What did the Phoenicians ever do for us?

They founded one of the oldest cities in Europe, that's what! With a perfect natural harbour, Cadiz was taken over by the Romans. After a decline under Moorish rule, it became important again after the Reconquest, despite Sir Francis Drake's attack in 1587 when he "singed the King of Spain's beard."

We check into a small guest house, getting some good exercise up the three flights of stairs to the top floor. The city views are beautiful, especially in early morning with the towers and domes, and a narrow alley devoid of pedestrians. Later in the day the waterfront is bustling but the stretch of water is the Atlantic, pleasantly calm.

With a street layout less confusing than that of Seville, daytime strolls are rewarding. I can't remember seeing a city with so many plazas per square mile, large and small. Plaza de Espana hosts a pompous monument built in 1912, a century after the Constitution drawn up when Spain was struggling through the Peninsular War. The airy Plaza San Antonio is popular with kids while Plaza Ayuntamiento (City Hall) is favoured by people looking at their phones. Yet another plaza is the scene of some operatic singing; I'm not sure what the occasion was but it was fun. And here's a detail of the neo-Moorish theatre nearby.

Street life is everywhere; while Euromillions and its ilk are in evidence, Spain's national lottery carries on in a more traditional way. The final image is perhaps the result of some lucky wins.Read more