Nightlife

In Cádiz, the city's role as a beach resort deeply affects the way night owls party after dark. In winter, when cold winds blow in from the Atlantic across the Bahía de Cádiz, nightclubbers find shelter in the Old Town, especially in its northernmost quadrant, the neighborhood radiating outward from the Plaza de San Francisco. Here, in a labyrinth of impossibly narrow streets, cubbyhole tapas bars get going after around 10pm and roar 'til 4am. After that, beginning around 4am, locals all head to the same dance club, El Hoyo, Calle Manuel Rancés (no phone), a short walk north of the Plaza de San Francisco. There's a somewhat arbitrarily imposed cover charge of 5€ ($8), which tends to be waived if you're attractive and female, or male and friendly with the doorkeepers, or if you look like a Spanish pop star.

For an early tapas adventure, you can head for Casa Manteca, Corralón de los Carros 66 (tel. 95-621-36-03), the best-known tavern in the Barrio La Viña. Over the years this was the preferred hangout for local bullfighters and flamenco singers and dancers. Its sherry comes from the vineyards of neighboring Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Dig into the fresh anchovies, regional sausages, caviar, and the best-tasting chacina (Iberian ham) in town. Most tapas range from 1.75€ to 3.50€ ($2.80-$5.60). Hours are Tuesday to Sunday noon to 4pm and 8pm to 1am, except June to September when it is open daily.

In summer (late May to late Sept), nightlife beginning after 10pm and continuing 'til around 4am or later moves to the beachfronts, especially the Playa Victoria. Beginning around 2:30am there's a migration to nightclubs that include Barabass, Calle Muñoz Arenillas 4-6 (tel. 95-607-90-26), very close to Glorieta Ingeniero La Cierva and the Playa Victoria Hotel. It's known for theme parties that vary with the night of the week.

Another beachfront favorite is Woodstock Bar, in the Edificio Europlaya, Paseo Marítimo 11 (tel. 95-626-57-74; daily 4pm-3am). Big yet intimate, this place oozes permissiveness. Woodsy and paneled, it has big windows overlooking the beach and attracts a good-looking crowd in their 20s and 30s. Beer costs from 1.50€ to 3€ ($2.40-$4.80).

Until a management change, Café Levante, Calle Rosarío 35 (tel. 95-622-02-27), was known as Cádiz's most popular gay bar, a role it advertised with a depiction of a handsome and horny sailor, laid out in painted azulejos (tiles) on its facade. Today the sailor remains in place, but the clientele is fervently and aggressively heterosexual (albeit gay-friendly), a post-movida crowd of hard-drinking students and recent divorcées who are alert and well informed about the fast-changing cultural fabric of southern Spain. Expect a cozy 1920s-era decor of wood paneling and zinc, and controversial graphics and artwork. Open daily from 5pm to 3am.

Gay & Lesbian Nightlife

There's lots of gay life in Cádiz, but it's not well organized. Gay taverns open and close with the life span of sickly butterflies; unfortunately, they don't publish their phone numbers, and hours are unpredictable. Most get going after midnight and remain open 'til just before dawn. They're usually closed on Sunday, Monday, and sometimes Tuesday nights. None of the gay bars serve food. They tend to be close to the seedy areas of the railway station or the cruise-ship terminals, or even at the Plaza de Sevilla or on one of the narrow streets of the Old Town. The current "hot" addresses (all subject to change by the time of your arrival) include Bar Poniente, Calle Beato Diego de Cádiz s/n, and Bar Averno, Calle San Antonio Abad s/n.

The cultural center of the port is Gran Teatro Manuel de Falla, Plaza Manuel de Falla (tel. 95-622-08-28), whose finest performances are offered during the winter months. The tourist office always keeps a list of schedules for offerings that might be presented at the time of your visit.