It's picture postcard stuff and a welcome break from the larger cities. With a population of 155,000, Cadiz is tacked on to the end of a long, often windswept peninsula. For centuries, building land has been scarce with the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Bay of Cadiz on the other. The Parador Hotel Atlantico is in stark contrast with much of the city's tightly-packed streets. It is a spacious, modern five-star hotel, lacking the history of many of its parador counterparts but, like so many paradores, has stunning views.
Rooms have sweeping views of the rolling Atlantic Ocean and the bay from their balconies.
Not surprisingly, fish figures large on the menu with Cadiz-style sole boasting an excellent reputation. Even at the modern Atlantico there is a continental influence. Parrots from across the water in North Africa have made their home in the trees outside the hotel and are now a protected species. They are wise old birds to pick such a site. This town of 40,000 people lies in the very heart of Andalucia, 50km north of Malaga.