La Viña

Get to know the essence of Cadiz during a wander through one of its most beloved old quarter neighborhoods, La Viña. The name, which means “the vine,” was inspired by its previous life when it served as land for vineyards. That was, of course, before buildings cropped up to accommodate the city’s population, which grew due to increasing trade with the Americas in the 18th century.

Since its vineyard days, this area has been known as a fishermen neighborhood given its easy access to the sea via La Caleta Beach. It should come as no surprise, then, that this is the ideal place in town to sample some of Cadiz’s best seafood, particularly pescaito frito, a dish of fried local fish for which Southern Spain is famous. Apart from tapas hopping — particularly along the main drag Calle de la Palma — La Viña is also ripe with flamenco bars, and is the epicenter of Carnival celebrations, arguably the city’s most important festival. At the end of the day, be sure to take a break from getting lost in the barrio’s streets to make a sunset visit to the beach and neighboring San Sebastian Castle.