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Wandering around any city is one of my favorite activities, but this is especially true in old European cities. You never know what you’ll find right around the corner. This was the case when I visited Cádiz, Spain. I was walking around and suddenly found myself at the Roman Theater of Cádiz (Teatro Romano de Cádiz).
Hidden right behind an unassuming door, just across the alleyway from one of my favorite cocktail bars in Cádiz, lies a piece of history that dates back some 2,000 years.
One way to get a nice introduction to Cádiz is to take a tour. Check out these excellent tour options & book now! This particular walking tour explores the historic parts of Cádiz, including the Roman Theater.
Cádiz Roman Theater Museum
Entry to the Roman Theater of Cádiz is free. The visit starts off with a small museum that introduces you to the historic site.
Glass portals in the floor allow you to see some of the uncovered ruins.
Book your hotel in Cádiz now!The next rooms provide details about the theater’s architecture, along with some fragments that were recovered from the site.
Subsequent rooms begin to prepare you to see the theater in all its glory. But at first, you see just peeks of it. Intentional or not, it’s a clever way of building up anticipation.
Other displays discussed the local Balbo family, who were important to the area and had ties to Rome, which enabled them to secure the funds to build the amphitheater.
More glass windows provide a glimpse into the orchestra pit.
Despite being so far away from the center of the Roman Empire, Cádiz was not ignored. In addition to getting the money to build the theater, there was also a seat reserved for Cádiz citizens at the Flavian amphitheater in Rome.
The museum also features a video that includes a reconstruction of what the Roman Theater of Cádiz would have looked like during its heyday, while there are also images that depict the progression of the area over time.
Everything is well-presented, giving a good introduction to this historic site.
Seeing The Cádiz Roman Theater
Finally, the museum portion ends with more windows overlooking the amphitheater. The best indoor views are from here.
However, the visit doesn’t stop there. Head downstairs into a passageway, and you’ll be taken back two millennia into the past.
Multiple viewing platforms allow you to see the scale of the Roman theater, which once held up to 10,000 spectators.
After its original use, the theater fell into disrepair and was covered by a fort, only to be rediscovered in the 1980s.
You can also climb up higher to an area of the amphitheater that has been reconstructed. There’s a great view of the theater from above, plus some more ruins at the top.
There are also views of the sea. If you can’t make it to the theater during opening hours, you can also get a bit of a look through the fence here along Av. Campo del Sur.
Cádiz grew around this area, so it’s remarkable that so much of these Roman ruins were able to be excavated. I could hear church bells ringing all around, including from the nearby Cádiz Cathedral.
If you have any interest in history or architecture, the Roman Theater of Cádiz is a must-visit in the city.
Tip: If the Roman theater is closed, there’s an alleyway just to the east of the museum (Calle Silencio). Head to the end of this alley, and there are views of the theater through the fence.
In addition to the Roman theater, there are also several other notable spots in this same area of the city.
Right next door is the Callejón del Duende, a picturesque alleyway that is the subject of local stories.
There are also other nearby historic features, such as archways and city walls.
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Also, don’t let these historic landmarks make you think it’s a boring area. Nearby, you’ll find some of my favorite Cádiz ice cream shops, wine bars, and cocktail bars. It’s a lovely area to wander and enjoy an evening.
Here are some more great Cádiz tours.
