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Cadiz Spain Cruise Port Guide
Location:
Cádiz appears almost out of nowhere with only sea and empty coastline on both sides. Cruise ships dock in the center of town, from which the town is easily covered on foot.
The cruise terminal situated alongside Alfonso XIII pier, offers cruise passengers a safe and comfortable welcome to Cadiz. After recent expansion it offers 1300 m2 in which you can find an open-plan hall with check-in desks, disembarkation area, luggage storage area, tourist information desks where passengers can obtain maps of the city, free Wi-Fi zone, delicatessen and souvenir shops among other services.
And almost immediately across the busy Avenida del Puerto is the main square Plaza de San Juan de Dios with the tourist office and shopping area.
Printable map to take along.
Cruise calendar for this port.
Watch a destination video.
Live Nautical Chart with Wikipedia Markers
Monthly Climate Averages for Cadiz Spain
Sightseeing:
Cadiz is located on a peninsula that is surrounded approximately 300 degrees by water and also creates part of the Cadiz Bay. It is a medieval city dating back to over 1,000 BC. As one of Europe's oldest cities, Cadiz is a maze of pedestrian streets, squares and Moorish architecture.
If you only have one day in Cadiz you might want to just stay there and enjoy the town. If you walk along the seafront, you might spot dolphins and occasionally whales.
You could probably also squeeze in a side trip to El Puerto de Santa Maria which is close and reached by short ferry crossing (the quickest if the timetable works for you), bus or train. Pretty little seaside town.
Tours Excursions Transportation:
Cadiz City Hop-on Hop-off Tour stops right outside de cruise terminal.
Taxis charge about 45 euro per hour, depending on the distance.
A nice way to discover Cadiz is to walk through the center of town towards the Cathedral (which is easy visible. Once arrived at the Cathedral turn right and follow the road along the ocean back towards your ship. You will be impressed by the robust fortress walls and the stunning botanical gardens alongside. The admission to the Cathedral and clock tower is 7 Euros.
Cadiz beaches are not crowded. Its cool, blue waters are enchanting and unspoiled by the sprouting of countless resorts and hotels. It is still a budding destination spot so you don't have to be always on the rush or surrounded by hundreds of other tourists.
The train station is just off the Plaza de Sevilla with up to 20 trains run daily to and from El Puerto de Santa Maria and Jerez de la Frontera and up to 12 regional lines to and from Seville. Train schedules.
It pays to compare your cruise line shore excursions here
Nearby Places:
Victoria Beach is short bus ride (number 7 or number 2) away from the old town and is beautiful with clean water and lots of activities including beach football and volleyball, surfing and kite flying all available.
Jerez de la Frontera, 30 km from Cadiz, got its name from its local wine named "Jerez" which the British troops occupying the town centuries ago, pronounced as "sherry." The suffix "de la Frontera" was later added as it sits on the exact spot where a frontier once stood between the Moors' and Christians' warring troops. "Jerez" is considered to be one of the world's best, in fact, connoisseurs of significant contributions to the wine industry came to Jerez. Such big names as Domecq, John Harvey and Gonzalez Byass were just some of the town's notable visitors. The town is also famous for its flamenco dances, pretty horses and brilliant balladeers.
Jerez can be done by bus or train. Journey times are almost identical as the train takes a big loop. See the horses, taste the sherry.
Due to its long and rich history, Seville, 120 km from Cadiz, 1.50 hrs by train, has an important monumental and artistic heritage whose buildings can be classified into various categories: Civilian architecture, which includes palaces, government buildings, private palaces, hospitals, universities, etc., Amongst religious architecture, Seville is one the cities with the largest number of churches and convents
Shopping and Food
The Plaza del San Juan Dios a huge square that you cannot miss. All of the streets that empty out into the square offer excellent shopping. Head down the streets to the right to penetrate Cadiz's main shopping areas or visit the visitor center located in the square for walking and shopping maps of Cadiz.
The large central morning market is not to be missed.
Currency:
The euro
Communication:
Spanish is the official language in the entire national territory. However, other languages coexist with Spanish in certain regions of Spain. These are: Catalan in Catalonia, Galician in Galicia, Euskera/Basque in the Basque Country, Valencian in the Valencia Region and a particular variety of Catalan spoken on the Balearic Islands.
Free WiFi at Cadiz cathedral where all cafe's on the square in front of it have very good reception. There are other clearly marked WiFi spots in town. Also free WiFi at the cruise terminal.
Emergency number: Dial 112 free of charge (valid throughout Spain). Service is given in Spanish, and also in English, French and German in some tourist areas.
Opening Hours and Holidays:
The most common business for shops and businesses hours are Monday through Saturday, from 9.30 h to 13.30 h, and from 16.30 to 20.00 h.
Big shopping centers and department stores open from 10.00 h to 21.00 or 22.00 h uninterruptedly. These big stores open sometimes on Sunday.
In coastal cities, in high season, shops are usually open passed 22.00 h.
Pharmacies open from 9.30 to 13.30 h, and from 16.30 to 20.00 h. In all major cities, you can find pharmacies that open 24 hours. Pharmacies follow a rolling late-hour schedule, which is published in the newspapers, and is posted at all pharmacies.
Museums are in general closed on Mondays.
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