Virtually surrounded by water on the Costa de la Luz coastline of southern Spain, the ancient city and port of Cadiz is claimed to be the oldest inhabited city in Europe. Founded by the Phoenicians as a trading centre in around 1100 BC it now has a population of 130,000 and has been the base of the Spanish Navy since the Spanish Bourbons ascended the throne during the 18th century. Known to the Greeks as Gádeira, in myth it was founded by Hercules, after he had completed his tenth labour. Later controlled by Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths and Moors, before being returned to Christian hands by Alphonso X in 1262. Cadiz waved off Christopher Columbus on 2 of his famous voyages, and benefited from the huge wealth that subsequently arrived from the Americas during Spain’s Golden Age. The wealth attracted the attention of pirates and Sir Francis Drake occupied the harbour in “The Singeing of the King of Spain’s Beard” incident, which delayed the Armada and possibly led to its eventual failure. Cadiz today has some important historic monuments, its best known perhaps the cathedral which was originally built in the 12th century, burned down in the 16th century and eventually rebuilt in the 18th century with rococo and neoclassical elements. The Cadiz area is also popular with holidaymakers as its coastline has some of the best beaches in Spain, and the Costa de la Luz (Coast of Light) benefits from a splendid climate with Cadiz weather being pleasant for most of the year and especially warm from May to September. Cadiz is just 40 km from the airport at Jerez, the spectacular city of Seville is around 125 kilometres away. Cadiz Map.