"Europes Oldest City" a Cadiz Travel Page by Beach_dog

The first thing that struck me about Cadiz, was how vulnerable the small city seemed in its location. The oldest part of the city is perched upon a low rocky island and connected to the mainland by a long sandbar, upon some of which the newer areas of the city sit. Cadiz though has survived a very long time, it is thought to be the oldest inhabited city in Europe, dating back to the Phoenicians, who first established a post here in 1,100 BC calling the place Gadir.

As with many towns along the south coast of Spain the Romans came next, and was eventually taken by the Moors who captured it in the 8th century.

The city was in decline for a few centuries and was then captured by Alfonso X in 1262. After the Spanish conquest of South America the city passed into its Golden age, the ideal location of its port offered a sheltered position for ships setting sail and returning from the Americas. Merchants moved in, building many of the buildings you see on walks through the older part of the city, money being more abundant financed the construction of the new cathedral. Attacks by both the French and the British during this period led to the construction of many of the cities fortifications and the many towers for watchmen to keep a lookout.

Today Cadiz is still a busy port and is growing as a popular tourist destination. The nearest airport at Jerez seeing many inexpensive flights from other part of Europe and this combined with the provinces excellent beaches are contributing to this popularity.

I really enjoyed the city, in fact it really exceeded my expectations. Its small and its main points of interest could be explored in a day on foot. This said I was impressed enough to want to revisit, to find out more about its past and features.