Gulf of Cadiz

Founded in 1.100 BC by the Phoenicians, Cádiz was the oldest inhabited city in Spain and one of the oldest in western Europe. Cádiz is a city with a rich history. The Phoenicians called it ‘Gadir‘, which means ‘walled stronghold’. Meanwhile, the Berbers changed the word into ‘agadir’ or ‘walls’. According to Greek legend, Hercules founded the city after his tenth labor and named it ‘Gadeira‘. The Moors called the city ‘Qadis‘ when they ruled for 500 years. For many of England’s famous marine adventurers, Cádiz was their favorite city to attack. In 1587, Sir Francis Drake made his mark by destroying and capturing many ships, which delayed the Spanish Armada by a year. Then in 1596, the Queen Elizabeth I’s favorite, the Earl of Essex, burned the city to the ground. Many might not know that the famous Italian explorer Christopher Columbus made his four trips across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain. Yet, on his second voyage to the New World he set sail from Cádiz, on September 24, 1493. Columbus was determined to find a direct route from Europe to Asia when he stumbled upon America by accident. the spectacular White Villages route of the province of Cadiz, located in a landscape characterised by high mountains and smooth hills.

The peculiarities of these towns are their white houses, which were painted in this colour to keep away the unbearable heat of the Andalucian summer. However, plainness is far, far away! In fact, the towns are also provided with bright colour spots, thanks to the scented flowers that decorate both houses and streets, giving birth to a fantastic show of colours in the callejuelas of these little towns.

The towns were built on the top of the hills and were fortified to defend their inhabitants from the possible enemy attacks. The narrow, but charming streets clamber up steep slopes, giving magnificent views of the surrounding mountains and the nearby beaches of the Costa de la Luz.