Cadiz is an amazing city with a plenty of things to do for families! If you’re planning a visit to Spain and looking for a Cadiz itinerary that will appeal to both kids and adults, look no further. This list of the best Cadiz things to do will have you planning your trip in no time!
We spent a long weekend in Cadiz during our time in Spain. But we wished that we could have spent more time. From ancient ruins to gorgeous beaches, there’s something for everyone in Cadiz.
Whether you’re looking for a fun day out or an interesting place to explore, Cadiz is a great city to explore. So don’t miss out – read on for my top recommendations!
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Why you should include a Cádiz itinerary during your trip to Spain
We loved our time exploring things to do in Cadiz Spain. Our Cádiz itinerary was packed with so much Cadiz sightseeing.
Cádiz is one of the oldest inhabited cities in Western Europe. Set on the Atlantic coast of southern Spain, Cádiz became a major port city when the Guadalquivir River became too difficult to navigate in Seville.
Our list of Cádiz things to do spans from Cadiz tourist attractions dating to the Roman era up until the present. You’ll find so many activities to fit all sorts of interests. In addition to what I’ve listed here, there are also several museums that are worth visiting, such as the Cadiz Museum, home of the city’s fine arts collection.
Besides the abundance of activities, Cádiz is itself a beautiful city. We loved watching the sunset on the ocean every day while in Cádiz.
The other thing we loved about Cádiz was the abundance of plazas to relax and hang out. Our time in Spain has shown us that the Spanish LOVE to hang out! Plazas like Plaza de San Juan de Dios and Plaza de Mina are lined with restaurants and tapas bars, where you can pass hours enjoying food and talking with friends.
Need help deciding what to bring to Spain? Read our post on travel must haves.
Getting to Cadiz, and getting around during your Cadiz itinerary
Cádiz is located in the Andalucia region of Spain, located in the southern part of the country. Cádiz is a popular destination for those traveling from the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. It’s also an ideal starting point to explore other cities in Spain, such as Granada, Malaga, and Seville.
Cádiz has good highway access with major highways that head into Cádiz city. The city is just under 5 hours by car or bus from Madrid.
Within Cádiz, walking is the best way to get around the city, if you’re exploring the Casco Antiguo. There’s also bus service that goes around the city.
Tips to prepare for your Cadiz itinerary
Before you go and explore all the Cádiz things to do with your kids, here are a few tips to help you prepare for your Cádiz itinerary.
Where to stay during your Cadiz itinerary
The best part of Cádiz to stay in during your Cádiz itinerary is the Casco Antiguo, the old town of Cádiz. This neighborhood is located in the north central part of the city, and is where many of the Cádiz things to do are located.
Other good neighborhoods to look for hotels or Airbnbs are Centro, located just northwest of Casco Antiguo, and La Viña, located southwest of Casco Antiguo. El Pópulo is also a good neighborhood to look for hotels.
Recommended number of days for your Cadiz itinerary
I’m a huge proponent of slow travel. So I often will spend a month or more in a city. This time around, however, we only had a few days to explore during our Cádiz itinerary. Fortunately, we were still able to pack in as many Cádiz things to do as we could during that time.
If you want to fully experience a visit to Cádiz, you should plan to spend at least 5 days. This will give you enough time to do everything on your Cádiz itinerary without feeling rushed. For this particular Cádiz itinerary, you can complete it all in about 2 or 3 days.
Money matters for your Cadiz trip
Since Spain is part of the European Union, the currency of the country is the Euro. At the time of this writing, 1 euro is roughly $1.30 (USD).
Like much of Spain, Cádiz is relatively affordable to travel around. Hotel rooms can range between $80 to $200 (USD) per night, depending on the quality of the room and the location. Rates can also fluctuate depending on the season.
In terms of meals, we spent between $30 to $60 (USD) a meal for our family of four. As in the rest of Spain, tipping is not really common at restaurants. Usually a restaurant bill will already have tip included. But if you want to leave some small change, that’s acceptable (though again, it’s not really common).
Language tips for Cadiz and Spain
If you’re planning to travel to Spain, it’s helpful to learn a few Spanish phrases ahead of time. Duolingo is a great app to use. You can also buy one of the Spanish phrasebooks to
However if you want to do more in-depth study, purchase one of these Spanish language learning courses:
Babel – Learn to Speak Spanish
Ready for a change? Take the first step to living a life of full time travel.
Ideas for Cadiz things to do during your Cadiz itinerary
We loved our time in Cádiz. It’s such a beautiful city! If you’re needing ideas for things to do during your time in Cadiz, here are my suggestions.
1. Kick off your Cadiz itinerary with a City Sightseeing bus tour
To get an introduction for what Cádiz has to offer, you can do a hop on hop off city sightseeing bus tour of Cadiz. We’ve done similar tours in Rome and Paris, and we like them because it allows us to learn about the cities we visit.
The tour includes stops at Plaza de la Hispanidad, the Catedral, Playa de la Caleta, and Playa Victoria, which is located outside the Casco Antiguo. At the various stops, you can hop off and explore a museum or two, and then go back to the stop to wait for the next bus.
During the route, you can listen to audio commentary explaining the stops along the route. This is a great way to help your kids learn about Cadiz during your trip!
2. Take a walking tour showcasing Cadiz things to do
Another option for Cádiz things to do when you first get to the city is to take a walking tour. We love walking tours, and have done them in places like Venice and San Miguel de Allende.
Walking tours help you get to know some of the highlights of Cádiz, as well as the hidden gems in Cadiz. And depending on your guide, you’ll get a chance to learn some interesting facts about Cádiz that you might not get from a guide book.
Book one of these top rated walking tours for your Cádiz itinerary:
Cadiz Old Town Private Walking Tour
3. Learn about Roman history at the Teatro Romano
Spain was once a colony of Rome, and throughout many cities in Spain, you’ll see remains of Roman buildings. The Teatro Romano, also known as the Cadiz Roman Theatre, is located in the El Pópulo neighborhood along Avenida Campo del Sur. The Roman Theatre is an amphitheater style ruins from the Roman era. Built in the first century BCE, the Teatro Romano is one Cadiz attraction that’s definitely including in your Cadiz itinerary.
The Teatro Romano is free to enter. The hours of operation for the months of April through September are from 11am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 2pm on Sundays. During the months of October through March, the hours are 10am to 4:30pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 2pm on Sundays. The theater is closed on some holidays as well, so you’ll need to check the website ahead of time.
4. Relax during your Cadiz itinerary at Parque Genovés
Located in the northwestern part of the city, Parque Genovés is a great place to relax during your time in Cádiz. The area where the park currently exists was already in use in the 18th century as a recreation area, but was remodeled in the 1900s.
The garden’s highlight is its collection of large trees. There are over 100 different types of plants that were brought from all over the world. That’s why Parque Genovés has such a unique look! There’s also a cute man made waterfall structure that you can walk under or climb on top of.
5. Incorporate science-themed Cadiz things to do at Torre Tavira
For Cadiz things to do with a focus on science, Cádiz has Torre Tavira! This tower is a fun and unique place for worldschooling families who want to incorporate some learning into their Cádiz itinerary. It’s certainly one of the more unusual things to do in Cadiz.
Within the Torre Tavira is a camera obscura. A camera obscura is a device that uses lenses and mirrors to projects an image of the outside world onto a concave screen in the middle of a darkened room. It was like watching a movie of the city around us, in real time!
During the months of October through April, Torre Tavira is open daily from 10am to 6pm. The tower is open from 10am to 8pm during the months of May through September. Guided tours of the camera obscura at Torre Tavira are offered in several different languages. Tickets are 7 euros for adults, and 5.50 euros for kids. However, you will need to book in advance, as space is limited to visit the camera obscura.
6. Visit the Castillo de Santa Catalina
One of the Cadiz attractions to include in your Cádiz itinerary is the Castillo de Santa Catalina, also known as the Santa Catalina Castle. This castle was built at the end of the 16th century and is located along the western side of Cádiz, just north of Playa de la Caleta.
This castle is open to visitors Monday through Sunday, usually from 11am to 7:30pm. Admission to the castle is free, so it’s a great option for free things to do in Cadiz for families. It’s truly a Cadiz must see attraction.
7. Plan beach time during your Cadiz itinerary at La Caleta
La Caleta, also known as Caleta Beach, is one of Cádiz’s popular beaches, and is located along the western side of Cádiz. It’s a small beach, but it can get busy during the summer months. It’s also a popular spot to watch the sunset.
You can grab snacks from vendors at the beach. And there are also restaurants located nearby.
8. Take a walk along the Mareografo
If you have some leisurely time to spend during your Cádiz itinerary, I suggest including a short walk along the Mareografo, also known as Paseo Fernando Quiñones. This is a stone walkway built on a levee that begins at Playa La Caleta and continues west into the water.
The levee connects the mainland of Cádiz to a small island where Castillo San Sebastian stands. The Castillo San Sebastion is also known as San Sebastian Castle, and is a fort built in the 1700s.
A walk along the Mareografo gives you a nice opportunity take in views of Cadiz from the ocean. It a popular spot among locals of Cadiz.
9. Explore Mercado Central Cadiz
From our experience, the market is the life pulse of a city. We love visiting markets when we travel, whether it’s in Puerto Vallarta or Bali. In Cádiz the main local market is called Mercado Central Cádiz, and it’s one of our favorite places to visit in Cadiz.
The Mercado Central Cádiz is located just south of Cádiz’s cathedral. It’s a large building with stalls of fish mongers, butchers, and produce sellers within a large courtyard that’s circumnavigated by stalls of butchers and food sellers. It’s a great option for Cádiz things to do if you enjoy seeing how locals live. The market is open from Monday to Saturday from 9am to 2pm.
If you want to take a tour of Mercado Central Cadiz, book this tapas and market tour:
Private Cadiz Tapas Tour With The Food Market
10. Enjoy a tapas meal during your Cadiz itinerary
No trip to Spain would be complete without experiencing tapas. Cádiz is no exception. The city has plenty of places where you can enjoy traditional Spanish tapas.
Tapas dishes usually consist of small plates of food that accompany your drink. Sometimes they can be olives, other times they can be fried calamari rings or ham croquettes. Typically, a small tapas plate comes out with every round of drinks that is ordered (note: sodas and sparkling water counts as drinks that get tapas, still water does not).
Since the tapas plates are small, you will often want to order another dish to eat. We like to order one or two dishes that we share at the table, so that we can have a full meal.
11. Walk along Muralla de San Carlos
Another place to spend down time during your Cádiz itinerary is the Muralla de San Carlos. Constructed in the late 18th century, the wall was built to defend the city.
Today, Muralla de San Carlos is nice quiet walkway for enjoying the ocean views. Head here after you’ve crossed off all the Cádiz things to do on your list to relax and unwind.
12. Watch the sunset along the Paseo del Vendaval
The best place to end your day of Cádiz things to do, however, is at Paseo del Vendaval. This is the main seaside promenade in Cádiz that stretches from Puerta de la Caleta east to the Puertas de Tierra. It’s a nice place to enjoy Cádiz’s sunsets.
If you’re visiting Cádiz outside of the summer months, we recommend packing a hoodie and windbreaker since it can get windy and cold along this part of Cádiz.
There are several parking garages along Paseo del Vendaval, so if you’re driving during your Cádiz itinerary, you’ll be able to find places to park. The Catedral de Cádiz, also known as Cadiz Cathedral, is also along Paseo del Vendaval.
Get to know more destinations in Europe. Take a look at my Europe posts.
Making your Cadiz itinerary memorable
We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Cádiz, making memories with our kids. It is a beautiful city, full of plenty of opportunities for learning and fun.
If you’re planning to visit Cádiz, be sure to try out these Cádiz things to do with your kids. And don’t be afraid to incorporate your own things into your Cádiz itinerary, or venture out on some day trips to things to do near Cadiz. There is so much to explore in Cádiz!
Have you visited Cádiz with your kids? Share the things you did during your Cádiz itinerary in the comments below.
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