EASTER IN CADIZ

We arrived around 8 AM on a beautiful Easter morning. Sunrise was at 8 AM, and the ship held an Easter Sunrise service starting at 7:30 at the Sea View Pool.

Cadiz is Pronounced kah-deeth in Spanish; Kuh Deez in English.

Easter is a major Holiday in Spain, and most shops are closed, but some tourist shops are open.

Semana Santa, or Holy Week, is a deeply rooted tradition in Cádiz. The week leading up to Easter Sunday is marked by a series of processions, religious ceremonies, and cultural events that reflect the city’s rich history and strong Catholic heritage. The streets become a canvas for artistry as intricate floats depicting scenes from the Passion of Christ are paraded through the city.

Here is a video from Bernie Zgola from our cruise that shows what happened in Cadiz early Easter morning.   HERE is another excellent blog post about how to spend 8 hours in Cadiz.

We took it easy today and stayed aboard until Noon. Our plan was to visit the Cadiz Cathedral and ride the HOHO bus around one circuit.

NOTE: We booked tickets for a timed entry into the Cathedral, thinking that on Easter it would be pretty crowded, but as it turned out it wasn’t very busy.

City Sightseeing offers two HOHO tickets in Cadiz: The Iconic and Essential. The difference is only about $2 and the Essential gives you an entry to the Cathedral which would be about $4.20 when purchased separately. We learned later that the HOHO ticket also included access to the Cathedral Audio which makes the HOHO Essential Ticket a great value. You can find Cathedral Tickets HERE

Once off the ship, we walked over to the meeting point for the Walking Tour. We had a little trouble finding it and missed the start, but we were able to catch up about 10 minutes late. The tour was given in both English and Spanish. This made it take twice as long as otherwise since everything was repeated. The Tour was just OK – take it if the timing works, but don’t go out of your way.

CADIZ CATHEDRAL

We had a 2 PM ticket entry time for the Cathedral. I thought that since this was Easter, the cathedral might be crowded, but it wasn’t. There wasn’t any line and we didn’t need to buy tickets in advance. As I noted earlier if you want to go on the HOHO and see the Cathedral, getting the HOHO “Essentials” ticket is an excellent value.

The Audio Tour was only available for those who bought their ticket through City Sightseeing. After reviewing the website recently, it looks like the audio tour is available with other tickets – but check to be sure as the Audio Tour is excellent. The tour is played through your phone so if you have Air Pods or similar – they will be very useful.

The interior has a series of chapels, each showcasing a unique style and dedicated to various saints and religious figures. The main altar, with golden embellishments, is a focal point of devotion and reverence. The play of light through stained glass windows casts a colorful and ethereal ambiance, creating an atmosphere of contemplation and spirituality.

We spent about 90 minutes here, but you could easily spend 2 hours.

NOTE: Both men and women are required to remove their hats while inside the Cathedral.

HOHO TOUR

One of the HOHO stops was along the water near the Cathedral. After waiting about 10 minutes, we boarded the bus and sat in the front on the upper deck. The loop takes about 1 hour. Cadiz is much bigger than I initially thought and there are some beautiful beaches south of the older tourist area.

THINGS TO SEE IN CADIZ

Here are some other things that you may find interesting in Cadiz

Torre Tavira – Reservations Required (7 Euros & 172 Steps)
Central Market
La Caleta Beach (Die Another Day Bond Movie Location)
Museo de Cádiz (art, archeology, and more)