10 Things to Do in Cádiz in October

Cadiz is a very popular destination during the summer, which is when its beaches and boat trips around the bay stand out, but it is also a place you can visit at other times of the year. In October, during the fall, you can visit the attractions of Cadiz with a smaller influx of tourists, with good weather and cheaper costs than in high season.

Some of the best things to see and do in Cadiz during October include attending the Theater Festival, participating in the Flamenco Festival, enjoying the prawn season in Sanlucar and visiting the beaches of Cadiz to make the most of the last hot days.

October is a month of festivals and celebrations in Cadiz but without a doubt the most representative event is the Ibero-American Theater Festival, which takes place every year during the second half of the month and brings together hundreds of Spanish-speaking artists in theatrical works in different parts of Cadiz.

The epicenter of the festival is the Gran Teatro Falla but you can also witness plays at the Sala Central Lechera, the Town Hall, the Teatro del Títere and the Aulario La Bomba. This dramatic arts event is one of the most recognized of its kind in the world and each year attracts thousands of visitors.

Tickets for the shows are individual, meaning that you can choose the plays you want to attend and buy tickets for each show, which have an initial cost of approximately 8 euros. During the festival the public transport linking the venues of the shows operate with discounts and also the hop on-hop off tourist bus of Cadiz includes stops at each theater.

Details of interest

• Price... Tickets for each show are individual and start at approximately 8 euros per person.
• When... During the second half of October.
• Where... At the Gran Teatro Falla, the Sala Central Lechera, the Town Hall, the Teatro del Títere and the Aulario La Bomba.

In October, when the city's beaches begin to empty and the hottest days dissipate, the Jerez Wine Route recovers all its splendor and touring it becomes one of the best excursions in Cadiz because the decrease in the number of tourists coincides with a climate that remains warm and with the predisposition of the wineries, which do not go through periods of planting or harvesting and focus on tastings.

The Sherry Wine Route is the most visited in Spain and includes some of the best landscapes in its triangle formed by Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda and Puerto de Santa María, although it also involves other towns such as Chiclana, Chipiona, Puerto Real, Rota, Trebujena and Lebrija.

If you plan to tour Cadiz in October your visit will coincide with the best month to do the tastings on the Wine Route and to enjoy the scenery along the way, which is one of the most beautiful in Andalusia. You can do the tour on a guided tour or on your own in a rented car or by public transport, but I advise you not to miss the wineries.

If you want to witness one of the best flamenco shows in Cadiz, during October you can attend the San Roque Flamenco Festival, which pays tribute in each edition to the singer Canela de San Roque and presents the best local artists of this Andalusian musical genre par excellence.

The festival takes place in different parts of San Roque, since in addition to concerts and live performances it includes plays, art exhibitions at the Town Hall and lectures and drawing exhibitions in other halls of the town. Access to all activities is free of charge and San Roque is also stocked with food stalls and stalls selling gifts for visitors.

The main event of the San Roque Flamenco Festival is the awards ceremony at the Teatro Juan Luis Galiardo, which recognizes local artists and chooses the winner of the edition and closes the festival with a performance by an international star.

Details of interest

• Price... Admission to the festival activities is free.
• When... During the whole month of October.
• Where... In San Roque, Cádiz.

October inaugurates the prawn season in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, so if you visit the Mercado de Abastos during your visit to the town you can try some of the best dishes of Cadiz gastronomy, which is known for fresh fish, tuna, seafood and tapas.

You can also try prawns in other parts of the city and usually at a lower price than during the high season, but in Sanlúcar, which is the main fishing site, they will always be fresher and you will have the best options. In addition, you will be able to accompany them with Jerez wine.

In Sanlúcar you can also taste manzanilla, which is the typical local wine that usually accompanies Cadiz recipes.

Every October 12, Spain celebrates Columbus Day , which commemorates the Discovery of America. In Cadiz this day is particularly important because from Sanlúcar de Barrameda the caravels of the third voyage of Christopher Columbus departed and since then the ports of Cadiz have been linked to Spanish history.

On each Columbus Day in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, activities are held on the banks of the Guadalquivir River, including parades, horse races on the beach, food stalls and guided tours to commemorate the history of the Discovery of America. There are also children's activities, such as plays and puppet shows, making it a good alternative if you plan to visit Cadiz with children.

From Sanlúcar de Barrameda also departed the five ships of Ferdinand Magellan and Sebastian Elcano to sail around the world in 1519, so you can also hear about their exploits. You can also tour the coast of Jerez on one of the best excursions from Cadiz.

The beaches of Cadiz are the main attraction of the city during the summer and although in autumn the temperature decreases and the influx of tourists drops, if you plan to visit the coast of Cadiz during October you can enjoy the last warm days, except on rainy days, will offer good weather to walk around the bay and take a swim.

To visit the beaches of Cadiz you don't need to go far from the historic center, as you can visit La Caleta, which is the most famous beach in Cadiz in the area of the Castle of San Sebastian and that in October is not very crowded, the beach of Santa Maria del Mar and Playa de la Victoria.

If you want to discover the best beaches of the Andalusian coast you can visit Playa de la Calzada, in Sanlucar de Barrameda, Playa de las Piletas, which is located very close, or Playa de Bolonia, which was chosen as the most beautiful beach in Spain.

Cadiz is one of the oldest cities in Europe and its history and architecture are reminiscent of Roman times, so in Chipiona is held every year the Roman Festival that tries to enrich the cultural legacy of the city and rescue the points of contact that link the city with its past.

The festival consists of conferences, exhibitions, plays, workshops, costume parades and wine tastings that try to recall the times when Chipiona depended on the Roman Empire, so it is very common that if you visit the city during the event you will come across characterized warriors and Roman food stalls.

You can participate in this festival during the second week of October each year. Most of the activities are free, so it is not an expensive activity and Chipiona, on the coast of Jerez, is in an area easily accessible from Sanlucar de Barrameda, so you can combine both visits.

Details of interest

• Price... Admission to most of the festival activities is free.
• When... During the second week of October.
• Where... In Chipiona, Cádiz.

In October in Cadiz are the patron saint festivities of the Virgin of the Rosary and Los Barrios has found a very peculiar way to pay tribute to her, as every year an amusement park is installed that bears the name of the Virgin and seeks to raise funds for different donations.

The amusement park includes a roller coaster, bumper cars, children's games and food stalls and also has some interesting initiatives such as a time slot in which the attractions have no music or noise of any kind so that children with autism can attend.

This amusement park is set up every year during the second week of October and is one of the best alternatives for you to consider if you plan to visit Cadiz with children.

Details of interest

• Price... Entrance to the park is free and each attraction has an initial cost of approximately 3 euros.
• When... During the second week of October.
• Where... In Los Barrios, Cádiz.

In Cadiz sherry wine and manzanilla are the leading drinks but in Bornos they are overshadowed by beer, as there are a dozen local breweries that organize every year the Beer Fair, an event that usually coincides with Columbus Day and brings together the main producers.

The Bornos Beer Fair does not have an epicenter, but is held in every bar in town, which with the collaboration of the City Council offers a pint of beer with tapas at an approximate cost of 3 euros and also schedules with drinks at discounted prices. Some of the participating breweries are Cafetería Vaymar, Vicente Oca, Azuquita, El Embarcadero and Mesón Los Olivares.

Keep in mind that Bornos is in the interior of Cadiz, passing even Jerez de la Frontera, so it is not an ideal option if you are planning a short stay in the city. If that is your case, here is a list of options to discover Cadiz in 2 days.

Details of interest

• Price... The beer and tapas menu during the festival costs approximately 3 euros.
• When... During October.
• Where... In Bornos, Cádiz.

The Strait of Gibraltar, for its beauty and historical importance, is one of the main points of Cadiz and one of the places you can not miss during your tour along the coast of Cadiz. If you plan to visit Tarifa beach in October, you can also opt for a whale and dolphin watching excursion.

The whale watching excursion boats leave every day from Tarifa and in October, which is the migration season, you can discover whales and dolphins during the boat trip. Some marine species that live permanently in the strait can also be found if you visit Cadiz in January, although it is a time of cold weather and a lot of rain, which makes navigation difficult.

In addition, during these excursions you can live the experience of sailing between two continents and on clear days you can even see the Rock of Gibraltar and the coast of Morocco on the horizon.

Temperatures start to drop in Cadiz in October compared to the summer, although the weather remains warm, with temperatures averaging 18° degrees, with highs of 25° and lows of 14°.

Keep in mind that while the weather is mild in October, it is also a time when the rains begin, so be sure to check the weather before your excursions. If you plan to stay in Cádiz in December you will see that from then on temperatures drop substantially.

Summer is the high season in the city, so from September onwards the number of tourists decreases, which will make your visit to Cadiz in October a much quieter experience.

However, keep in mind that October is a month of festivals in Cadiz, so it may happen that the city registers in some places a higher number of visitors than usual, although it will not reach the affluence of the summer months.

October is one of the best times to visit Cadiz because the prices, specifically for accommodation, decrease drastically and the low season begins. This is important because you will be able to visit the city with a mild climate at an economical cost.

From October onwards you will see that prices are practically the same as if you decide to visit Cadiz during the winter but with the benefit that the weather still remains mild and you could even take a swim in the beaches with few visitors.

The following items should not be missing in your suitcase in Cadiz in October:

• Swimsuit
• Beach shoes
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Light pants
• Wool socks
• Wool sweaters
• Lightweight waterproof coat
• Waterproof boots
• T-shirts
• Comfortable footwear