The historic district of Cádiz, the “Casco Antiguo,” has a similar feel to Havana (Cuba).
So it’s no surprise that the James Bond franchise set up its cameras on the peninsula along Andalusia’s Atlantic coast for “Die Another Day” in 2002. Given the frosty U.S.-Cuba relations!
Remember Halle Berry getting out of the water in front of a phlegmatic James Bond (Pierce Brosnan )? It's on the beach in the historic center of La Caleta. A warm Andalusian breeze was blowing through the cinemas at the time.
Yes, Cadiz is much more than just a sunny tourist destination. Its Baroque and neoclassical architecture, its 12 km of beaches right in the middle of the city and its almost pedestrianized historic center create a unique atmosphere. Filmmakers from all over the world turn to the Andalusian city to bring their stories to life on screens big and small.
And if more is needed, to travel the roads of his province, where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, is to find poetry.
A good plan, not just for James Bond
Take your time, stroll through the narrow streets and admire the buildings of the “Casco Antiguo,” and you’ll understand why filmmakers are so drawn to it. From the center, the sea is just a 10-minute walk away.
Getting lost always points you in the direction of the Atlantic. Facades, balconies, jacarandas, ficus magnolia, parrots color your path. From its rooftop terraces, clad in towers looking out over the ocean, the city reveals its oriental side. Baroque and neoclassical, Cadiz is a box of images. A capturing place for filmmakers in search of the real thing.
Andalusian Brittany, Andalusian Camargue for scenes in silver-plated light
The province of Cadiz is at the heart of the Costa de la Luz .
An Andalusian “Brittany” and an Andalusian “Camargue,” stretching from the Doñana(Huelva) and Estrecho (Tarifa) Natural Parksto the Atlantic coast, withMoroccojust across the water.
The light clings to it like clouds to the Basque Coast. Its beaches give it a Corsican feel, too, and make it a perfect location for snapshots. For postcards and photo shoots.
And to the south, 80 km of sand and tropical waters, protected from hasty construction. Europe's most beautiful beaches are here. Its sunsets, famous throughout Spain, and its perched white villages offer poetic backdrops. Make your own cinema? An obvious choice.
Dandruff roll :
📍NIGHTAND DAY (2010), directed by James Mangold with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz
Ancha Street in the “Casco Antiguo”becomes the scene of a bull run, just as the motorcycle driven by Tom Cruise enters the street for an unlikely chase with “henchmen.” A street more accustomed to welcoming locals and tourists seeking shade to share a café au lait or an ice cream on summer afternoons.
📍THE CROWN (2021-2022), saison 3 and 4. Series broadcast on Netflix.
The series that retraces the life of Elizabeth II chooses to travel through Andalusia, from Seville to Malaga.
But also the province of Cadiz, from Jerez to San Fernando, Puerto Real or Cadiz to transform its landscapes and buildings into Greece, the United States or Australia in the 60s, 70s and 80s.
📍WEWERE THE LUCKY ONE (2023), Disney+ series
In June 2023, the Plaza de Mina is transformed into Rio de Janeiro.
This miniseries, based on the work of American author Georgia Hunter, tells the story of her Jewish family during the Second World War and the Holocaust.
No wonder we chose this square. It has the air of a spring carnival, between the chatter of green parrots mixed with that of children and the high tone of parents sitting under the mauve jacarandas.