Bay of Cádiz: Rota, El Puerto, San Fernando and Puerto Real
Around the city of Cádiz, a bay of marshes, salt pans and creeks links towns with their own character, long beaches and some of the best food in Andalusia.
Key points
- The Bay of Cádiz brings together five towns: Cádiz, San Fernando, Puerto Real, El Puerto de Santa María and Chiclana; Rota closes the bay to the north.
- The Bay of Cádiz Natural Park (1989) protects marshes, salt pans, creeks and beaches of great value for birds.
- The metropolitan catamaran links Cádiz with El Puerto de Santa María and with Rota.
- It is the land of estero fish, seafood, the bodegas of El Puerto and long family beaches.
The areas of the province of Cádiz
El Puerto de Santa María
The “city of a hundred palaces” was home to the merchants of the Indies trade. Its San Marcos castle, a former fortified mosque, can be visited with a tasting run by the bodega that manages it. El Puerto is part of the sherry triangle, and its seafood quay is the place to buy boiled prawns, langoustines or shrimps in paper. It has long beaches such as Valdelagrana, Fuentebravía and La Puntilla.
Rota
Rota is a fishing town with calm beaches of fine sand, such as La Costilla and Punta Candor, sheltered from the levante. Its old town keeps the Luna castle and the church of Nuestra Señora de la O. Its signature dish is urta a la roteña, a rock fish stewed with peppers, tomato and white wine. The naval base shared by Spain and the United States is within its municipality.
San Fernando
San Fernando, “La Isla”, is closely tied to the Navy and to Spanish history: in its Real Teatro de las Cortes the parliament that would draft the 1812 Constitution first met in 1810. Visit the Pantheon of Illustrious Sailors, the Royal Navy Observatory and the Zuazo bridge, of Roman origin. San Fernando is also the birthplace of Camarón de la Isla.
Puerto Real
Founded by the Catholic Monarchs in 1483, Puerto Real has a quiet old town, the priory church of San Sebastián and one of the loveliest entrances to the natural park: the Algaida pine wood and the salt pans, with bird hides. The University of Cádiz campus is also here.
The Bay of Cádiz Natural Park
The salt pans that brought wealth to the Bay since Phoenician times have become a mosaic of esteros, creeks and marshes where flamingos, spoonbills, avocets and stilts winter and breed. Explore on foot or by bike along trails such as Los Toruños, by kayak through the creeks or by boat along the Sancti Petri channel.
- BirdsFlamingos, spoonbills, avocets and herons, especially in autumn and winter.
- DespesquesTraditional harvests in the esteros, with fish tastings.
- KayakingGuided routes through the marsh creeks.
- CyclingGreenways and bike lanes between San Fernando, Puerto Real and El Puerto.
Take the catamaran
The Bay of Cádiz Transport Consortium catamaran crosses from Cádiz to El Puerto de Santa María and to Rota: the quickest and prettiest way to get around without a car.
Keep going
From the Bay, Cádiz city is next door, and Jerez is half an hour away by train.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Cádiz to El Puerto without a car?
On the Bay of Cádiz Transport Consortium catamaran, which crosses the bay in about 30 minutes, or by commuter train.
What is an estero?
A former salt pan in the Bay of Cádiz where fish such as gilthead bream, sea bass or sole are now raised. In season there are traditional “despesques” (harvests) with tastings.
Can you swim in Rota in winter?
The Atlantic drops below 16 °C in winter, but its sheltered beaches are among the most pleasant for walks all year round.