Day 129 – Cádiz, Spain

Today, we arrived in Spain, the first country in Europe on our World Cruise itinerary. The port city of Cádiz, where we docked, gained incredible wealth during the eighteenth century as riches from the Americas were unloaded here. 

Views of Cádiz from Viking Sky

When we docked in Cádiz in 2023, I traveled to Seville to see its amazing architecture. Today, I wanted to see the idyllic countryside and charming villages of the province of Andalusia. One of these days, I’ll visit the city of Cádiz to see all that it has to offer.

This was the description of my optional excursion, “Andalusian Experience”:

Glimpse the authentic culture of Andalusia during a scenic country drive along the Route of the Bulls. The region of Andalusia is famous for its fighting bulls. Board your motor coach and embark on a picturesque journey through the idyllic countryside, passing whitewashed villages, beautiful beaches, and olive groves and vineyards. Keep watch for the many herds of grazing and lounging bulls that dot the landscape. Your guide will describe the history of bullfighting, which dates back to the 6th century BC. See the town of Medina-Sidonia, nestled between the mountains and the sea, and the village of Vejer de la Frontera, located atop a rocky hill not far from the ocean. You will make a stop in Conil de la Frontera, a charming seaside village. Enjoy free time to explore its narrow winding streets, beautiful beaches, promenade and shops before boarding your coach and returning to your ship.

As we drove out of town, I was able to see several of the important buildings and plazas of Cádiz, including the Plaza de Sevilla and Puertas de Tierra, a bastion monument built around remnants of the old defensive wall at the entrance to the city.

Sights of Cádiz -Puertas de Tierra (upper left and center), Plaza de Sevilla (upper right), 
and the Former Royal Tobacco Factory (lower right)

On the outskirts of town, we passed through the marshes and salt flats of Cádiz. The salt flats are a natural source of sea salt and have defined the landscape of the Bay of Cádiz for the last three thousand years. We saw the ruins of several salt flat houses, where the workers lived, and learned that salt is the origin of the word "salary," because salt was used to pay the salaries of the Roman soldiers and workers.

Salt Flats and Ruins of a Salt Flat House

As we drove into the countryside, I was enamored by the beauty of the Andalusian landscape, with its rolling hills, green pastures, and white villages perched on hillsides.

The Beautiful Countryside of Andalusia

We were only able to catch a brief glimpse of the ancient hilltop town of Medina-Sidonia, since our motorcoach could not get close to the walled city due to its narrow streets. The views over the countryside, however, were beautiful. The driver did not even attempt to try to climb the hill to the village of Vejer de la Frontera. Walking is really the only way to visit these towns on an excursion.

This Was All We Saw of Medina-Sidonia

Throughout the day, our guide pointed out the many red cows and bulls that have existed in the Iberian Peninsula since ancient times. She provided no other information about the bulls or the history of bullfighting as mentioned in the excursion description.

Scenes of Andalusia

As we approached Conil de la Frontera, we could see why it is one of the White Towns of Andalusia. We could also see how the town was originally protected by watchtowers along the Atlantic coast. Today, the town is known for its beaches, and several of our guests headed there for our hour of free time. The town itself was the draw for me.

Approaching the Town of Conil de la Frontera

Along the Waterfront of Conil de la Frontera

The medieval village of Conil de la Frontera developed around the Tower of Guzman during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Although it sits alone in the square today, the tower was originally at the center of a fortified castle that was built to provide shelter in the case of enemy attacks. Tuna fishing was the main industry here, and the town flourished.

Tower of Guzman and Drawings of the Original Castle

The tower is surrounded by Plaza de Santa Catalina, which contains the town’s original church. Today, it is a cultural center.

Plaza Santa Catalina

Without a map, I simply wandered the streets. Ducking first under a low arch, I found myself following what I assumed to be the original walls of the city. I then somehow ended up at the Plaza de España, the central square in town. This plaza is located just inside the only remaining town gate within the walls that surrounded the town during the sixteenth century.

The Original Town Walls?

The Original Town Gate Leading to Plaza de España

Although I enjoyed getting lost in the town, I briefly panicked when I realized that I had only a short time to find my way back to the motorcoach. Thank goodness I had connectivity and could count on Google maps.

I finally made it back to the bus, and we returned to Viking Sky. We sailed away from Cádiz shortly afterward.

Leaving Cádiz 

Tim and I enjoy listening to Dr. Caroline Malloy, so we watched her lecture on “Explorers – The Age of Discovery.” She touched on five great periods of exploration, although the focus was the era that began with Columbus and Vasco da Gama.

Explorers - The Age of Discovery