Top 10 Cadiz Shore Excursions
Cadiz sits at the entry to the Mediterranean and often acts as the first port of call after leading the Sea or as the last Atlantic port before heading into the Med, which can often see it get overlooked by cruisers.
That’s not helped by the fact that many cruise lines name it wrongly as Sevilla in their itineraries, which is a real shame as Cadiz is a fantastic place in its own right.
Ideally, you would have an overnight stay when visiting the city to have one day in Sevilla and one in Cadiz, but those itineraries are few and far between.
That often leads cruisers having to take a shore excursion to really make the most of their time in Cadiz and the surrounding area, but thankfully, there are lots of incredible options for doing just that.
But just what are the top 10 Cadiz shore excursions? That is just what I answer in this list, which is based on my experience of visiting the port on a cruise holiday and the research I did before visiting there.
Shore Excursions In Cadiz
Best of Seville
Seville is one of the most popular cities in Spain for tourists across the globe and the chance to visit there is one I would highly recommend you take, especially if you have already visited the port of Cadiz and explore all that is on offer there.
Seville is a great mix of the old and the new and its iconic Plaza de Espana is the ideal spot to grab a selfie and lots of photos to add to your insta.
The city has lots more to offer than that however including numerous attractions, horse and cart tours and some of the best food in southern Spain.
Seville On Your Own
This one just had to rank high on this list as it is the option I chose for my visit to Cadiz as the city of Seville was somewhere I had wanted to visit for a long time.
From your cruse ship, you head around 1 hour inland to the outskirts of the city centre, where you get dropped off and then have a few hours to explore the city on your own.
Seville is a large, sprawling city but the historic city centre is relatively small and easy to explore on your own making it a great option for this type of excursion.
Cadiz Hop-On-Hop-Off
Cadiz is a city that is split into 3 separate areas, the historic old town, the beach resort area and then the new city and to explore all that is on offer by foot is all but impossible as the layout of Cadiz separates those areas by miles of roadways and bridges.
Thankfully, there is an easy option for those wanting to get around Cadiz and take it all in and that us by using one of the numerous Hop-On-Hop-Off tour buses that pick up from next to where your cruise ship picks up.
Although you can pay on the day, you can book it in advance save you needing to carry the money with you and if you have any onboard credit to use, you can do that through your line.
Jerez de la Frontera Visit
Jerez de la Frontera, of simply Jerez maybe best known for its racetrack but it is an historic city in its own right and well worth exploring, especially if you have already visited Cadiz before.
There are a few different options for heading there which will allow you to see what you want to see and experience what you want to experience, including visiting a sherry bodega.
Arcos de la Frontera Visit
Perched on the top of hill in the Cadiz Sierras is the beautiful Arcos de la Frontera, and historic settlements were even today, it’s like heading back in time.
After a 75-minute coach ride, you will set off on a walking tour through its cobbled streets to some of its highlights including a Castillo, historic church and its parador, all whilst having a guide on hand to talk you through what you are walking past.
Cadiz Walking Tour
The old town of Cadiz is right next to where you dock and it is easy to simply head off and explore on your own, but you can often miss out on the best of what Cadiz has to offer, and you often fail to understand what you are looking at.
The best option is to head out on a walking tour, which you can easily do in a couple of hours and that allows you to see the best of Cadiz, gain an understanding of the city and then still have lots of time to explore on your own after gaining your bearings.
Cadiz Food and Drink Tour
There are often two things’ people want to experience when visiting somewhere such as Cadiz; its historic old town and its food and drinks.
By setting off on a walking tour from your ship that takes you around the old town and visits a number of restaurants and bars, you get the best of both.
These tours will usually visit tapa bars, the cities main market and some local drinking spots to give you a range of local cuisine and drinks highlighted by tapas and sherry.
Tour of Andalusia
Cadiz has lots to offer, Seville has lots to offer but there is so much more to the region both sit in, so if you have a long stop in the city, why not head off on a tour of the region.
Known as Andalusia, this is one of the most historic parts of Spain and has a unique culture mixing Spanish, Moorish, North African and even Portuguese culture to its own blended offering.
Whilst impossible to take it all in in a single day, you can get a great insight into the region by heading out on a guided tour to places such as the Cathedral of Seville, the Cadiz historic city centre, Arcos de la Frontera, a local farm and a sherry bodega but sadly these types of tours are best a private tour and come with a big cost.
Cordoba Visit
Cordoba is full of history and culture, but it is quite a distance form Cadiz, and that is why a visit there is so low down on this list as you will need to take a private tour to be able to visit there.
If you have the ability to do so, it is well worth visiting there as you can explore the Mosque-Cathedral, the charming Jewish quarter and simply walk its cobbled streets and take in the sights along the way.
Private Tour of Seville and Cadiz
As mentioned, both Seville and Cadiz have lots to offer, are well worth visiting but you often have to overlook one to do the other.
If you have a long day in port and the funds to do so these tend to be quite expensive, booking a private tour of both is the best, and only, way to see what there is on offer in both of these incredible Andalusian cities.
Cadiz Shorex
If you are due to visit Cadiz on a cruise holiday and want to make the most of your day there, why not choose to do a Cadiz shorex.
