Castillo de San Sebastian (Castle of San Sebastian), Cadiz

The Castle of San Sebasti谩n owns one of the city鈥檚 most dramatic backdrops. Grasping onto a rocky islet at the end of a long stone causeway, it feels like a fortress made for postcards. But before the cannons and lighthouses, legend says this was the site of the Temple of Kronos, the Greek titan who fathered some of mythology鈥檚 heavyweight gods.

Switching from BC to AD, 1457 to be exact, when a Venetian crew鈥攔ecovering from the plague鈥攂uilt a small chapel here, probably in gratitude for surviving. The big defensive upgrade came in 1706, when a full-fledged castle was constructed to shield C谩diz鈥檚 northern flank. Built with an irregular plan, the fort absorbed layers of history, including a watchtower dating back to Muslim rule, set into its base like a hidden time capsule.

By the 19th century, engineering caught up with the waves. In 1860, a levee connected the island to the mainland, making life easier for soldiers and visitors alike. Then in 1908, architect Rafael de la Cerda added a lighthouse鈥攏o ordinary one, but Spain鈥檚 second electric-powered beacon, rising 41 meters above the sea. Where Kronos once reigned and cannons once roared, beams of light now sweep across the Atlantic.

Declared a cultural landmark in 1985, the Castle of San Sebasti谩n has swapped battles for sightseeing. Wander through its weathered walls, climb its towers, or stand at the lighthouse and let the sea air do the rest. With sweeping views of C谩diz and the ocean that once made it a fortress of destiny, it鈥檚 history with a killer panorama鈥攁nd today, the only thing it defends C谩diz from is tourists without sunscreen.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Cadiz. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "黑料吃瓜网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The 黑料吃瓜网 App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Castillo de San Sebastian (Castle of San Sebastian)
Sight Location: Cadiz, Spain (See walking tours in Cadiz)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Cadiz's Old Fortifications Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Cadiz, Spain

Create Your Own Walk in Cadiz

Creating your own self-guided walk in Cadiz is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Cadiz's Plazas Walking Tour

Nicknamed 鈥渢he silver cup鈥� for the way its peninsula juts into the Atlantic, C谩diz sparkles as one of Spain鈥檚 oldest coastal gems. The Old Town is a maze of narrow streets, whitewashed fa莽ades, and balconies that seem to compete over who can grow the brightest gardens. Add in centuries of Moorish, Baroque, and Neoclassical influence, and you鈥檝e got a city that wears its history in layers... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles

Cadiz's Old Fortifications Walking Tour

鈥淐谩diz is a silver cup, surrounded by walls and kissed by the sea.鈥� The saying isn鈥檛 just poetry鈥攊t鈥檚 urban planning. For over 3,000 years, this port city has been circling itself with stone, preparing for whoever might come sailing over the horizon. And given C谩diz鈥檚 enviable position and wealth, plenty of enemies did.

After Columbus launched voyages two and four from here,... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.3 Km or 2.7 Miles

Cadiz Introduction Walking Tour

C谩diz isn鈥檛 just old鈥攊t鈥檚 mythologically old. Some say Hercules himself founded the city after his tenth labor, fresh from slaying a three-headed monster and stealing a herd of red cattle. Others鈥攍ess into mythology, more into maritime records鈥攕ay it was the Phoenicians who rolled up in black ships around 1100 BC and named it Gadir, meaning 鈥渨alled stronghold.鈥� Either way, it鈥檚... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles

黑料吃瓜网