The crowning site in Cádiz, IMO, mostly because of the Bell Tower views!…read more 6€ pp will get you inside, plus looooong audio guide, plus crypt, plus bell tower. * * * Views from bell tower are worth every cent. * * * My hs Humainities teacher (now a docent at the PMA) was OBSESSED with cathedrals, so he had us visit every cathedral inside 7 countries, throughout our Euro trip with him. From this, I can say that not all cathedrals are highly ornamental like this one. Romanesque aren't as decorated, nor are even Gothic. This one is Baroque, so it was just crazy fretwork on every square inch of the walls, floor, ceiling, windows―just everywhere! And on every medium, too, stone, wood, metal, tapestry, etc. And somehow, it is not too much. Somehow, it comes together in harmony, and that is the magic of Baroque style, IMO. As my teach, Mr. W, would say, Baroque music mimics the material aesthetics, with that ornamented harmony. So upon entering, you start your audio tour, and it leads you down the nave, and around all the radiating chaples, explaining their histories and the relics or artwork in each one. Then it guides you through the crypt downstairs. The explanations are interesting but extremely long and detailed, and frankly, we got to the point where we skipped a lot because it was too time-consuming for our schedule. Random, but there is all this netting going on up in the domes, with some kind of detritus caught in it. Looks like bird or bat activity, or both. YUK! Messed up my pictures! :-( When satisfied with your audio, turn it in at the front, and head outside to the adjacent entry for the bell tower. Have your bar coded receipt ready for them to scan at that window, and up you go. It is a winding ramp, not stairs, but that is small consolation, it is a HARD climb! The tower is 40 meters (131ft) high, but the walking distance, 'round and 'round, is 72 meters. But, alas, the view at the top―WORTH IT! :-)

Quality/Quantity - You can buy online tickets to skip the line…read more Especially when 4000 people all get off the cruise ship at the same time. Still a practicing church, so be respectful. Ambiance - Beautiful church, but then again, most of the churches here are beautiful. Check out the exterior architecture. Also known for their clock tower. Open 7 days a week; see their website for specific hours.. Service - Self Service. Price - 12 Euros, $14 US. Neighboring churches are free, and just as beautiful. Owner Comment - Congrats on all your success since the 16th century; rebuilt in 1263. So much history.

The Oratorio de la Santa Cueva is an underground church in Cádiz…read more It was restored by the Veracruz-born priest, Don José Sáenz de Santa María, who also commissioned Haydn's The Seven Last Words of Christ for performance in the cave. A must visit to see the Goya paintings.

The convent of the Augustinians is very close to the cruise port, in a square located on San…read moreFrancisco Street. It is an easy walk if you are visiting from a cruise ship. You are allowed to photograph the interior, which is a novelty because it is usually forbidden in many religious buildings. The Augustinians arrived in Cádiz in 1593 but did not manage to finish their convent until 1617. It is a neoclassical style of architecture. Well worth the time to visit.

This church had its origins in a hermitage that existed in the same location, once called Campo de…read morela Jara . The current building is from the mid- 17th century , and specifically some historians place it around the year 1770. It underwent several reconstructions in the Second half of the 19th century, between 1868 and 1871, when it was reformed and enlarged quite dramatically.

This beautiful square is one of the welcome sights for people coming into Old Town Cadiz…read more The old Plaza Mayor of the city, also known as La Corredera, was found outside the walls, as was common in medieval cities, and near one of the access gates, in this case to the original Puerta del Mar, today Arco de la Pópulo. The irregular layout of this square is conditioned, since in the past it coincided with one of the mouths of the ancient sea, which crossed the current island of Cádiz. In the Plaza de San Juan de Dios, several buildings of interest stand out, such as the Municipality, the church of San Juan de Dios and the Casa de los Pazos Miranda. We loved seeing the activity in here, kids running around and playing, people strolling, just a nice cute cozy place in Cadiz.

The is a beautiful plaza and very easy to find coming from the cruise port as it is the first thing…read moreyou see on your way into the city. It is a very vibrant area with a lot of activities going on. There are tents with merchants selling local made products at reasonable prices. We worth a stop to check them out.

Warning The Hop on Hop off Sightseeing bus is a great way to…read moresee the city. However I would recommend you Not add the additional $Euro option for the Cathedral Tour unless you're willing to go according to their restrictive schedule (6 times a day) We were told upon purchase all we needed to do was show our receipt to enter the Cathedral. But when we got there at 2:10pm we were told we couldn't go in till 3pm. So we had to pay the $9Euro fee anyway because we had to be back on our ship by 4:30pm. Be careful! If I knew I would have only paid for the bus. I believe we were misled on purpose.

The Paseo Campo del Sur is a walking path, along the Av. Campo del Sur (street), that runs the…read morelength of the southern coast of the old town portion of Cadiz (approx 1.5km / 1mi). Though technically part of the Atlantic Ocean, the body of water that meets this coast is called the Mar del Vendaval (Gale Sea). Very scenic route, with lots of sun exposure. Joggers, cyclists, strollers, dogs, wheelchairs, and walkers alike may enjoy this walk! This is a paved path. Great picture taking opportunities, with some beautiful scenery, all along the walk. A couple routes from the Tourism Office's walking tours of the city lead you onto Paseo Campo del Sur, for at least a bit. The "Castillos" tour (yellow-orange line) provides an option to travel the whole length of Paseo Campo del Sur.