The beautiful Plaza España is a relaxing place to rest, surrounded by cafés. Take a stroll down the pedestrian Calle de la Silla Vieja and sample Moroccan food in El Jardin del Califa, a wondrously atmospheric restaurant, inside and out. El Jardin is full of little nooks, with a beautiful terrace; it is also extremely well priced. You can catch Flamenco shows at Zoco Flamenco on Calle Juan Relinqué 28 or Peña Cultural Flamenca in Calle Rosario 29.

Founded over 3000 years ago, Cadiz is the oldest inhabited European city. Almost totally surrounded by water, it is virtually an island, and practically all roads after a short while lead to the sea in all directions. Cadiz was Spain's main port for ships sailing to and from America, and is a city renowned for it's open mindedness. The atmosphere is that of a party, when seemingly the entire city converges on the old town's labyrinth of pedestrianized streets for the evening 'paseo'. Nightlife during the summer months is very lively.

Cadiz with it's mostly 18th and 19th century architecture in candy floss pastels stands apart from all the other white washed towns surrounding it. Flower festooned balconies, crumbling facades, a fascinating old fresh market and numerous lush, tree filled plazas and parks make it a must on any itinerary.

A 40 minute boat trip from El Puerto Commercial takes you across the bay to Puerto Santa Maria. Stop at the famous Romerijo restaurant for a sumptuous seafood feast (www.romerijo.com) before the return trip.

Activities

For those who wish to relax, there is a wealth of beaches or a visit to a masseur at "Argos" Gabinete de Fisioterapia, Calle José Velarde (corner of Capitán Pérez Moreno). For the more adventurous here are some of the activities on offer...

Fishing
Numerous companies offer deep sea fishing trips, including Calipsupesca (www.calipsupesca.com based in Barbate. For a chance to catch tuna visit between July and November.

Dolphin watching
Various companies run from Tarifa lasting 2 ½ hours with the possibility of seeing whales and orcas. They are very family friendly. try Turmares Tarifa Tel. 0034 956 680 741 or Firmm (www.firmm.org) for a place on a scientific research boat. A two hour trip costs approximately €27.

Boat trips
Cruceros Sancti Petri Tel. 0034 617 378 894. Duration 1-3 hours, children aged 0-4 years are free and aged 5-12 years get a 50% discount.

Tangier
A 40 minute ferry takes you to Morocco. An organised trip is advised which the tourist office should be able to help you with. Boats leave from Tarifa, Algeciras and Gibraltar.