Portray of the Destination
The city of Cadiz with a population of 157,000 inhabitants, lays on a small, narrow peninsula of
only 10.58 Km (6.5 miles) long. It is structured in three areas: the historic city, within the
boundaries of the 18th Century city, is the more solid –geologically speaking- part of the Cádiz “
island”, and the largest of the three, with the historic compound where the main monuments are
found, the shopping area and the Caleta beach, with the path on top of the reef and surrounded by
the Castles of Santa Catalina and San Sebastian.
Puerta Tierra is a urban expansion area developed between the 1950’s and 1960’s in an area on
the north side of the isthmus that was occupied by small suburbs of the 19th century. The dry land
expanded towards the Bay by means of an important land fill project, allowing the settlement of
industries and workers quarters. Finally there is the narrowest, more fragile, fine sandy tombolo
on the southern side of the isthmus. In the modern area there are new buildings, avenues, the
promenade, and it features the magnificent beaches of La Victoria, Santa María del Mar and
Cortadura. There are shopping centers, sea clubs, a football stadium and other sports facilities.
We would like to thank the Cadiz City Council for the texts and photographs provided.
Geography
Cadiz is a Spanish city belonging to the Andalusian Autonomous Region, located in the southeastern
end of the European continent, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Longitude: 06° 17’ West,
Latitude 36° 32’ North.
The municipality of Cadiz has no mineral, agricultural or energetic resources whatsoever; the
only resources available come from the sea, from the fishing industry. This industry operates in
two different areas: coastal and deep sea fishing and its importance in the economy of the region
is far greater than could be supposed by the relatively few workers it employs.
The most outstanding characteristic of Cadiz is that it is totally surrounded by the sea,
with the only exception of the southeastern end, where the peninsula is joined to the town of San
Fernando. This peninsula has a large seafront with beaches all along the coast, which is part of
the Bay with its many piers, docks and shipbuilding yards. The innermost part of the Bay is taken
up by the saltworks, some of them still in operation, which occupy 20.8 hectares of the
municipality. This incredible lack of natural resources is due to the scarcity, quality and use of
the soil. The fact is that there is no mining or agricultural production and there are no woods or
natural parks such as those in the Bay which perform there the function of lung. Therefore the
outstanding feature of Cadiz is the seafront and its preservation.
The 7.05 km (4.4 miles) of beaches in Cadiz represent 25% of the total extension of the Bay,
and they are considered good or very good beaches. In recent years, however, they were affected by
erosion, which reduced the width of the beaches at some points nearest to the city. The reversal of
this situation was part of an environmental recovery plan of the Port Authorities of Cadiz,
regenerating the sand and improving the facilities of the beaches for public use.
Climate
Considering its climatic conditions, Cadiz is ideal to enjoy the beaches during the summer and the
wide offer of cultural activities all year round.
When to go
Due to its geographical location, the climate in Cadiz is halfway between what can be considered a
Mediterranean climate and that of the southern European Atlantic Ocean. Thus the average annual
temperature is 18.1ºC (64.6ºF), typical of the Mediterranean region, with an average maximum
temperature in the hottest month (August) of 34.7ºC (94ºF) and a mean minimum temperature in the
coldest month (January) of 9.9ºC (50ºF). On the other hand, it shares the typical characteristics
of the Southern Atlantic climate with annual rainfall of 603.7 mm.
History
According to tradition, Cadiz was founded by Phoenician sailors in the year 1100 b.C., which makes
it the oldest city in the Western World. Most historians investigating the foundation of Cadiz
mention the legend of Hercules’ victory over Geryon, the giant with three heads.
It was the capital of the Atlantic Phoenician cities and factories till the ascent of
Carthague. As from the 3rd Century a.C. the city enters a period of economic decadence with the
ensuing depopulation, a process that would not be reversed until the discovery of America. After
the fall of the Roman Empire, it was ruled by the Vandals, Byzantines and Visigoths. After the
conquest of Qadis (Cadiz) by the Moors, the city started to experience a period of decadence. The
statue of Hercules was demolished around the 9th Century. In 1262 Alfonso X reconquered the city,
hence a process of reinvigoration started.
Christopher Columbus set sail from Cadiz for his second and fourth voyages to the Indies. In
1509 it acquired the right to register the ships from Indies and later to disembark goods from the
Antilles. In 1553 the pirate Barbarossa tried to take the city, but with the help of the Genoese
Andrea Doria the attack was repelled. In 1587 it was looted by Francis Drake, from England, and in
1596 by the Anglo-Dutch fleet led by the Count of Essex. After these events, the city was
fortified. The English asked ransom for most of the population, taking some prominent citizens as
hostages. In 1625 Lord Wimbledon was repelled in spite of his quantitative superiority.
On October 21st 1805, a Spanish-French fleet set sail from Cadiz to confront the English
fleet commanded by Horace Nelson, whose victory in Trafalgar put an end to a brilliant Spanish
maritime tradition. During the Napoleonic invasion Cadiz resisted the French siege and in 1811
representatives from Spain gathered there to compile the first Spanish Constitution. In 1868 the
uprising of Topete took place, starting the Liberal Revolution that would give way to the
democratic-liberal constitution of 1869. During the 1st Spanish Republic in 1873, Cadiz declared
itself as an independent Canton, however, when King Alfonso XII ascended the throne, it was forced
to renounce to this condition.
Traditions
The number of traditions celebrated in Cadiz is quite large:
On January 5th: Parade of the Magi.
The Carnival is one of the most famous in Spain and in the world and it is considered of
International Tourist Interest.
The Holy Week: Sacred liturgical days for Christendom, from Palm Sunday to Resurrection
Sunday.
Corpus Christi, is a festivity of the Catholic Church that commemorates the institution of
the Eucharist. Its main object is proclaiming and strengthening the faith of the Church in Jesus
Christ.
October 7th: Festivity of the Virgin of El Rosario, patron saint of Cadiz.
Besides the religious festivities, there are other events of interest:
July: INTERNATIONAL FOLKLORE FESTIVAL “CITY OF CADIZ”.
November: SPANISH MUSIC FESTIVAL.
December: INTERNATIONAL PUPPETS FESTIVAL “CITY OF CADIZ”.
Gastronomy
The different dishes that can be enjoyed in the city are: “Tocino de Cielo”, a dessert made with
eggs and milk; the “Garum”, a sauce mixed with wine, vinegar, pepper, oil or water that is used as
seasoning with different dishes, although it was also employed in medicine and cosmetics. Tuna fish
with onions, roast Mackerel, marinated Dogfish, marinated Moray, “tortillas de camarones”, fritters
made of wheat flour, chicken pea flour, water, salt, garlic, parsley and white shrimps, mixed to
obtain a thin batter that is fried in oil. They must be eaten immediately, when they are still
crisp. The shrimps from Cadiz are smaller than those of other areas, so much so that they are
sometimes used as live bait for fishing. Cuttlefish with potatoes, “Huevas aliñás” (cooked and
sliced spawns of hake mixed with tomatoes, onions and pepper salad and seasoned with sherry wine
and olive oil), “papa aliñá” (potato salad with onion, tuna fish and olive oil), “Panizas” (chicken
pea flour fritters}, “Ropa vieja, “Pestiños” (a Christmas Sweet typical of Cadiz and other areas of
Andalusia, made with wheat flour dough fried in olive oil and coated with honey). “Poleá” (Poleás
come from de popular porridge, prepared with flour and water, seasoned with salt, anis, milk and
sugar, served with fried bread cubes. Other ingredients can be added, such as fruits, honey,
molasses, anise or cinnamon, to enhance its simple ingredients). “Piriñaca” made with finely
chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and onions, seasoned with oil, vinegar and salt. This dish is
frequently served in bars as an appetizer; “Pan de Cadiz” (Cadiz Bread), a sweet cake wrapped in
marzipan.
Basic Dictionary
YES: si. NO: no. HELLO: hola. GOOD BYE: adios. GOOD MORNING: buenos días. GOOD AFTERNOON: buenas
tardes. GOOD NIGHT: buenas noches. PLEASE: por favor. SORRY: lo siento. THANK YOU: gracias. DOCTOR:
médico. PHARMACY: farmacia. NUMBERS: 1: un. 2: dos. 3: tres. 4: cuatro. 5: cinco. 6: seis. 7:
siete. 8: ocho. 9: nueve. 10: diez. 11: once. 12: doce. 13: trece. 14: catorce. 15: quince. 16:
dieciséis. 17: diecisiete. 18: dieciocho. 19: diecinueve. 20: veinte. 21: veintiuno. 22: veintidós.
30: treinta. 40: cuarenta. 50: cincuenta. 60: sesenta. 70: setenta. 80: ochenta. 90: noventa. 100:
cien. 1000: mil. DAYS OF THE WEEK: MONDAY: lunes. TUESDAY: martes. WEDNESDAY: miércoles. THURSDAY:
jueves. FRIDAY: viernes. SATURDAY: sábado. SUNDAY: domingo. COMMON WORDS: BIG/SMALL:
grande/pequeño. HOT/COLD: caliente/frío. OPEN/CLOSED: abierto/cerrado. GOOD/BAD: bueno/malo.
NEW/OLD: nuevo/viejo. PUSH/PULL: empujar/tirar. ENTRANCE/EXIT: entrada/salida. LADIES/GENTLEMEN:
señoras/señores. FAR/NEAR: lejos/cerca. LEFT/RIGHT: izquierda/derecha. TAXI: taxi. BUS: autobús.
MEALS: BREAKFAST: desayuno. LUNCH: comida. DINNER: cena. MENU: menú. WINES: vinos. DESSERT: postre.
THE BILL: la cuenta. COMMON SENTENCES: DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH?: ¿Habla inglés?. I DON'T UNDERSTAND:
no entiendo. WHERE IS IT?: ¿donde está? HOW MUCH IS IT: ¿Cuánto es? WHAT TIME IS IT: ¿Qué hora es?
COULD YOU HELP ME: ¿Puede ayudarme?
Currency
The official currency is the Euro, divided into 100 cents. The banknotes are: 500, 200, 100, 50, 20,10 and 5 Euros. The coins are: 1 and 2 Euros and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.
Currency Exchange
1 Euro (EUR) = 1.20 Dollar (USD); 1 Euro (EUR) = 0.68 Sterling Pounds (GBP).
Prices
Compared to other countries of the European Union and maybe due to its strong emphasis on tourism,
Spain is one of the less expensive countries when it comes to travelling. Prices obviously vary
depending on the season, being higher in the summer and lower in the winter.
Useful Info
Official nameCádiz
CountryKingdom of Spain
Time Zone+1 GMT
Official LanguageSpanish
Surface area592 sq Km (229 sq miles)
Population402,256 inhabitants
Political RegimeConstitutional Monarchy
Public holidaysJanuary 1st: New Year; January 6th: Epiphany; March 19th: Saint Joseph; March or April: Holy Week;
May 1st: International Labour Day; August 15th: Assumption of the Virgin; October 12th: National
Day of Spain; November 1st: All Saints; December 6th: Day of the Spanish Constitution; December
8th: The Immaculate Conception day; December 9th: St Leocadia; December 25th: Christmas day.
ReligionJust as the rest of Spain, Cadiz is mainly Catholic, as can be seen in the festivities calendar of
the city.
Religion90 % Catholic
Arrival / DepartureCadiz is a city located on the Bay of that same name and surrounded by the sea. It is very well
connected with the rest of the country. It has a big Port, railway and bus stations. Besides, the
Jerez Airport is only 35 km (22 miles) away.
SafetyTaking into account the fact that tourism is of great importance for Spain, the security of
travelers is a real priority in the country. Nevertheless, the general advice offered to tourists
traveling everywhere, should be considered. Thus we recommend carrying only the necessary money for
each outing and not all your funds, as well as being extra careful in crowded places to avoid being
robbed of your property.
VisaEuropean Union tourists do not need visa to enter Spain. Neither those citizens of the United
States, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil and the rest of the Latin American countries, though a return
ticket must be bought. Travelers from Australia, Anguilla, Bermuda, Canada, Cyprus, South Korea,
Hong Kong, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Israel, Japan, Macao, Malaysia, Montserrat, New
Zealand, Saint Helena, Singapore and Turk & Caicos do not either need visa provided that they
do not stay more than 90 days in Spain.
ClothingChothing depends on the season, place and circumstances. People in Spain do not dress very formally
to work or to share leisure time with others; most of the time they wear comfortable, informal
clothes. It is important to remember that during the winter months, especially January, temperature
may become very cold so that warm clothes will be necessary.
Electricity220 V, 50 Hz. Sockets are generally for two round pin plugs.
Radio and TelevisionNational channels: TVE1, TVE2, Antena 3, Tele 5 and Cuatro. The local channel in Cádiz is: CANAL
CÁDIZ TELEVISIÓN.
As to radio stations: RNE, Cadena SER, Cadena 100, Radio Clásica, Cadena COPE, Onda Cero, 40
Principales.
TelephoneSpain’s code is 34 and that of Cadiz is 956. To make international phone calls you must first dial
00 and then the country code and the telephone number. Calls within Spain do not require the use of
a special code.
The main operators are Amena (web page:
www.amena.com
), Movistar-Telefónica Móviles (web page:
www.movistar.tsm.es
) and Vodafone (web page:
www.vodafone.es
). It is easy to find phone booths on the streets, which operate with ordinary coins or cards
that can be bought. It is also easy to find the so called “locutorios” which are establishments
with many telephone booths where you can make phone calls with no need of coins or cards, paying
for the call with cash once you have finished talking. In these places, among other services, it is
possible to send and receive faxes and you can find computers to connect to the Internet paying as
you use them.Police092
Ambulance956 470 190 / 956 470 191
Fire Brigade085
Tourist health care services112
Newspapers and MagazinesAll of the main newspapers from Spain, like Abc, El Mundo, El País, Estrella Digital, La Razón, La
Vanguardia, are available, but in Cadiz there are also important local and regional publications,
such as: Diario de Cádiz, Cádiz Información, La Voz de Cádiz, Andalucía 24 horas, Cádiz Noticias
(digital), Diario Bahía de Cádiz.
As to magazines: “Epoca”. “Semana”, “Interviu”, “Primera Linea” and “Tiempo de Hoy”.
Postal ServiceThe Spanish Postal Service is efficient. Letters within Europe usually take between three and five
days. Sending a special delivery costs no less than 2.5 euros. Post offices are open from 8.30 AM
to 8.30 PM; Saturdays from 8.30 AM to 1.00 PM.
www.correos.es
.
International courier services such as Fedex or UPS are also available.
The main post offices in the city are in:
Maria Auxiliadora 3, telephone: +34 956 283 755; Pz. Topete, s/n, telephone: +34 956 210
511;
Cortes de Cadiz Ave., 1 (EL CORTE INGLES) telephone: +34 956 253 498.Health Care ServicesThe health care system in Cadiz, as in the rest of Spain, is generally good. There is no health
risk alert whatsoever. The only precaution, actually, has to do with the rigour of the sun and its
harshness, which can even cause sunstroke. It is worth mentioning, however, that Spain has a wide
network of health centres which provide health care service in both primary care and specialized
assistance. In the city of Cadiz you will find the following centres:
GEXEM TRES, S.L. Santa Maria Soledad, 13 bajo;
JOSE MANUEL PASCUAL PASCUAL, S.A. Diego Arias, 2;
CLINICA DOCTOR LOBATON, S.L. Fernandez Ladreda Ave., 9 bajo;
SALUD ROCHE, S.L. Jesus de la Paz, 2, 6º C.
AirportBy flight is probably the fastest way to reach Cadiz. In the city of Jerez de la Frontera, at a
distance of 40 km (25 miles) from Cadiz, is the La Parra airport, with flights arriving from Madrid
and Zaragoza. You can also fly to San Pablo airport in Seville, 140 km (87 miles) from Cadiz, which
receives direct flights from Barcelona, Bilbao, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Madrid,
Santiago de Compostela, Tenerife and Valencia. There is a train from Seville to Cadiz, covering the
distance in one hour.
Jerez Airport, telephone: +34 956 150 000. The motorway connecting the N-IV road with the
airport was inaugurated in July of 2003.
Public TransportThe city has a very good public transport service. The different urban bus lines make it possible
to travel within the city with a frequency of approx. 10 minutes. More information in: Autobuses
Urbanos, telephone +34 956 283 804.
Taxis are also available 24 hours a day. You can contact them calling Unitaxi, telephone: +34
956 212 121 / 956 212 123.
RailwayThe train is a good means of transport to travel to Cadiz.
Railway station: Plaza Sevilla s/n. Tel. +34 956254301.
BusThe bus is a comfortable way of travelling to Cadiz. It is slower than the train or the airplane,
but the different bus companies offer a wide variety of options. There are buses from Madrid,
Almeria, Granada, Huelva, El Ferrol, Corunna, Malaga, Seville, Cartagena and Cordoba.
CarCadiz is at a distance of 650 km (404 miles) from Madrid by the N-IV highway, and 110 km (68 miles)
from Seville by a direct motorway. The car is the best option if you are no more than 600 km (372
miles) away, considering that the roads in Andalusia are in really good conditions.
ShipThe ship is a good option if you are ready to enjoy a two and a half days cruise. The only regular
ship company, Transmediterranea, that joins mainland with the Canary Islands departs from the Port
of Cadiz, every Tuesday at 6 PM. There is also a service from Ceuta via Algeciras.
More information: Lineas Maritimas Bahia de Cadiz S.A., telephone: +34 956 221 850.
Taking picturesThere are no restrictions for taking pictures.
See climatewww.worldweather.orgCurrency converterwww.xe.com/uccA dinnerBetween 12 and 25 Euros
A coffee1 euro
The Bus1 Euro
The taxiInitial charge: 1.10 Euros (standard); 1.44 (night fare); 1.65 (public holidays).
The train4 Euros approximately
