Rota Live Cam

• North Agua Dulce

An ancient port city in the Andalucia region

One of the 'Twelve Labours of Hercules', that is, the separation of Europe from Africa, was thought to have brought about the setting up of the first settlement here, at the southernmost point of the Iberian Peninsula, on the shores of the Straits of Gibraltar and bathed by the waters of both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. It was here, the erstwhile domain of Tartessus, that Phoenician sailors came and established their ancient city, over the ruins of the one that the people of Tyre had built.

The latter had followed the advice of their oracle and had constructed their city overlooking the Atlantic between the Pillars of Hercules. They have it the name of Gadir after Neptune's son. It was founded in the year 110 B.C. which means that Cádiz is today the oldest city in the Western World. In the ancient city of Cádiz the god Melgart was worshipped, and Hannibal and Hamilcar Barca left behind their mark. The Visigoths built their temples at Vejer and Alcalá de los Gazules, and Julius Caesar planned his empire.

During the 8th c, Moorish troops entered the city after defeating Don Rodrigo's army near the lagoon of La Janda, close to what today is Barbate. Following its reconquest by Alfonso X 'the Wise', Cádiz, along with Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María, played an important part in the discovery and subsequent colonisation of America. Later, in the 17th and 18th centuries, it became a fortified town in order to resist the repeated naval attacks perpetrated by the English.

Cádiz bravely resisted the Napoleonic invasion from behind its ancient walls, and it was here that, in the Church of San Felipe Neri, the very first Spanish Constitution was signed. Between the years 1810 and 1813 Cádiz became the capital of occupied Spain.

These are one of the most important aspects of a region, where summer lasts five months. They stretch some 260 km along the coastline and are clean with fine quality sands and offering almost everlasting sunshine. The most important are those to be found at Algeciras, Bolonia (the ancient Baelo Claudia), Conil, Chiclana, Chipiona, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Puerto Real and Cádiz itself.

This is a memorable excursion passing through green countryside where whitewashed walls stand out under blue skies, interesting visits can be paid to the monumental town of Arcos de la Frontera, with its beautiful Parador; Setenil and its caves; Grazalema, perched on high like an eagle's nest and offering fine local crafts; Ubrique, famed for its leather-making; Castellar, an unusual village contained within a castle; and the surprising forests of La Almoraima.

The finest fighting bulls are bred in these lands and several of the most famous stock farms have their herds grazing in their pasturelands. The visitor should make for one of the typical bull-rearing farms where it is quite common to come across famous bullfighters and the typical novices known as 'maletillas'. The 'Route of the Bull' might well begin at Jerez de la Frontera and finish at Algeciras, taking in El Puerto de Santa María, Medina Sidonia, Alcalá de los Gazules and Trebujena. The farms have small bulIrings where they 'test' the same animals that will later be fought in such famous Andalusian bullrings as those at Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María and, especially, the one at Ronda.