Cadiz: One Of The Oldest Continuously Inhabited Cities In Western Europe

Driving to Cadiz took nearly two and a half hours – for a while we followed the Med coastline, including passing by Gibraltar.  The massive Rock elicited “oohs and ahs” from the two of us.  

Cadiz is the main city in southern Spain on the Atlantic Ocean (most of the south’s coastline is the Mediterranean).  

After checking in at our first ever parador in Spain (or Portugal), we walked around a bit before heading down the city about three miles away (Cadiz is on a relatively thin strip of land sticking connected to the mainland by an even thinner strip of land).  We were going to cab it, but there were no cabs to be found, so we ended up driving.  

On the way there, we drove under the ancient gates from the 15th century that led into the medieval city.  Where I parked, we walked along Paseo Maritimo, a scenic seaside promenade.  On the way there, I saw surfers, people playing volleyball, a decent number of sunbathers, and even a few people swimming.  I had dropped Carol off at the restaurant so we weren’t late, and on the way back we hardly saw anyone on the beach as the wind picked up considerably. 

We had lunch at the Puntaparilla Grill.  The first Sunday in May is Mother’s Day in Spain, so we ended up being the only non-locals at the restaurant.  We had gone because the restaurant received very positive mention on multiple websites/blogs about Cadiz.  The fact that we could get suckling pig for two might have been the main reason we went.

Spain has fantastic food, and we love lots of it.  But the jamon, grilling pork, and suckling pig all come the most amazing pigs in the world.  Not only are they the most amazing pigs in the world (a spider even spins a web spelling out “Some Pig”) but they are the tastiest.  I have never liked American ham, and I’m picky about pork (I have a fabulous, and easy grill recipe for pork chop calzones; email me if you want it).

But now that we can buy Spanish grilling pork in the US and make it at home, I’m a happy guy.  If you are ever in Spain and see either presa, pluma, or secreto on the menu, order it.  I guarantee it will be the best pork you’ve ever had.

Anyhow, after the meal, we headed back to the parador, parked, and set out to explore Cadiz.

We first hit the Cathedral.  Started in 1722, it took 116 years to finish.  The 18th century was peak Cadiz, as it thrived on the trade between Spain and the Americas.  

It has a Baroque facade, but also boasts Rococo elements, and was finished in the Neoclassical style.

Alas, the Tower of the Cathedral was closed – like the Giralda in Seville, there is a ramp to the roof, so it would have been interesting to climb.  I think it was because of the high, blustery winds that day.