AS Cadiz bids goodbye to 2007, we now look back at the events in 2007 here and what to expect in 2008. The most spectacular holiday to look forward to in Cadiz in 2008 is one that is happening starting January 31 and will last until February 10. It is the annual Carnival of Cadiz. Of course, this carnival ushers in the Lenten season and the season after that when fiestas and various other revelries are experienced not just in Cadiz but in the whole Spanish nation. The center of the activity will be happening on February 5 though which is called as Shrove Tuesday. There will be processions and parades of masked people, there will be a Carnival Queen contest, there will be rodeo exhibitions and much much more.

But first, Cadiz officials are now embarking on a huge project to clean the sewers all over the city. However, not all celebrations are inland. We know of course that Cadiz is peculiarly located at the tip of a peninsusla so the city is definitely surrounded with water. Aside from the usual hordes of conventional and nudist beaches courtesy to mostly Scandinavian investors, there exists a prolific diving tourism in Cadiz. Here in Cadiz, the best time to dive is during winter because visibility in the water is very clear unlike during summer when the water tends to be murky. So during winter, you will immensely enjoy the diving sights all year round. You will notice lots of species of fish such as groupers, redfish, lemon fish, sea bream, codfish, lemon bream, bodiones and many others.

Since Cadiz is a seaside city literally at all sides, then expect loads of seafood to be in here. In short, you’ll really have a very healthy diet since being part of Spain, Cadiz folks use only olive oil in cooking and sauteing their food since olive oil is said to be the healthiest cooking oil in the world due to its relatively low fat content. One more thing, take note that Cadiz folks hate to eat frozen seafood so they always ensure that they have the freshest catch served on their dining tables. This custom has not been lost in restaurants. In Cadiz, you will find restaurants with aquariums where you can let the waiter pluck a grouper or a lobster in the aquarium (placed in separate aquariums of course) and wait for the food to be cooked to your liking which is stipulated in the menu. Yet there do exist vegetable stews in inland restaurants. You will also enjoy such yummy delicacies as ox stew, calamares, sauteed prawns mixed with garlic as well as so-called shrimp fritters and marinated olives. It is also quite understandable to note that Cadiz has Arab influences in its dessert such as Arab pastries. And if fries and burger are common in fastfood joints elsewhere, the Cadiz version is the tapas where people are served small portions of a certain dish while eating in a standing posture.

Spain is enrich with cities and provinces wherein, diverging characteristics are in it. Characteristics that can be either be seen through people’s actions and once molded by the arts so rounds its milieu. One of the place having peculiar events and traits in Spain is the City of Cadiz. Such is just in rival with the other cities comprising the country in terms of modernization and advancement of social living. People here mainly hospitable and that sociable.

If you happened to visit and are planning to visit here, don’t be feeble-minded, do it! You’ll enjoy it’s beauty and happiness and new experience for you to partake with the people there! One of the high light which is more practiced and waited by the people here is the ‘Carnival‘.

Carnival is being celebrated in the entire area of Andalucia before with it’s cities. But General Franco abolished it during the Civil war. But still, some of the local area are celebrating it though it’s already prohibited. Carnival is symbolically means, the solidarity of the people practicing liberalism. It is the time for everybody to disclose all their inside feelings, principle and stands about things around them.

Cadiz, borrowing Venice way of celebrating Carnival, has the most dazzling and liveliest way of celebrating it in mainland Spain. It is being christened as such because the decorations (figurines) and the songs sing by the people are basically ridiculing. People will wear masks and fancy dresses as a sign of disrupting the social norms which hinders people to be free. This celebration is could be happened every before forty days of lent. Thus, this is what make Cadiz city different from the other cities in Spain. They are still practicing this celebration, even until now.

Asking about tits church? It’s quite the same with other churches. It’s also historical and full of grandeur church. It was built with the structure of mixed designs of baroque, Gothic and neoclassical. It’s designs also include the some mythical creatures which would entice pagans to worship back their Creator again. No wonder why it’s very enthralling and considered as one of the eminent master piece centuries ago. People here could pray with safety and peacefully. Among of these churches are Santa Cruz and San Felipe Neri.

Some of the points of interest in this city are the home of several painting of Goya, the La Santa Cueva , the stately mansions own by Casa De Almirante and Casa de las Cadenas; and not the least, the old great walls of the city aging, 18th century. So old ,but still standing walls. Among these is the wall of Landward Gate.

If you are planning to come for a visit, or long vacation rather in Cadiz during holidays? Have yourself booked already as early as before December, in order to avoid delays and flight and space availability in the area. Try to explore the country of Spain with its lovable,palpable, colorful and bountiful provinces and cities. Surely, the culture, people and the atmosphere it brings would be self-fulfilling and would give you the true essence of holidays.

THIS early, reserve now your flight and hotel bookings to Cadiz if you want to spend Christmas here. Make sure your flight is a round trip ticket or else you’ll risk being stranded here for the rest of January because of booked flights already. If you come from Europe, then there are lots of regional airlines and flag carriers depending on your country of origin. If you come from other continents such as the United States, the Middle East or Asia, then there may be no international flights available directly to Cadiz. You’ll just need a connecting flight either from Madrid or Barcelona. Also, there are lots of smaller regional airlines available such as RyanAir.

But if you want to go by land through Portugal, that’s not a problem either as all land borders in Spain, do not have outposts in them anymore thanks to the Schengen agreement. If you don’t have your own car, there are lots of cheap car rentals available depending on what you like. Prices vary according to the model of the car and the price and durability of its engines and parts. If you can go for a luxury car, then indulge in it. Cadiz is neither a luxury city nor backward country, it is something coastal. You don’t need to rent out an off-road vehicle or a luxury car, any decent sedan or even an RV will do. What Spanish tourism authorities would like to stretch out though is that they are environmentalists at heart and renting a vehicle which does not burn that much fuel is highly appreciated.

Although an RV is considered as the poor man’s vehicle, there are lots of RVs or recreational vehicles here in Cadiz considered for rent that are customized and will qualify enough to become luxury vehicles. The insides are like coaches rode on by celebrities. For the right price, you can rent these vehicles and enjoy Cadiz the whole Christmas season.

It is imperative to note though that people here in Cadiz protect themselves from the -3 degree Celsius winter by wearing layers and layers of clothing. On second thought, Christmas is nice here as you get to go to mass every morning for nine dawns preceding Christmas Eve. New Year is also celebrated with a bang with lots of fireworks over the Mediterranean.

Christmas is also swell here in Cadiz as everything here is vegetarian. The country’s patron saint is the Virgin Mary herself who is the mother of Christ and that speaks a lot on how devout Christians in Cadiz can be in celebrating the birth of the Messiah. They go to church for nine dawns preceding Christmas and they have a huge party afterwards where kids are at the center of attraction because they’re commemorating the birth of Christ.

This elaborate feast is called noche Buena and in the early evening, household fathers in a neighborhood often gather together and drink some spirits and wine and even beer. They then return home to their family and enjoy a hearty meal of roast lamb with turron and polvorones as dessert. They then cap everything else with Spanish cognac.