perfect Spanish Trip will take us by train from Cádiz in the Southwest to Santiago de Compostela in the Northwest, then across the lovely green North of Spain by narrow-gauge local rail to San Sebastian and two of the world’s great restaurants. We stop at several fine small cities on the way.
If you arrive at Madrid Barajas airport in the middle of the day, a train will get you to Cádiz before dark.
Cádiz was founded by Phoenicians, occupied by Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, and Visigoths. Visigoths were low-rent Romans, more or less.
Cádiz had more upper-class Roman citizens than any cities except Rome and Padua.
Hannibal headquartered in Cádiz for his conquest of Southern Spain. Roman occupation of Iberia was an unintended consequence of trying to head off Hannibal in Spain.
Columbus sailed from Cádiz on his second and fourth voyages.
Barbary pirates repeatedly attacked unsuccessfully. Sir Francis Drake attacked more successfully. Drake’s attack on Cádiz harbor delayed the sailing of the Armada by a full year.
Cádiz was homeport of the Spanish treasure fleet for several years.
This is a travel article. We skip lightly over deep and varied layers of history.
Cádiz occupies a narrow spit of land projecting into the sea. The narrow, winding cobbled streets of the old city are strollers’ paradise. In the evening, move from tapas bar to tapas bar drinking small glasses of wine, eating tapas [small bar snacks] and meeting always-friendly locals.
The beach is almost never crowded.
For a city occupying such a small space, Cádiz has a surprising number of plazas and sites of historic and architectural interest.
Cádiz is one of Spain’s ideal places for total immersion Spanish courses. Live with a family. Learn Spanish. Absorb Cádiz culture.
Cádiz has a famous Carneval. There are festivals throughout the year.
Cádiz has a parador. Throughout this trip, bargain hard over room rates. Spain is in deep recession.
Cádiz has hostels, and hotels of every size and class between the hostels and the parador.
From Cádiz the Perfect Spanish Trip will take us next by train to Sevilla. It was in Sevilla I began my 600 mile walk to Santiago de Compostela in 2006.
I recorded my walk from Sevilla to Santiago de Compostela in Naïve & Abroad, Spain, Limping 600 Miles Through History, available from Amazon and from my website NaiveAbroad.com. I lace the story with gossipy bits of the history of the places I pass.
The seven-week walk was a glorious experience. You should go.
For this trip, bring your Blue Guide for Spain. The Perfect Spanish Trip will take us to cities with long history and fine architecture.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
Single, married or something in between? Find what you need for Valentine's Day.
.jpg)
