Best Day Trips from Cádiz

If you plan to visit Cadiz you can discover some of the best beaches in Andalusia, one of the most picturesque old towns in Spain and a delicious gastronomy, but you can also use the city as a base to discover other nearby cities and make the most of your visit to the coast of Cadiz.

Some of the best things to see and do in Cadiz include other nearby places to visit, such as Seville, the white villages, the Rock of Gibraltar, Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar and the Bay of Cadiz, which you can explore on a boat trip where you can also watch the sunset.

Seville is the most populated and most representative city of Andalusia, so you can make the most of your visit to Cadiz and book a full day excursion to get to know the Andalusian capital. On these tours you can visit the main monuments of the city, the Alcázar, the Giralda and the neighbourhoods of Santa Cruz and Triana.

In Santa Cruz, Seville's Jewish quarter, you will have free time to wander the narrow streets and squares at your own pace, before continuing the tour to the Giralda, which is the bell tower of the Cathedral of Santa Maria, the Alcazar, which is the oldest Royal Palace in Spain, and the gypsy quarter of Triana, which on the other side of the Guadalquivir River holds the honour of being considered the birthplace of flamenco.

These excursions usually include return transfer by private vehicle with hotel pick-up, the assistance of an expert local guide and the entrance fees to the excursions.

Details of interest

• Price... Approximately 251 euros per person, including transfer to and from the hotel, the assistance of the local expert guide and the entrance fees to the excursions.
• Duration... Approximately 8 to 10 hours.
• Advantages of these excursions... You will be able to get to know one of the most representative cities in Spain in a full day excursion.
• Disadvantages of these excursions... It is a very intensive tour and can be an expensive option.

Among the Cádiz cities relatively close to the provincial capital, one of the most important is Jerez de la Frontera, the place that stands out for the best flamenco shows in Cádiz, its history, its art and its cultural heritage. On these excursions you will get to know the old town of Jerez, the modern area, the most representative monuments, the Plaza del Arenal, the Alcázar and the Cathedral.

In the Cathedral of Jerez you can discover the mixture of gothic, baroque and neoclassical styles and in the vicinity of the building you can opt for an extra cost for a Cadiz lunch to discover the goodness of the local gastronomy and wines.

After free time for lunch these tours include a tour of the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art and an invitation to one of the equestrian shows on the bill, which often combine ballet with horses, Spanish music and nineteenth-century costumes.

These half-day excursions are ideal if you are planning a short stay in the city, as they will save you time. If this is your case, here is a list of things to see and do to get to know Cádiz in 3 days.

Interesting details

• Price... Approximately 65 euros per person, including the transfer to and from the hotel, the assistance of the expert local guide and the tickets for the horse show.
• Duration... Approximately 5 to 6 hours.
• Advantages of these excursions... You will be able to get to know one of the main cities of Cádiz in a half day excursion.
• Disadvantages of these excursions... It does not include one of the traditional visits to Jerez, which is a visit to a wine cellar.

The Andalusian architecture of some buildings is striking for its style and that is the case of the so-called white villages, which stand out with the whitewashed facades of their houses and buildings adorned with colourful flowers. On these excursions you can visit some of the main sites on this route, including Arcos de la Frontera, Grazalema and Ubrique.

Arcos de la Frontera is considered one of the most beautiful villages in Spain and the first link on the white villages route. It is characterised by its winding streets, its Moorish architecture and the town's monuments, which are astonishing for their size and beauty.

The second stop will be in Grazalema, a place nestled in the mountains of Cadiz. If you plan to visit Cádiz in December, you will be recommended to spend New Year's Eve in this town, which offers Christmas shows and some of the best sunsets in Spain. Ubrique will be the last destination on the tour and you'll marvel at its medieval layout and squares lined with fountains and flowers.

These tours usually include a return transfer with hotel pick-up, expert local guide and also an extra cost lunch stop in the middle of the tour.

Details of interest

• Price... Approximately 65 euros per person, including hotel pick-up and return transfer and the assistance of the expert local guide.
• Duration... Approximately 9 to 10 hours.
• Advantages of these tours... Good value for money.
• Disadvantages of these tours... It can be a very intensive tour and you will miss some places to see in each city.

One of the best day trips you can take from Cadiz is to Gibraltar, which at the southern tip of Spain contains the British colony that has been the subject of diplomatic disputes for over 100 years. On these tours with return transfer and hotel pick-up you can also see the Los Alcornocales Nature Reserve and La Línea de la Concepción, the Spanish town bordering Gibraltar.

In the British colony's territory you can take part in a scenic tour through the intricate roads surrounding the rock until you reach Punta Europa, where you can use the viewpoints to discover some of the best views of the Strait of Gibraltar.

On these excursions you'll usually also visit the Caves of San Miguel, the shops of Main Street and you'll also have several hours free to explore the city at your own pace. If you plan to visit Cadiz in October and visit Gibraltar, you can also book a whale and dolphin watching tour in the strait.

Useful details

• Price... Approximately 75 euros per person, including hotel pick-up and return transfer and the assistance of the expert local guide.
• Duration... Approximately 10 hours.
• Advantages of these excursions... A convenient and efficient way to see Gibraltar in a full day tour.
• Disadvantages of these excursions... If you decide to include the dolphin watching excursions you will not have enough time to visit the city freely.

The Alhambra, the citadel that conquers the skyline of Granada, is one of the most important sites in Andalusia with its great walls, its 37 towers and its carefully designed architecture. On these tours you will get to know the military fortress that took more than 150 years to build, as well as the palace, the inner courtyards and the Muslim monuments inside.

On these tours with return transfer and hotel pick-up you can visit what is considered the eighth wonder of the world and the main sights of the architectural complex, which include the Nasrid Palaces, the Alcazaba, the Torre de la Vela, the Generalife and the Palace of Charles V.

These tours usually include the assistance of an expert local guide, entrance to the Alhambra and also some free time to visit the main sights of the site.

Details of interest

• Price... Approximately 60 euros per person, including return transfer with hotel pick-up, the assistance of the local expert guide and entrance to the Alhambra.
• Duration... Approximately 12 hours.
• Advantages of these excursions... You will get to know one of the most famous buildings in Spain in a day trip.
• Disadvantages of these excursions... The Alhambra is more than 300 kilometres from Cadiz, so the journey and the itinerary can be tiring.
• Disadvantages of these excursions... It is a very long excursion which can be tiring if you are planning a short visit.

Sanlúcar de Barrameda is another of the main towns surrounding Cádiz and on these excursions you can discover the best of the city's skyline on a guided tour of the old town, the Castillo de Santiago and the Plaza del Cabildo. If you plan to visit Cadiz in summer you can also visit the Medieval Market in El Puerto de Santa Maria.

On these tours, which include transfers to and from Cádiz, you can also tour the Doñana Natural Park on an off-road jeep tour through its landscapes. In the park you will visit the marshes, dunes and groves that are the habitat of flamingos and various species of water birds.

On the beaches of Sanlúcar de Barrameda you can also attend the Sanlúcar Horse Races, a centuries-old event held every year in which local horses compete for the crown. If you plan to visit Cádiz in August you can attend the main race of the Cádiz turf.

Interesting details

• Price... Approximately 58 euros per person, including return transfer, assistance of local expert guide and entrance fees to the Doñana Natural Park.
• Duration... Approximately 5 hours.
• Advantages of these excursions... You will get to know one of the main cities of the outskirts of Cádiz and you will save time.
• Disadvantages of these excursions... The Doñana Natural Park can be very tiring on a half-day excursion.

One of the best alternatives to discover the profile of Cadiz is from the sea, on a boat trip along the coast of Cadiz to give you one of the best postcards of the city. On these excursions lasting approximately 3 hours you can also sail across the Carranza and Constitución bridges.

If you plan to visit the city during the summer, these tours will usually include a stop for a swim and water sports such as paddle surfing and snorkelling experiences. These tours are also compatible if you plan to visit Cádiz with children because the boats usually include inflatable games and other children's activities.

If you choose to take a boat trip around the bay in the afternoon you can also discover one of the best sunsets in Spain on clear days , even if you are visiting Cádiz in winter.

Interesting details

• Price... Approximately 40 euros per person, including the ride and a stop for a swim.
• Duration... Approximately 3 hours.
• Advantages of these excursions... You will be able to contemplate the Cádiz skyline from a distance.
• Disadvantages of these excursions... If you opt for this excursion in winter you won't be able to take a swim and if the day is cloudy you won't be able to enjoy the sunset.

You can book an excursion from Cadiz to the nearby cities in advance online or book the tours once you are in the city, although if you plan to visit Cadiz in the summer or in the seasonal months places on the excursions may sell out or increase in price if you book at the last minute.

To save time and money I advise you to book excursions in advance and organise your travel itinerary around the tours you have booked, especially if you are planning a short stay in the city.

On these tours you will see some of the main sites that are located in areas close to Cadiz, such as Seville, Sanlucar de Barrameda, Gibraltar and the white villages of Andalusia.

Some tours such as the one that takes you to the Alhambra are a little further afield, so you will have to bear in mind that to see the site in one day you will have to endure an intensive and tiring journey.

If you plan to visit Cadiz during the high season or summer months I advise you to book well in advance to avoid sell out and price increases due to last minute bookings.

If you are planning to travel to Cadiz in January, which is the coldest month of the year in Andalusia, or during the winter season, I advise you to always bring a coat, boots and waterproof mackintosh as rainfall is frequent and heavy.

Cadiz is one of the most beautiful cities in Andalusia but its surroundings also hold some of the most striking landscapes and cities in Spain, so don't miss the chance to use the capital of Cadiz as a base to visit other places such as Gibraltar, Seville or the Alhambra.

You'll also have the chance to see places that are very different from each other, such as the white villages, which are nestled in the mountains and have a rural profile, and Sanlúcar de Barrameda, which is one of the industrial motors of Cádiz with its wine and gastronomy.