Seniors Enthralled with Old World Charm

Spain is a beautiful country and if senior travelers are looking for a taste of Old World charm, Cádiz is it. A city and port in southwestern Spain with 125,000 inhabitants, Cádiz is a provincal capital in Andalusia. It is the oldest continuously-inhabited city in Spain and one of the oldest in southwestern Europe. It was founded by Phoenician sailors about 3.000 years ago as a commercial stronghold.

Culture Overflows in Cádiz

The city is well-known for its 10 day Carnival, often cited as the third biggest Carnival celebration in the world. Wow! Senior visitors will enjoy checking out the many squares in the city with all of their cafes. Cádiz is known worldwide for its watchtowers.

The Tavira Tower, considered the official watchtower of Cádiz due to the fact that it is situated in the center of town, is witness to the trade and prosperity which the city experienced in the 18th century. It was also the highest point in the town at 45 meters above the sea level. It’s just plain cool. The Gran Teatro Falla is another site well worth a visit.

Senior Visitors Discover Unique Cádiz

The city is located on a unique site — on a narrow slice of land surrounded by the sea, just sticking out there like Florida. Old Town is characterized by the antiquity of its various quarters (barrios). In Arabic, the Latin name became Qādis. The Spanish Cádiz derived from this. (The little accent mark á shows that the stress is placed on the first syllable).

Old as it is, Cádiz has also proved to be durable and, ultimately, influential. Spain‘s first liberal constitution was signed in Cádiz in 1812, while the city’s distinctive urban model went on to provide an identikit (look that one up) for fortified Spanish colonial cities in the Americas.

Indeed, the port with its crenellated sea walls and chunky forts is heavily reminiscent of Havana in Cuba or San Juan in Puerto Rico. It’s is a port city with grand avenues, squares and gardens so senior visitors can easily walk around to soak up the atmosphere and get a feel of the city.

Euroresidentes points out that fishing, commerce and tourism provide Cádiz with its main sources of income. Its coastline is part of the Costa de la Luz (Coast of Light) and features numerous golden sandy beaches, including everything from beaches in urban areas to extensive, practically unspoiled stretches of sand.

And senior gourmets and oenophiles, Cádiz is known for its gastronomy, and particularly for its “pescaíto frito” (perfectly-fried platters of assorted fresh fish) and shellfish. This, of course, is ideally accompanied by the wines to be found on the Wine and Brandy routes in the Marco de Jerez region.

You’ll enjoy your time in Cádiz, especially that good food. jeb