¡Hola de Cádiz!

The Captain of the Viking Sea docked us in a VIP spot. I could have zip-lined down to the dock! The view from my cabin this morning was of the beautiful and ancient city of Cadiz, Spain.

It was looking like a gloomy day upon leaving the ship… the clouds were giving forth all they could and the wind decided to whip my umbrella inside out twice. But, by the time I met my wonderful tour guide, Ana Garcia with Guias Turisticas de Cadiz… well, the clouds began to part and the sunshine warmed the air. The scent of orange blossoms wafted toward me from every street corner. This was a welcome introduction to a city that is thought to be the oldest city in Europe.

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Cadiz was founded in 1100 B.C. by the Phoenicians who called it Gadir and traded Baltic amber and British tin, as well as Spanish silver. The city became a naval base for the Romans before fading into obscurity until 1262 when it was taken from the Muslims by Alfonso X.

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Christopher Columbus’ discovery of the Americas created prosperous trade routes, as he sailed from this port on his second and fourth voyages. The 18th Century was the next golden age when Cadiz enjoyed 75% of Spanish trade with America. During this period Cadiz grew into one of the wealthiest and most cosmopolitan cities in Spain and most of the city's fine buildings date from this time. There is a wealth of baroque architecture seen throughout the peninsula.

My tour took me through the Plaza de España which has a beautiful Memorial to the 1812 Constitution, which was signed in Cadiz and not Madrid.

The Church of San Antonio is of note as Saint Anthony is the patron saint of not only lost things, but the lonely single hearts. Until recent times it was common for women to show their bare leg to the saint in hopes of finding a love match. Naturally, I hiked up my pant leg and faced the church of San Antonio (fingers crossed).

The big highlight of the day was truly the Catedral de Santa Cruz de Cádiz. The largely baroque-style cathedral was built over a period of 116 years and is a spectacular piece of architecture. It holds some fascinating pieces of art within. The 800-pound Processional Monstrance of the Corpus Christi is a spectacular piece of pure silver artwork that is still used today in religious ceremonies throughout the city.

I hope this little taste of a beautiful and historic Spanish town has you looking forward to more in-depth blogs in the near future!

Your Polite Adventuress,

Kari