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Cadiz is the southernmost province of Spain and is one of the provinces that makes up the vast region of Andalucia.
Cadiz province is approximately 7000 square kilometres in area and has about 250km of coastline stretching between Sotogrande, on the Costa del Sol, and Sanlucar de Barrameda, near the National Park of Doñana.
The province borders with the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, the British territory of Gibraltar and the provinces of Malaga, Sevilla (Seville) and Huelva.
The provincial capital is the city of Cadiz and other major cities in the province include Jerez de la Frontera and Algeciras.
The province of Cadiz is divided into six counties or “comarcas”:-
- The Bahia de Cadiz (Bay of Cadiz) – On the west coast of the province, this area includes the cities and towns of Cadiz, Chiclana, San Fernando, El Puerto de Santa Maria and Puerto Real.
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Campiña de Jerez – This area encompasses the fertile countryside around Jerez and includes two municipalities, Jerez de la Frontera and San Jose del Valle. Jerez is famous for being the world centre of sherry production and for its Royal Andalucian School of Equestrian Art, where you can see the famous dancing stallions.
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Campo de Gibraltar – This area is the countryside around the British territory of Gibralatar and includes the towns of Algeciras, San Roque, Jimena de la Frontera, Castellar de la Frontera, La Linea de la Concepcion, Los Barrios and Tarifa. Tarifa, on the Costa de la Luz, is known for its wind, making it a popular destination for kitesurfers and windsurfers.
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Costa Noroeste or Bajo Guadalquivir – The North-west coastal area and lower Guadalquivir Valley include the towns of Trebujena, Sanlucar de Barrameda, Rota and Chipiona. Sanlucar is one of the sherry making towns of Cadiz, along with Cadiz and Jerez, and is also known for its horse races.
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La Janda – This area covers the south-western part of the Cadiz province and includes the towns of Medina Sidonia, with its huge bull-breeding farms, Alcala de los Gazules, Barbate, Benalup-Casas Viejas, Conil de la Frontera, Paterna de Rivera and Vejer de la Frontera.
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Sierra de Cadiz (The Mountains of Cadiz) – The mountain area of the province is in the north-east and includes some beautiful “Pueblos Blancos”, white villages, which can date back to the Middle Ages. This area encompasses the towns and villages of Zahara de la Sierra, Grazalema, Arcos de la Frontera, Setenil de las Bodegas, Alcala del Valle, Algar, Algodonales, Olvera, Benaocaz, Bornos, El Bosque, El Gastor, Espera, Prado del Rey, Puerto Serrano, Torre Alhaquime, Ubrique, Villaluenga del Rosario and Villamartin. The area around Alcala del Valle is known for its wonderful wildlife such as Griffon Vultures and Bonelli's Eagle.
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