The Magic of Cádiz

This week, Anne-Christine invites us to share Magical Moments from for the Lens-Artist Challenge. I’m choosing a magical few days spent four years ago in Cádiz, Andalucía.

Cádiz isn’t a city with world-beating museums or inspirational churches. But it’s the oldest city in Western Europe, founded by the Phoenicians. Greeks and Romans peopled the area, and from the 8th century, the city was a Muslim stronghold for 700 years. Christopher Columbus sailed from here three times on his voyages of discovery to the New World, and in 1812 the first Spanish Constitution, making a unified nation of the peninsula’s disparate kingdoms. All this is reflected in today’s city.

For us though, this was a seaside city of characterful streets. It had once-upon-a time fishing quarters now re-purposed for locals and tourists alike as the place to relax at an outdoor table over a leisurely meal (this was January).

It was the city where we could find delightful old bars selling local sherries to savour and compare. And above all, it was the city of sunsets. Every evening it seemed, everybody came to the seashore to simply stand and watch, and witness the magic of the sun dipping down over the sea and beyond the horizon. These photos have not been edited or retouched – except to correct the odd wonky horizon.

Even one of its museums, the Puppet Museum, Museo del Titere, had moments of magic. How about these rather witchy women?

Or the magical and gigantic baobab tree?

Two months later, as we looked back on this special holiday, it seemed even more magical. We hadn’t known as we wandered its streets that this would be our last bit of freedom to travel for a very long time. In March 2020, the world locked down.

Author: margaret21

I'm retired and live in North Yorkshire, where I walk , write, volunteer and travel as often as I can.

57 thoughts on “The Magic of Cádiz”

  6. That’s not somewhere I’ve thought of visiting, but it does look beautiful. Those skies and sunsets are lovely! I’m glad you at least had some special memories to sustain you during lockdown.

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  7. Beautiful magic, Margaret! Cadiz! My husband tells me we were ther in the 1980’s but I am afraid that is lost somewhere in my memory…Thank you for reviving it – and its magical sunsets. I love puppet museums, the dolls are very expressive and mystical. Maybe a tour back one day would be something!

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  16. A marvelous bit of magic Margaret – a place (never say never) but I’ll probably never see. The light looks incredible and I loved your ending image and comment. By now I’ve mostly forgotten the huge impact covid had on our travels but in fact my husband and I haven’t left the US since then which makes me sad. Time does march on doesn’t it? Wishing you a magical holiday and a wonderful 2024.

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    1. Oh, I’ve reached the point when I know there are some places I’ll never see. But our generation has been so lucky to have travelled in ways even our parents could barely dream of.

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      1. So true Margaret. My mom wouldn’t fly so she and my dad made a few train trips but my dad instilled a love of adventure and a wish to see the world in me. I have 4 brothers and I’m the only one of us that has ever been out of the country. It would have made my dad so happy to see me exploring the world as he never had.

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  18. Such an enjoyable tour of Cadiz, Margaret! I love the first two photos. Puppets are fun! 🙂 Wine, tree, and sunset, it’s easy to fall in love with this city. 🙂

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  22. The was a beautifully written, and a magical post indeed. I missed it with my own travel. Ironically, I was there just a few days prior to your posting. We used to live moments from Cadiz in the late 90’s and everything you speak of was our life. Last month we only had one day there as we were on a cruise. Not enough. It is an intimate culture you brought to light with your photos and words Margaret. Thank you.

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      1. HI Margaret. It was. Our daughters were in elementary school, so it was a huge part of their upbringing and the appreciation of various cultures. I worked at the American High School. We absolutely loved it and spent the summers traveling Europe. Grand memories. Thank you. I truly loved your post.

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