El Puerto de Santa Maria Spain Andalusia
118
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
CroisiEurope (118 Cruises)
MS Belle de Cadix
118 Cruises
| 27 August | 7 days | Round-trip The Splendors of Andalusia Along the Guadalquivir Seville, Cordoba and Cadiz the must-sees in an all-inclusive package | |
| 27 August | 8 days | Round-trip from Seville, Spain |
Frequently Asked Questions
On the northern shore of the Bay of Cádiz, at the mouth of the Guadalete river. The town opens up right behind the quays and the historic centre is walkable.
Sherry. The bodegas take up entire blocks and their whitewashed walls shelter rows of barrels where finos and olorosos age. On some streets you can smell the oak.
A bodega visit, the San Marcos castle, then the cafés of the centre. That already fills the time. Adding Cádiz or Jerez to the same day means dropping one of the three.
You follow the wine from the presses to the barrels stacked in the solera system, where young vintages gradually take on the character of older ones. The visit ends with a tasting. Osborne, famous for the black bull that became a Spanish emblem, receives visitors daily; a family bodega founded in 1838 also welcomes visitors near the catamaran landing.
Yes, and it tells the story of Andalusia on its own. After the town was taken in 1260, Alfonso X the Wise had the fortress built over a mosque; the former prayer hall, converted into a church, is the interior highlight. Guided tours run about ninety minutes and end with a tasting of five sherries.
Yes. A catamaran crosses the bay and the trip is short. The view of Cádiz from the water is the best reason to go. Just check the return schedule before you set off.
The Plaza de Toros, built in 1880 for fifteen thousand spectators, ranks among Spain's three major bullrings after Madrid and Seville; you can walk right around its brick and iron facade. There is also the market hall with its trays of prawns and sea bream on ice, and the Guadalete riverbank for a stroll.
Fried fish and prawns from the bay, served over the counter. Simple, fresh, and eaten standing up in the taverns of the centre. The shaded squares then supply a bench for the Andalusian siesta.
Reasonably, though it is not built for children. Sherry tours will not hold them; the market hall, the riverbank and the catamaran crossing to Cádiz will.
The euro and Spanish, with workable English in the bodegas. Cards are accepted everywhere. Spring and autumn are best: July and August bake Andalusia, and a cellar visit becomes the only cool place of the day.
