You'll have probably heard of Cadiz in connection with the Spanish Armada or the voyages of Christopher Columbus when it was a thriving port not only that but it's actually the oldest continuously inhabited city in western Europe.
With all that history, you'd expect some major league historical landmarks to be around but you'll be disappointed as today the city is very much an also-ran location with a very run-down feel to the place. Yes, there are some historical landmarks to be seen but they don't lift the feel of the city.
Naturally, there's a cathedral which originally dated back to 1260AD but that one was burned down in 1596 and the building you see today was started in 1776 which is fairly recent as cathedrals go. As the construction took place over the course of more than 100 years the design was changed several times with the original baroque style ending up being completed in a neoclassical one. Remnants of the earlier version are around in terms of various paintings that were saved.
The Gran Teatro Falla was completed in 1905 but fell into disrepair and was only restored relatively recently.
From its history as a port the city originally had over 160 towers to observe incoming merchant ships. The largest remaining such tower is the Torre Tavira which incorporates a camera obscura which let you see panoramic views of the old city.
Well worth seeing is the Cada del Almirante (Admiral's House) which dates from 1690 and was built using the fortunes made from trade with the Americas. Marble features abound.
The city has five impressive plazas (Plaza de Mina, Plaza San Antonio, Plaza de Candelaria, Plaza de San Juan de Dios and Plaza de España) which are generally thronged with tourists and locals alike.
