CADIZ

Dramatically located on a peninsula with the Med on one side and the Atlantic on the other. Unjustly written off by many foreigners to the region as merely a port and therefore not worth seeing, Cadiz is a surprisingly beautiful and buzzing place, particularly in its old town which you enter through the 18th century city walls.



The historic quarter is a very picturesque combination of large, bright square surrounded by baroque palaces and imposing churches. Plaza de la Catedral is the centrepoint, with the huge gold-domed cathedral looming over a plaza full of outdoor cafes, buskers and tourists. Plaza de San Juan de Díos is another focal point, in this case with the 18th century town hall providing the main feature in a square which provides the perfect place to sit in a café and watch the passers-by.

You can’t get lost in Cádiz as you are never more than two blocks from the sea (on either side). It’s a popular place for Spanish holiday home owners who all visit their beachside apartments in the new town in July and August.

The new town will be of little appeal to foreign buyers, as a long, straight stretch with modern buildings on both sides and surprisingly high property prices (from 500,000 euros for an apartment near the beach).
But the old town will be appealing to those who want to live in the thick of Spanish life and who don’t mind the noise of gregarious neighbours and lively tapas bars. Neighbourhoods such as La Viña and Santa Maria are gaining appeal among foreign buyers. Apartments here cost about 200,000 euros for two-bedrooms.

And then there are the beaches, of a beauty you may not expect from something so close to a city. The harbour wall which runs along the west-side of town (and is very evocative of old Havana) gives way to a fantastic, long stretch of white sand backed by sand dunes. There is also the beautiful Playa de la Caleta which is sneakily located in the north of town, just when you’re least expecting it.

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