Cádiz is one of the smaller popular towns in Andalusia, Spain, and ancient as well, going back to Christopher Columbus’ days and his fleet of ships, and even further back than that — founded by the Phoenicians over 3,000 years ago!

You can still sense the protected nature of the city with the main Cádiz area being surrounded by a layer of walls. This inner city district is referred to as Cádiz, pronounced by the locals “Cai, Cai” dropping the “d’s” and the “z’s” like the Southerners do.

We visited our friend David who showed us around, dropping in on his favorite local bars and cafes. He lived very close to el Castillo de San Sebastián, so we were able to walk literally everywhere in the old part of town from his place.

That's David. He's a cool dude.

The plazas were the highlight of the trip, and many of the cathedrals, statues, and buildings in general were more than impressive. The history was incredibly apparent, and the city had a very small-town feel as we noticed locals constantly running into others that they knew. David included.

Getting in and out of the town was notably painless as we took the Renfe train in from the Jerez airport (about an hour ride) and walked to the same station at the end of our trip to take the train to Madrid.

The incredible preservation of the history of the city is the standout reason why you should visit Cádiz. Even though the newer part of town is quickly expanding, the landmarks and nature existing inside the ancient walls perpetuate the way of life here.