Playa de la Caleta

La Caleta is the best-loved beach in Cádiz, Spain, a small cove of golden sand set between two old fortresses on the western side of the old town. At the north end stands the Castillo de Santa Catalina, built in the late sixteenth century after English forces sacked the city in 1596, and at the south end the Castillo de San Sebastián stands on its islet. Between them the beach curves in a small arc, with the Atlantic sheltered by the cove’s shape, so the water is calmer than on the long open beaches of the new town. It is the smallest of Cádiz’s beaches, and also the one with the most character.

Historically, the cove has been used by seafarers for about three thousand years. The Phoenicians, who founded Gadir, as Cádiz was then called, are thought to have used this sheltered inlet as a harbour, and Carthaginians and Romans followed. In later centuries it was a place where fishing boats were pulled up on the sand, and some colourful boats are still moored in the background. The old bathing house, the Spa of Our Lady of La Palma (Balneario de Nuestra Señora de la Palma), a white building on the sand that dates from the early twentieth century, adds to the picture and is often used for cultural events.

La Caleta is lively and social. Local people bring chairs and spend whole afternoons here, and the beach is busy in the evening, when the sun sets behind the castle of San Sebastián and the sky turns pink and orange. The nearby kiosks and small bars sell fried fish, known as pescaíto frito, and cold drinks, and the district of La Viña, the old fishing neighbourhood that is the home of the Cádiz Carnival, is a short walk away, with many places serving seafood. A scene in the James Bond film Die Another Day, in which Halle Berry walks out of the sea, was filmed here.

The beach is free and open to all, and it gives a flavour of Andalusian seaside life, and it has the basic facilities of an urban beach. The tide changes the size of the sand strip considerably, and at low tide there are rock pools and a wider beach, so check the tide table when planning. Swimming is pleasant from late spring to early autumn, though the Atlantic water stays cool.

The cove is close to the cathedral, the Roman Theatre, the Casa de la Memoria and Torre Tavira, so it is easy to combine with sightseeing. The causeway to the Castillo de San Sebastián leaves from the beach, making it an obvious next step.