The most convenient air gateway to Cadiz is Jerez Airport, eight kilometres from nearby Jerez de la Frontera, a 30-minute drive from Cadiz. The airport has expanded its flight range significantly in the past decade and today receives flights from across Europe, including from Frankfurt, Zurich, Brussels and Manchester.
Those coming from farther afield will need to first fly into one of Spain’s busier airports such as Madrid or Barcelona. Nearby Seville and Malaga international airports, two hours away by car, also have flight options.
Airport facilities at Jerez Airport include dining, shopping and car parking as well as banking, car hire and postal services. Passengers can choose to self-drive to Cadiz from the airport via the A4 (a 30-minute journey) or take a connecting bus (numbers M-050 and M-051 run to Cadiz). The journey by bus takes just over one hour.
Buses provide a cheaper and more direct means of reaching Cadiz than trains though journeys can be lengthy. Eurolines services run from Madrid daily and nightly, taking eight hours to complete the journey. Ferries arrive weekly from the Canary Islands destinations of Las Palmas, Santa Cruz de la Palma and Arrecife but these routes are of little use to most visitors.
Once in the city the easiest way to get about is by bus, with bus number 1 traversing the city and linking the new and old parts. A hop on, hop off tourist bus takes visitors past the city’s most interesting sights including Cadiz Cathedral and Plaza San Juan de Dios, with services operating every 30 minutes and taking just over an hour to complete a loop. Day tickets offer unlimited travel on the service for a fixed price.
Taxis are widely available at the airport and within the city and provide metered service. Most drivers speak limited English so it helps to know where you are going in Spanish. If you prefer greater flexibility and comfort, consider hiring a car at the airport.
