Two climatic peculiarities also give it its salt.
Two winds dominate the Gaditan coastline of over 100 km of beaches, from Sanlúcar de Barrameda at the mouth of the Guadalquivir to San Roque towards Gibraltar: the "levante" and the "poniente". Depending on which you choose, they'll have an influence on your daily life.
"Levante: the hot, dry wind
Originating in North Africa, "levante" is a hot, dry wind that blows from the east, especially in summer.
It takes its name from the direction in which the sun "rises"; an easy deduction.
Often laden with particles and sand, it opens doors and windows without knocking and sends papers flying through the house. Eli, who writes on a daily basis, knows all about this. She shelters books and notes as soon as the first breaths are announced.
Outside, skirts and T-shirts rise up. The bags that protect the city's garbage cans are, in Colette's words, "darting with their most beautiful vertical effort". Straight as an "i", in other words. Difficult in these conditions to deposit anything. But it's an easy sign to recognize its presence.
Its gusts are a beach towel's nightmare.
Besides, that's how you tell a Spaniard from a foreigner on the beach. The Gaditan will always prefer the beach chair to the bath towel! Unfolded, planted, they resist "levante" and sand attacks.
Levante" also has its advantages.
It shapes the characteristic dunes of Cadiz beaches, such as Punta Paloma and Bolonia.
And the good news is that it eliminates algae.
"Poniente": a cool, damp wind
In contrast to the "levante", the "poniente" blows in from the west, from the Atlantic. Milder and more humid, it brings fresh, invigorating air. A little too much, when it blows in winter. When we arrived in Cadiz, we found it curious to see gaditans wearing down jackets. Why a down jacket when it's 15 degrees in the sun? A sweater would suffice...
That's without taking into account the wind, which drops the temperature by at least 5 degrees as you turn from one street to the next.
For surfers and kitesurfers, it's perfect.
The "poniente" makes waves. And there are plenty of them. Between Punta Paloma and Tarifa, on the beach at Valdevaqueros, this is the place to be. Average age between 25 and 30. As proof, the number of campsites, some with teepees, like the KAMPAOH campsite below the road, with direct access to the beach. And for those who still hesitate, there 's everything you need to test the waves, in a wild and natural setting: with the comfort of small hotels, bars and sports equipment stores for all levels.
The more cautious prefer to swim at the edge.
How to choose your beach according to the wind?
If you're looking for calm seas and plenty of sunshine, choose beaches facing south or west, protected from the levante. And if you like water sports, you'll find that beaches exposed to the "poniente" are more suitable.
If in doubt, check the weatherforecast the weather forecast before heading to the beach.
🍀Where to swim in Cadiz when the "levante" blows? ➽ CLICK for the best beaches
