I visited this lesser-known European gem and spent just £300 in a week

I received the dreaded email a week before my flight: ‘Your trip has been cancelled.’. Scrambling to book a holiday only seven days in advance in May, I searched ‘everywhere’ on SkyScanner, until I stopped on a name I recognised. Cádiz, in Spain, had always been on my bucket list and the weather was looking particularly good. I’ve been on three solo trips so far (Bulgaria, Poland and Spain) and started the tradition accidentally when I was 21-years-old and had no one to go on holiday with.

Now, it’s become an important part of looking after my mental health. My trips have completely cured my social anxiety and I always feel like I’ve had ten therapy sessions injected into my veins when I return. Andalusia was on my solo travel bucket list as I wanted to go to as many historical sights as possible, and that’s not something my boyfriend or friends always agree with. Upon arriving in the city, I quickly realised a walk through Cádiz is like travelling in time – a Roman theatre, a grand Gothic Spanish cathedral and Moorish whitewashed homes, all within a five-minute walk.

Cádiz is a 3,000-year-old city – one of the oldest in Western Europe – with its streets painted by the generations who once lived there, from the Moors to sailors. Its main sights, from the pristine beach to the bustling market are all just 15 minutes’ walk from each other, so you’re unlikely to need transport. The thing that shocked me the most, though, was the lack of tourists. To me, it seemed that most travellers were pensioners taking a one-day stop as part of their cruise itinerary. I didn’t see a single Brit under 65.

So if you’re not a fan of big crowds, this lesser-known gem could be the perfect for you. The city of Cádiz is the capital of the Province of Cádiz, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. It’s located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula off the Atlantic Ocean, meaning it’s surrounded by water, and is separated from the neighbouring town of San Fernando by a narrow strip of land called an isthmus.

In terms of distance, it’s about 60 miles from Seville, as well as the Moroccan city of Tangier. Getting to the city isn’t straightforward, but it’s still pretty easy. You need to fly around three hours to Seville, then get an hour-and-a-half-long coach or train to Cádiz. I opted for the coach (it was only £11 one way, and saw luxuries I could only wish for in the UK – a TV on the bus, with movies, games, books and even free Internet access! A dream.).

The train is a bit more expensive, averaging £20 to £30 depending on when you visit. If you prefer 25°C weather and not sweltering, May would be the best time to go. Cádiz is quite a windy city so it’s generally cooler than other places in Andalusia, like Seville. If you’re in a rush, you could see Cádiz in 48 hours, but I’d recommend staying for four days so you can see all the city has to offer.

My Ryanair flight was £114 one-way, but I upgraded to include priority and a suitcase as I was going for seven days. Thankfully, the average flight price to Seville isn’t always three digits. Flights in October are as little as £33 one-way, according to SkyScanner. Whenever I’m on holiday, I prefer staying in an Airbnb as I like to feel like a local. You know, buy fresh ingredients from the local market, whip up a good breakfast and pretend I actually live there.

That’s why I booked a one-bed apartment right in the centre of the old town for £68 a night. I felt like the main character in a movie, popping into the local bakery before heading to the beach with a book in my hand. My modest Airbnb was light and airy, tastefully decorated, with large windows that I could fling open and watch the world go by in the streets below. If a hotel breakfast and daily cleaning is more your thing, there are plenty of hotels tucked in the Old Town and along the beach, but on average it’ll cost you around £150 to £1,000 more, depending on your taste and budget.

I spent my days in the best possible way: drinking iced coffee and eating Turròn ice cream (Turròn is a Spanish nougat sweet, and the ice cream tastes like burnt caramel) in the stunning Cafe Royalty, a historic cafe which has been serving Gaditani (that’s people who hail from Cádiz) since 1912. That was proceeded by a long day of lying down at the beach and shifting between swimming, reading and doing nothing.

Cádiz has multiple beaches, and I found all of them to be clean, sandy and accessible by foot — Playa Santa Maria del Mar (pictured) was my favourite. Plus, at some beaches, I was the only person there. But sunbathing by the sea is not all Cádiz has to offer. The Andalusian city competes with some of Spain’s best foodie cities for the ultimate gastronomical experience. Take my word for it and head to Cádiz Central Market first, which sells produce during the day and then turns into a food market with dozens of independent stalls at night.