For travellers who have already spent a few days in Seville and managed to fit in a day to trip Cordoba, then a Jerez or Cadiz day trip from Seville is a great option if you still have time remaining on your Spanish itinerary.
Both these cities offer travellers a taste of a unique part of Andalucian culture which they might not have experienced if sticking to the main cities in the region such as Seville or Granada.
Wondering how to plan a Seville to Cadiz or Jerez day trip? This article will outline everything you need to know about travelling to both cities, what to do when you’re there, the best places to eat and our thoughts on which city to visit if you only have time for one!
Seville to Cadiz Day Trip
How to Get from Seville to Cadiz
If you plan on taking a Cadiz day trip from Seville, then your main options for transport are a train, bus, car and BlaBlaCar.
Seville to Cadiz Train
If you want to be as efficient as possible on your Cadiz day trip then I recommend taking the train from Seville to Cadiz. Journey time from Seville to Cadiz is approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes and trains leave around every hour.
Trains in Spain are comfortable and reliable, however, the intercity trains can become expensive, particularly if you’re buying tickets on the day of travel. If you have your heart set on taking a Seville to Cadiz day trip and want to save money, then I recommend buying train tickets in advance. Click here to browse and buy train tickets.
The train station in Cadiz is located only a few minutes walk from the centre of the city.
Seville to Cadiz Bus
The bus from Seville to Cadiz takes a little bit longer than the train however there are fewer services available so you need to make sure to plan accordingly. Buses leave approximately every 2 hours and take about 2 hours to reach Cadiz. It is a similar schedule when returning to Seville from Cadiz so I recommend booking in advance if you prefer to take the bus. Click here to browse bus fares
The bus station in Cadiz is just next to the train station and it will take about ten minutes to walk into the city centre.
Seville to Cadiz Car
A great option for travelling around Southern Spain is to rent a car. This really makes it easy to get off the beaten path and visit smaller towns while also not having to be constantly paying attention to the train or bus timetables!
Driving time from Seville to Cadiz will be approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes along the main highway.
We recommend using Rentalcars.com to find great deals on car rental in Spain – click here to browse car hire options in Spain.
Seville to Cadiz Tour
If you prefer to enjoy Cadiz on a day tour from Seville then this full-day tour is a good option. It includes visiting the main sites of Cadiz with an experienced guide and transfers from your accommodation. Click here to check availability.
Seville to Cadiz BlaBlaCar
A great option for budget conscious travellers who want to plan a Cadiz day trip from Seville is to use BlaBlaCar – a ride-sharing service. There tend to be frequent rides available for the Seville to Cadiz route with prices being cheaper than both the train and bus. Click here to browse availability on BlaBlaCar
One day in Cadiz Itinerary
Once you’ve decided on your prefered mode of transport for getting to Cadiz, it’s time to start making the most of your one day in Cadiz! Here’s how we suggested spending your time in the city.
Cadiz Cathedral
If you’re walking around Cadiz, climbing to a viewpoint or have seen pictures of the city before, then chances are the Cadiz Cathedral is the monument that is most recognisable to you.
The Cathedral’s construction began in 1722 and took 116 years to complete before it was finally finished in 1836. Due to its lengthy construction period, the Cathedral utilises a number of architectural designs from Baroque to Neoclassical.
If arriving, by train or bus, the Cadiz Cathedral is one of the first monuments you will encounter when walking into the city and it’s definitely worth stopping to admire the architecture! Entry into the Cathedral costs €6 for adults and includes access to all sections of the Cathedral including a climb up the Clock Tower for panoramic views of the city.
Torre Tavira
If you don’t make it up the Clock Tower in the Cathedral but still want to enjoy a scenic view of Cadiz, then visiting Torre Tavira is a great option!
Not only is Torre Tavira the highest lookout point in the Old Town of Cadiz but when visiting you can also explore a couple of exhibition halls and their Camera Obscura exhibit
The Camera Obscura projects an image from a lens on top of the tower onto a white screen in the building. As the lens moves around, visitors are able to get a real-time 360-degree view of Cadiz reflected onto the screen. By moving the screen up and down, the screen is able to focus on different distances to ensure that you are able to see all of Cadiz clearly on the white screen!
Approximately every 30 minutes, one of the guides at Torre Tavira will do a 15-minute tour using the Camera Obscura technology that will give you a brief history of Cadiz and more details of how the camera works.
Entry to Torre Tavira costs €7 for adults and includes the Camera Obscura tour as well as access to the lookout point.
Lunch
Visitors on a Cadiz day trip from Seville have a number of great lunch options to choose from. If you’re trying to minimise your overall Spain trip cost, then consider heading to Cadiz Central Market. At the market, you can buy everything you need for a quick lunch direct from the vendors including bread, cheese, sliced meat, fruit and much more. There are also a few places here selling prepared lunches if you prefer the convenience.
Another option if you want to enjoy a sit-down meal is to head to one of the many tapas bars in the city. One of our favourite spots that we discovered during our time in Cadiz was La Tasquita de Valverde. This modern restaurant stays true to traditional Andalucian cuisine and you can enjoy a wide range of tapas for around €3.50 to €5 each depending on your dish choice.
Castillo de San Sebastian
There are a number of castles that you can visit in the city, however, if you’re on a Seville to Cadiz day trip then you might not have time to make it to all of them! While Castillo de San Sebastian is currently closed to visitors, I recommend visiting this castle due to the lovely walk you can take along the breakwater to the castle.
The walk to the castle is a little under a kilometre long and is a fantastic place to enjoy the waves crashing along the breakwater on a sunny day. Furthermore, as the castle is the most westerly point of the city, you can enjoy views of other landmarks such as Castillo de Santa Catalina which you don’t get a chance to visit on your Cadiz day trip.
During the warmer months, there is also a lovely beach where the path begins where you can dip your toes in the water or go for a swim!
Walk Around Harbour
A great way to finish off your day trip to Cadiz is to take a walk along the harbour from Castillo de San Sebastian. Not only can you enjoy more lovely seaside views but you’ll also get some unique vantage points of the Cadiz Cathedral.
Walking along the harbour really took us back to the time we spent in Malta due to the unique architectural style of Cadiz that combines European and North African elements. If heading back to Seville via bus or train, then the walk from Castillo de San Sebastian will take about 25 minutes. This, of course, doesn’t include the numerous stops you are likely to make on the way to enjoy the views and to take a picture!
Seville to Jerez Day Trip
How to Get from Seville to Jerez
Taking a Seville to Jerez day trip has the same transport options as a Cadiz day trip with a lot of the public transport going to Cadiz also stopping in Jerez.
Seville to Jerez Train
The Seville to Jerez train takes approximately 1 hour each way with trains leaving around once per hour in the morning. Similarly to if you’re travelling to Cadiz, I recommend booking in advance to secure better rates. Click here to browse and buy train tickets.
The train station in Jerez is approximately a 10 to 15-minute walk into the centre of the city.
Seville to Jerez Bus
There are a couple of buses leaving Seville in the morning that arrive in Jerez approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes later. The last bus back to Seville leaves at 5:30 pm so make sure to factor that in on your Jerez day trip! Click here to browse bus fares
The bus station in Jerez is right next to the train station so it will also take about 10 to 15 minutes to walk in the centre of the city.
One day in Jerez Itinerary
Alcázar of Jerez de la Frontera
While arguably not as impressive as the Alcazars in Seville or Córdoba, a visit to the Alcázar of Jerez de la Frontera will nearly certainly have the advantage of you being able to enjoy the surroundings with a fraction of the crowds that can be found in the larger cities.
Built originally in approximately the 12th century (there is some uncertainty about the actual date), the Alcázar is incredibly well preserved and visitors are able to enjoy the large gardens, visit the Mosque turned Chapel and marvel at the impressive Arabic Baths.
The Alcázar is open to visitors from 9:30 am but closes at 2:30 pm during most of the year so
Go Sherry Tasting
The city of Jerez de la Frontera is one of only three cities where genuine sherry can be made. This means that one of the must-do activities during a Seville to Jerez day trip is to go sherry tasting!
While you can enjoy a glass or two of sherry at essentially any of the bars in the city, a fantastic way to develop a greater appreciation for the drink is to visit a Bodega to learn more about how sherry is made.
Bodegas Diez Mérito offers tours every day except Sunday and includes a tour of the production facility, an in-depth explanation on how different types of sherries are made and a tasting of 5 different sherries at the end of the tour. The tour really expanded our knowledge of sherry and broke previous misconceptions that sherry is only a sweet drink to be enjoyed for dessert!
You can make reservations for a tour on their website however we were also able to show up the day and take a tour without any problems though this was when travelling in the offseason. Tours with tasting included cost €12 per person.
Lunch
Similarly to a Cadiz day trip, there are a number of fantastic places to have lunch during your one day in Jerez. One of our favourite spots to eat in Jerez is Tabanco Las Banderillas – a traditional bullfighting tabanco. They have an extensive menu as well as a wide range of daily fresh seafood to choose from and is packed to the brim with locals during lunchtime. There is also a large selection of sherries to try.
Another great spot located just off the main square in Jerez is Bar Juanito. The restaurant is over 60 years old and offers a range of traditional Andalucían dishes to try that utilise local ingredients. They are particularly famous for their artichokes which are definitely worth ordering!
You can also visit the local market if you prefer just to pick up some basic ingredients for lunch and there are also a number of supermarkets in the centre of the city for the budget conscious traveller.
Jerez Cathedral
The other main monument that is worth seeing during your day trip to Jerez is the Jerez Cathedral. Built in the 17th century, it is similar to the Cadiz Cathedral in that it combines several different architectural styles including Baroque, Gothic and Neoclassical.
For €7, adults can visit the Cathedral, climb the tower and also visit the Church of San Miguel which is another historically important landmark in Jerez. For great views of the Cathedral, make sure to keep your eyes peeled when visiting the Alcázar!
As the Cathedral is open to visitors in the afternoon, it is best to visit this attraction after lunch as both the Alcázar and Sherry Tasting is only possible to do in the morning for most of the time (Bodega Diez Merito have an early afternoon tour starting at 2:15 a couple of days of the week).
Jerez and Cadiz Day Trip from Seville
For travellers on a short trip to Spain, you might be wondering if it’s possible to visit both Jerez and Cadiz on a single day trip from Seville.
The short answer is yes. But…it’s going to be a busy day and you need to be prepared to get an early start!
I recommend first travelling to Jerez in the morning, visiting the Alcazar and enjoying some sherry tasting before heading to Cadiz for lunch and exploring the city during the afternoon. It’s probably ideal to have a car if you want to tackle both of these cities in one day. However, if you time your bus and train connections it still possible to do by public transport.
Between Jerez and Cadiz there are suburban trains that leave every hour and cost
€4.05 one way. They take about 45 minutes and are more frequent that the fast trains from Seville in the afternoon.
Another option if you prefer to have a hassle-free Jerez and Cadiz day trip from Seville is to book an organised tour on GetYourGuide. If you choose this option, then this guided tour is a good option as it includes transport from your hotel, sherry tasting in Jerez and time to explore in Cadiz. Click here to check the tour’s availability
Should You Visit Jerez or Cadiz?
If you only have time to visit one of Jerez or Cadiz then the choice on which city to choose is really dependant on which part of each city’s unique characteristics interests your most.
Cadiz is arguably the more beautiful town and if you’re travelling during the warmer months, you have the option to go swimming in the sea along with exploring its historical attractions. This can make choosing a Cadiz day trip an appealing option.
Jerez is definitely the more off the beaten path option and if you’re interested in sherry tasting and learning how it is made, then I would definitely suggest choosing Jerez over Cadiz.
Both cities are, luckily, blessed with a number of great restaurants. so whichever city you choose you will be sure to enjoy some fantastic Andalucian cuisine during your Jerez or Cadiz day trip from Seville.
Staying in Jerez and Cadiz
If you have some additional time on your Andalucian itinerary then a great option is to base yourself in either Jerez or Cadiz and then take a day trip to the other city.
Where to stay in Jerez
Hotel Palacio Garvey – A fantastic boutique hotel set in a 19th-century palace that offers guests large private air-conditioned rooms,
Apartamentos Jerez Plaza – If you prefer more of your own space, this one-bedroom apartment is perfect for couples who might want to cook some of their own meals or planning a longer stay in the city. Click here to see their latest prices
Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse other hotels in Jerez
Where to stay in Cadiz
Casa Caracol – Located in the heart of Cadiz’s Old Town, this highly rated hostel is one of the best places to stay as a solo traveller in the region. They have a great rooftop terrace, free breakfast and can organise day trips. Click here to see their latest prices
Hotel Casa de las Cuatro Torres – This hotel is also located in the Old Town and offers guests a range of comfortable rooms to choose from, some of which have lovely views of the area. Click here to see their latest prices
Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse other hotels in Cadiz
A Jerez or Cadiz day trip from Seville is a fantastic addition to any Spanish itinerary! Both cities offer unique sites and experiences that cannot be found in other parts of Andalucia and are undoubtedly worth visiting!
Are you planning a Cadiz or Jerez day trip from Seville? Have you been
Hi, I love your website! We have retired to Andalusia and intend to explore. Just one problem: a medical condition (coeliac) with food intolerances is very restricting. Could your website please include restaurants which provide gluten-free options and/or apart-hotels as it is often safer to go self-catering, especially for breakfasts and light meals? Thank you.
how can you get back from seville to jerez after the european cup final, as trains will have stopped then?
Great posting, thanks!