LONDON AND THE MED 2025

Day 10 Cadiz

We docked in the beautiful city of Cadiz around 8am and we were off the ship at 8:30 to pick up our tour.

Ah Cadiz, a beautiful elegant city where the breezes blow and the palm trees grow and the feeling is laid back. Unfortunately we were on a small bus heading inland to the town of Jerez.

Jerez has its occasional moments but it’s no Cadiz . There is a famous Spanish riding school here and a number of large industrial conglomerations called Bodegas which produce sherry and brandy. Interestingly, as well as lots of high roofed factory buildings, some of these Bodegas featured elaborate treed parklands. These date from the time that they were family owned and the owners would live on site.

One notable feature, it has what is said to be the largest weather vane in Europe so that might be worth noting for triva nights.

Fortunately we eventually headed back to beautiful Cadiz. Our guide had a heavy accent and had a tendency to not only give you the history of a particular building on any given site but also all the buildings on that site that had preceded it. Given that the town had been founded by the Phoenicians, conquered by the Romans, then the Vandals, then the Moors and finally by the Spanish, you can appreciate that our progress was rather glacial.

The old town is trully beautiful. The cathedral is stunning. Jeanette noted there was a lightness and joyfulness there that you don’t find elsewhere.

Elegant palm trees flank the boulevards. The buildings are painted in light greys and yellows and pinks. The squares, market places and alleys are full of people. The sun was warm and the winds gentle and they do a fabulous coffee.