What to see in Cádiz province: towns, beaches and nature

If Cádiz city has a wide range of attractions for visitors to enjoy, including beaches, museums, monuments and streets with centuries of history, the rest of the province has plenty to offer too. If you’re wondering what to see in Cádiz province, first of all you should know that there’s masses of choice: dozens of charming inland and coastal villages and some of the best beaches in southern Spain. Not sure what to pick? Then keep on reading!

Enchanting towns in Cádiz

Cádiz province comprises numerous towns which on their own are reason enough to visit the area. Places such as Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Vejer de la Frontera and Tarifa are popular holiday destinations where you can easily spend a few days or a couple of weeks without running out of things to do. However, if you’re looking to squeeze the most out of your visit, why not explore them all?

Coastal towns

Although it’s impossible to include everywhere, the following are definitely worth a visit. From east to west:

• San Roque and the jewel in its crown, Sotogrande, residence and holiday destination of the jet set where you’ll also find the best inland beach in Europe.
• Tarifa. Relaxed vibe, vast beaches and perfect winds attract hoards of surfers in search of the best waves.
• Zahara de los Atunes. Idyllic beaches with dozens of beach bars and restaurants to enjoy during the day, and a lively nightlife after the sun goes down.
• Conil de la Frontera. Fine, sandy beaches, streets steeped in history and food that brings together the best of the sea and land.
• Chiclana de la Frontera. Outstanding heritage and museums. This town will delight anyone searching for sun, sand and some extra culture too.
• El Puerto de Santa María. The birthplace of poet Rafael Alberti, this town is famous for the delicious fish and seafood that is served in wonderful restaurants around the port.
• Rota. Place of passage since time immemorial and cradle of several civilizations, today Rota is a cosmopolitan town with a wide range of beaches, culture, sports and a buzzing nightlife.
• Chipiona. Long and relaxing beaches make this town the perfect destination for anyone keen to pamper their body and de-stress their mind during their holiday.
• Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Sip an ice-cold manzanilla, try exceptional fresh seafood, stroll among castles and ancient walls and spend a day at the beach—just some of the options you can enjoy in this city at the mouth of the Guadalquivir river.

White villages inland in Cádiz province

The famous ‘Route of the White Villages of Cádiz’ hardly needs an introduction: around twenty little villages with typical whitewashed houses are dotted around the Cádiz mountains. If you don’t have time to visit them all, it’s certainly worth making a stop (and making room, the food is exceptional throughout the whole area) in a handful, starting with Arcos de la Frontera as your gateway to the region, followed by Grazalema, Zahara de la Sierra, Olvera, Ubrique and Setenil de las Bodegas.

The delights of inland Cádiz province don’t stop at its white villages; if you don’t have time to visit the following two towns you’ll simply have to come back for another holiday:

• Jerez de la Frontera. An impressive fort and cathedral plus world-famous wineries (producing sherry, a fortified wine) and horse-riding schools.
• Vejer de la Frontera. Stunning, pristine white town close to the Barbate river that triples its population during the summer even though it isn’t by the beach (El Palmar beach is in the same municipality).

The best beaches in Cádiz

Cádiz is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Spain. Its Achilles heel is the easterly levante wind, although on the plus side this means brilliant surfing and the chance to do lots of windsports. If you’re a fan of ranked lists, read on to discover the best beaches in Cádiz:

• Playa de Bolonia, Punta Paloma, Los Lances or Valdevaqueros, in
• Playa de El Palmar, in Vejer de la Frontera.
• Playa de los Caños de Meca, in
• Playa de Valdelagrana and La Muralla, in El Puerto de Santa María.
• Playa de La Fontanilla and Los Bateles, in Conil de la Frontera.
• Playa de Zahara de los Atunes.
• Playa de Alcaidesa, in La Línea de la Concepción.
• Playa Faro de Trafalgar, in

If you’ve worked your way through this list or prefer discovering spectacular coves. Make sure you enter the following coordinates in your GPS:

• Calas de Roche and Cala del Aceite, in Conil de la Frontera.
• Cala de los Alemanes, in Zahara de los Atunes.
• Cala Arena, in
• Playa Chica, in

Hiking in Cádiz province

Keen to spend more time in nature? The good news is that Cádiz won’t disappoint anyone who loves hiking because up to 300 routes have been recorded with a huge range to choose between: coast, inland, river walks, canyons, mountains, etc.

The Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park is an especially big draw for any trekking fans with challenging peaks just waiting to be conquered (the highest peaks in the area are found here), rivers and waterfalls (this area has the highest rainfall levels in Spain), ancient Roman paths and unbeatable landscapes. It also has a good number of easy-to-access routes that are even suitable for children.