Being the oldest city in western Europe, the Port of the Bay of Cadiz contains some wonderful historical sights that visitors will not want to miss. The City of Cadiz is full of archaeological remnants. The Archaeological Museum (Plaza de Mina) contains many fascinating exhibits, including two stone Phoenician sarcophagi. You can still see parts of the large stone walls and forts that protected the town against British attacks at the end of the 16th Century, and tourists can explore the forts of Santa Catalina and San Sebastian.

Near the Port of the Bay of Cadiz’ central market, the Torre Tavira contains towers where merchants once watched for ships from the Americas. Today, it affords wonderful views of old town.

The Port of the Bay of Cadiz’ Carnaval (Spanish) is reputed to be one of Spain’s best, and it is certainly one Spain’s oldest. The third biggest Carnaval in the world, the streets are crowded with people in costumes dancing, singing, and celebrating life. And you never know who you’ll run into during Carnaval – jet-setters, even members of Spain’s royal family.

The Museo de la Cortes de Cadiz tells the story of the Port of the Bay of Cadiz’s history in the 18th and 19th Centuries. It also contains a wood and ivory scale model of the 18th Century city. The Museo de Cadiz: Archaeology, Arts, and Ethnography contains, in addition to the Phoenician coffins, relics from Phoenician and Roman times as well as works by important Spanish painters and an exhibit dedicated to marionettes. The 16th Century Cathedral Museum and Archives, next to the ancient Roman Theater, contains wonderful examples of sacred jewelry and paintings.

The Roman Theater was built in the 1st Century, and some of its materials have been used to build the medieval buildings that surround it. Today, part of the site is open to the public. Also built in the 1st Century, the Roman Salt Meat Factory was opened in 1995 for tours and declared an important cultural site in 1998. The Roman Columbarios are the remains of the necropolis (Spanish) of Roman Cadiz. They include crematoria and tombs of the Roman city Gades.

With many kilometers of clean, wide beaches, the Port of the Bay of Cadiz is a paradise for sun-lovers. The Creek is a 450-meter urban beach with rescue and first aid stations. The beach called Santa Maria of the Sea, 400 meters long, is the northernmost public beach in the Port of the Bay of Cadiz, and it runs along the oldest sections. The Victory beach is about 3 kilometers long and is lined with a promenade, hotels, bars, and restaurants. The Victory Beach is considered one of the best beaches in southern Europe, and it has been recognized for efforts to keep it clean and safe. The Cortadura-Torregorda beach is about 3.9 thousand meters long, and it contains wide, dry sands formed by small dunes. The most natural of the Port of the Bay of Cadiz’ beaches, it lies between the other public beaches.

Travelers who want to visit the Port of the Bay of Cadiz by sea can find a list of scheduled cruises on the Cruise Compete website.

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