I’ve now been living in Cadiz, in Western Andalucia for nearly 3 years. More precisely, a little fishing town called Conil de la Frontera (half an hours drive south of Cadiz). I initially came out here looking for a summer job after graduating from university and ended up teaching surfing on the fantastic beach of El Palmar. The plan was to enjoy the summer teaching surfing and then get a “real” job in London or another big city. But I so enjoyed my summer out here that I decided to try a winter as well. Now, here I am 3 years on, setting up a small, personalised tourism business in the province.
I was lucky enough to have studied Spanish at university, which meant that coming out here I was able to integrate into society and understand it rather rapidly.
It didn’t take me long to fall in love with the area. There is a laid-backness and quality of life out here that is unmatched. Everyone works hard (or tries to), but the people here savour certain things, such as food, wine, the siesta, the family, their elders and their free time.
If you’re looking to visit the area, Western Andalucia (and particularly Cadiz province and Seville) has it all: Mountain ranges, stunning beaches, prestigious cities, water sports and activities, culture, sightseeing and gastronomy.
Airports and Airlines:
The biggest airports in Western Andalucia are Malaga and Seville. I even think that Delta has started to fly to Malaga from the States. Depending on where you are coming from, you will find a multitude of airlines flying from many European countries. And if you are coming from further afield, simply fly into Madrid and get the AVE train down to Seville. Other smaller airports to look at are Jerez, Gibraltar and Granada. Basically, it’s pretty easy to get here!!
Transport: To move around Andalucia I would recommend the bus service. The bus company in Cadiz is called Comes. In general both short and long distance buses are VERY punctual and exceptionally clean and well maintained (all that I have ridden on anyway!!!) The trains are efficient, but not every town has a train station and most of the time they cost more. If you have the money, definitely rent a car so that you can see the true Andalucia. It is amazing what you will stumble across when you go off the beaten track here, be it a hilltop town or a stunning rural retreat.
What to pack: There are over 300 days of sun a year in Andalucia. It gets hot!!! Therefore I recommend that you pack shorts, bikinis and sun cream. If you do come in the off season then do remember that it can get a bit chilly in the evenings. And on the Atlantic coast there can be a cool Westerly breeze occasionally. If you visit Andalucia then you are 90% certain to visit a beach or 10 on your travels, so remember your beachwear and your flip-flops!
Money: The euro. For all you EU members except us pedantic Brits, that makes it fairly straight forward. For those of you coming from further afield you can check out the value of the euro to your currency at xe.com. Andalucia is renowned in Spain as being cheap in comparison to other areas. Despite this, to save money stay away from major resort areas or obvious tourist traps as they’ll “have you”!!
Shopping: If you are visiting Andalucia, you have not come here to shop. So don’t misuse your time looking for clothes and other items. I would however recommend food shopping at the markets. Many towns will have a Friday market that will offer up all sorts of gastronomic delights such as olives, spices and dried fruits. Then of course there are the fish and food markets that are a real spectacle. Lots of noise, hustle and bustle and general disorder. If you do get round to asking for something, don’t let the shopkeepers bully you into buying more than you asked for.
Food: I could write a dissertation on this subject!!! The Spanish simply love their food. If buying at a market or supermarket, always go for the fresh produce as it is exquisite. I’d also recommend buying the local products of each area as they are normally riper and better than the imported stuff. If you are near the coast eat lots of fish. If you are inland then try the hunted meats such as rabbit and boar. If there is something in season such as snails or strawberries then take the opportunity to try them all as they are a real institution!!!
Breakfast: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Eat breakfast out and about. Go to the busiest bar and try the “café con leche” (coffee) with a “tostada entera con tomate e aceite” (toasted bread with olive oil and fresh tomato). It sounds both strange and a bit boring, but it is delicious.
Lunch: The biggest meal of the day. If you’re hungry, look for a “menu del dia” (menu of the day) which will offer you a three course meal with a drink and side bread for around 9 euros. Otherwise, just stuff yourself full of raciones and don’t be scared to try things. My favourite dishes are ensaladilla, salmorejo, cazon, chocos, marrajo, carrillada, presa, papas con chocos and atun encebollado. I’m not going to tell you what they are; you’ll have to try them!!
Dinner: Eaten very late. 21:30-00:30 more or less. Generally eaten in a more tapas kind of style. What I mean by this is that a group of friends will order various dishes of various sizes and pick at them all at the same time, sharing and recommending. All dinners eaten out are accompanied by good beer and/or nice wine. NOTE: Spanish wine, be it red or white is very reasonably priced and of a very, very high standard so don’t be afraid to try some.
Language: Obviously Spanish. If you have been learning Spanish but arrive in Andalucia and struggle to understand the locals, that is totally normal. I thought they were talking in a different language when I first arrived here. The Spanish accent here is what the Jordy accent is to the English, or the South Texan drawl to the American. It can be very hard to understand, even to some Spanish. But if you persevere you will gradually learn to note the lack of consonants and many unfinished words!!!
Internet and phone: Not a problem here. There are loads of internet cafes. You can also buy international callcards for about 5 euros that give you loads of minutes. If you are traveling for a long time it may be worth your while buying a pay as you go mobile for a small amount.
Things to do:
Just about everything really. If you want cities, then you have Granada, Seville, Cadiz, Jerez, Malaga and Jaen. Granada and Seville particularly are jam-packed full of museums, monuments and culture.
You can ski in the Sierra Nevada,
You can hike nearly everywhere. Particularly notable are the Alpujarra mountains, the Sierra de Aracena and the Cadiz Sierra.
You can windsurf and kitesurf in and around Tarifa,
Surfing in El Palmar,
Flamenco can be seen in all the aforementioned cities. Jerez claims to be its birthplace.
Wine: As a general rule - sherry and white wines in and around Jerez, sweet wines in the Malaga mountains, some good reds from Almeria as well. Though if you want to explore more, there are many wines and wineries that break the stereotype given to their region. If you want to know more, just ask me
Golf: Absolutely everywhere!!
Beaches: Particularly notable is the Costa de la Luz on the West coast.
I hope this info is helpful to anyone wanting to travel to Andalucia. If you have any questions about the area, please ask me.
Western Andalucia Starter Kit, Some helpful tips on travelling in Andalucia, Spain
Jun 5 2008, 02:20 PM
