27/11/2016
Cadiz
27th - 30th March
Cádiz is an elegant seaport surrounded by endless beaches along the sunny Costa de la Luz in Southern Spain. Settled by the Phoenicians around 1100 BC, Cádiz is the oldest city in western civilization as well as the launching point for the adventures of Christopher Columbus in the New World. Today, Cádiz is still one of Spain's leading ports and has a vibrant cosmopolitan culture. From the palm-lined promenades to plazas filled with fragrant orange trees, Cádiz has plenty of Mediterranean charm to match the balmy weather. Las Puertas de Tierra (the city gates) guard the ancient centre of Cádiz, an enchanting jumble of distinct barrios such as La Viña, the old fisherman's neighborhood; the historic area of El Pópulo; and the gypsy quarter of Santa María, birthplace of the flamenco song
We fly from Manchester to Malaga arriving before midday. We travel to our house in Antequera for a welcoming lunch. Then there is a 3 hour pleasant, relaxing drive to Cadiz.
There will be a stopover along the way for you to stretch your legs or seek refreshment. We have booked a hotel in the old town that is very convenient for bars,shops and churches. The Hotel Francia y Paris is situated in a beautiful square with a few bars and cafes .
That evening we dine, just round the corner, in a modern restaurant and tapas bar that many people consider to be the best in Cadiz.
Tuesday 28th March
We have a late start to the day departing at 11.00 to visit our favourite winery in Spain, Fernando de Castilla.is only 50 minutes away. This bodega, founded by Jan Petersen has gone from strength to strength. Not only are his sherries, the best in the world but the lunch he provided was exquisite. The traditional setting of this house and the dining room, was matched by the food and wine, making this a highly enjoyable experience. Even if sherry is not your favourite tipple, when matched with food it`s so good. In Europe sherry is always dry. We can guarantee that this venue and dining experience you will always remember.
We return that evening to dine in the old, fishermens quarter of Plaza de Tio. This a beautiful row of old cottages with numerous tables outside. As you would expect the emphasis is on fish and seafood but there is also a very tasty stew of rabo de toro and other meat dishes.
This quarter or barrio is very friendly and accommodating. Round the corner is a bar that reeks of atmosphere and history. As a friend of ours would say.”You could settle in here”. This is so popular with the locals and everyone spills out on to the street, creating a real, street atmosphere.
Wednesday 29th March
After a busy day there is free time to explore Cadiz. We will meet at 2 for lunch. In the meantime this will give you time to visit the cathedral,which has a strange mixture of baroque and rococo elements..The food and fish market (especially the fish) is probably the best in Spain, Fantastic golden sandy beaches, beautiful botanical gardens,stylish variety of shops or walk the ancient streets soaking up the rustc, shabby chiq charm of the old town. We head for the beach and dine at a restaurant looking out to the sea. Pictured below is one of the town beaches
There is more time to relax or shop and we meet again in the evening for a restaurant that specialises in red tuna. We tried a selection and were hard pressed to choose between the dishes. They were all that impressive.
Thursday 30th March
This may be the last day but we have packed an awful lot into this Thursday. We leave the hotel for a 60 minute drive to a winery that is producing some fine wine, Bodega Etu-vinos ..This is the most southern vineyard in Spain. It has great views of the Atlantic and its breezes have a beneficial cooling effect on the vines. This is a small winery and everything is done by hand.
Then we leave for the most beautiful village of Vejer. Vejer is like a Spanish Ludlow. Every cafe restaurant is serving high quality food. The stunning castellated town is a magical place to explore, its quiet cobbled streets meandering through a charming jumble of secret corners, hidden patios and delightful houses. Great care has been taken to preserve this beautiful town Hidden behind ancient walls is a magnificent church, and in general visitors will barely find a hint of plastic or a trace of the 20th Century. The town square, shaded by vast palm trees, has a wonderful old fountain with traditional ceramic Andalusian frogs which spout water high into the air, thus forming a fountain. We lunch overlooking this square.. We leave at 3 to have a leisurely drive back to Malaga airport for the evening flight to Manchester.
We are convinced that this has all the hallmarks of being a great trip. Should you be considering it, we will advise you to book early as the hotel has a limited number of rooms.
The cost of this trip will be £895.00. Bearing in mind that this will include flights, transport, all meals and wines. There would be a £75 supplement for a single traveller. We would like a 25% deposit on booking and the balance 6 weeks before leaving