Sotogrande is wonderfully positioned for exploring the south of Spain. All of these places are an easy drive away - Gibraltar is just 20 minutes away.
Gibraltar
No visit to Sotogrande is complete without spending a day in Gibraltar. Go out on a boat with the dolphins, see the famous apes on the rock, explore the caves and underground tunnels.
Rather than go on for ages here, try this link for more information about the many things to do in Gibraltar:
Tangier
Day trips to Tangier from Gibraltar can be booked through major travel agents
for around £45. The trip includes a tour of the kasbah and lunch plus
an optional camel ride.
Cadiz
Cadiz stands on a peninsula, jutting out into a bay, and is almost completely surrounded by water.
It has Phoenician roots and was a thriving Roman port before falling into oblivion. It re-emerged in the 16th century as the embarkation point for the explorers of America. Cadiz was later raided by Sir Francis Drake and withstood a siege by Napoleon's army. In the early 19th century it was the bastion of Spain's anti-monarchist, liberal movement and the country's first Constitution was declared here in 1812.
Some of the city's 18th century walls still stand and the old, central quarter
of Cadiz is famous for its picturesque charm. Worth a visit are the city's
Cathedral and churches of Santa Cruz and San Felipe Neri, famous as the place
where, in defiance of Napoleon's siege, the provisional government was set
up with its own liberal Constitution. Other points of interest are La Santa
Cueva, home to several paintings by Goya, and stately mansions such as the
Casa del Almirante and Casa de las Cadenas.
The old city looks quite Moorish in appearance with narrow cobbled streets
opening on to small squares. The golden cupola of the cathedral looms high
above long white houses. It just takes an hour to walk around the headlands
where you can visit the entire old town and pass through some lovely parks
with sweeping views of the bay.
Sevilla
According to legend, Sevilla was founded by Hercules.
Sevilla lies on the banks of the Guadalquivir and is one of the largest historical
centres in Europe, it has the minaret of La Giralda, the cathedral (one of
the largest in Christendom), and the Alcázar Palace. Part of its treasure
include Casa de Pilatos, the Town Hall, Archive of the Indies (where the historical
records of the American continent are kept), the Fine Arts Museum (the second
picture gallery in Spain) , plus convents, parish churches and palaces.
Places to visit in Sevilla are the old city, with the Cathedral and the Giralda
tower at its heart. (You can climb the steps inside the tower for a magnificent
view of the City) Very close by are the royal Mudéjar palace known
as the Alcazar with marvellous gardens and the Santa Cruz quarter, with cramped
streets, flowered balconies, richly decorated facades, hidden patios. Other
sights not to be missed are, in the old city, the Casa de Pilatos, a large
sixteenth-century mansion where Mudejar, Gothic and Renaissance styles blend
harmoniously amidst exuberant patios and gardens and, crossing the Triana
bridge over the large Guadalquívir river, the lively popular quarter
of Triana with charming narrow streets around the church of Santa Ana and
traditional. ceramic factories.