We decided to leave Seville for the day and travel to the coastal town of Cadiz. We had initially planned to take the train, but our guide Jose told us that the bus was faster and cheaper.
Cadiz is a very old town. Historians think the Phoenicians created it in the 8th century. Today it’s a dusty port that lacks the charm of Seville. Once we arrived, we made our way to the most famous plaza to orient ourselves for a coffee and a moment. Oddly enough, Rick Steves does not cover Cadiz in his guide. After coffee, we walked along the sea wall to the old fort and the lighthouse.
Cadiz may be a sleepy town without much finesse, but the restaurant El Faro de Cadiz defies its environment. Like the bus, Jose recommended we eat at the bar of this restaurant, and he was right. We had to stand the entire time, but it was worth it because the food was fantastic. The standout was a seared tuna in beans with a red sauce (platillo de alubias guisadas en fondo de espina de atún, atún rojo y piparra) that was delicious.
After we made our way back to Seville, we decided to walk to Hercules Park for a drink. The park is undoubtedly for younger people. It’s also the only place we saw gay bars in Seville. A lot is going on, which means there are very few tables available. We found one table at the far end of the park and enjoyed a drink with our last people-watching in Seville.
On our way back to our apartment, we found a table by the door in La Flor de Toranzo. The bar serves drinks, makes little sandwiches, and slices ham all night long. Food is served on parchment paper, and the restaurant is busy. Getting a table was a miracle, and we had a lot of fun. They are known for a sandwich of anchovies and condensed milk. Samer tried it (not me), and he reports that it was terrible. Everything else was great, but we’ll chart that misfire as a culinary adventure rather than a failure.
Well, I hope you do come back to Cadiz one day. There is a lot to see, from a Roman theatre buried under the medieval section of town to its two cathedrals…