If you love beaches, and you love Spain, Cádiz is a place you cannot miss. My sister and I headed there on our third leg of our trip across southern Spain, and found it to be a cool, quaint seaside refuge after the heat of Madrid and Granada.

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It was just a quick bus ride, then train ride from Granada to Cádiz, and we arrived late afternoon. It was warm, but not nearly as hot as in Madrid or Granada; we could feel the cool sea breeze immediately when exiting the train station.

Our Airbnb host met us at the entrance to our apartment building. After four tall staircases up, we reached the apartment, gasping for breath, and he briefed us on places we could visit in Cádiz. We also visited the rooftop patio above our apartment; the view was incredible, with white rooftops for miles in every direction and the shimmering blue Atlantic Ocean in the distance.

After our host left, we headed to the main beach in Cádiz, La Caleta. The tide was low, and small tenders were beached near the fort, but the afternoon was beautiful, and we stayed at the beach until 7:00 pm. Then we grabbed some groceries, headed to our apartment to clean up, then got dinner at a small but cute place called La Palmita. We ate paella, fried fish, vanilla flan and wine — all for nine euros. After dinner, we took the bottle of wine we had picked up earlier to the roof of our apartment and had a glass or two while watching the sunset. There were even fireworks!

The next day, Friday, we woke up and went for a run from the north side of the peninsula, around to the west, toward La Caleta, snapping photos at the fort, the beach, and the Castillo de San Sebastian at the end of the pier at La Caleta. Once back at the apartment, we cooked oatmeal and prepared fruit, and then ate on the roof, enjoying the beautiful view and cool, clear weather. Afterward, we changed and headed into the city.

We first walked along the water on the southern side of the peninsula to go to the Roman theater in Cádiz that was built around 50 BC. Afterward, we ambled back toward town, passing the Cathedral of Granada and the Mercado Central de Granada. We bought fruit at one of the market’s many stands, then headed back to our place for a quick bite to eat — avocado toast on freshly-baked bread.

Next we, predictably, headed to the beach, La Caleta again, for the rest of the afternoon. We read, sunbathed, and walked the beach and its constructed pier until late in the evening. Being the time of year with the longest days, it stayed light until 9:45, like most of the rest of our trip.

After a quick shower back at our place, we headed back to the Mercado Central to pick up dinner. We bought a shrimp omelet (another Spanish specialty; they have the texture of Puerto Rican bacalaitos), croquetas, and two grilled fish sandwiches (maki and swordfish), then ate them on the roof with more of the rosé from the night before. We watched the sunset again and were even passed by a marching band playing “Despacito”. After packing yet again, we headed to bed, listening to fireworks beginning at midnight.

Saturday morning we woke up early, and cooked eggs with toast and made Greek yogurt with fruit, then headed up to the roof for one last meal. Then we headed to the train station, stopping only to pick up pastries at a bakery we had passed numerous times but hadn’t frequented yet.  Then it was on to Seville!