Who knew that it would be more than two years before I’d get to visit – and taste – Cádiz again? Not me. And to be sure, there have been many changes there since lockdown March 2020. This was also my first time on a train since way back then, which was a bit nervous making especially because it meant postponing my booster shot until next week. Whatevs. I was on a train. I went to Cádiz. And hey, it was (mostly) just like it’s always been.

I was there to do research for my next Decanter travel article, which is why I chose this week. I’d have gone earlier but several of the places I wanted to visit were closed during November. My plan had been to visit a nearby bodega in El Puerto on November 30th, then a couple of regular spots in Cádiz that evening, and then the new places that had said they would reopen in December. EXCEPT I found out on the morning of December 1st that two of them weren’t actually going to reopen until the 2nd. WTF. Never mind. I had secured a reservation for the place that had most interested me… brand new Ciclo restaurant, run by chef Luis Callealta. And it did not disappoint. In fact it was pretty fucking amazing. So that made the other disappointments easier to take.

I wasn’t only disappointed by the ones that didn’t actually reopen on December 1st, but also by a couple of places I revisited (and used to like) that left me feeling like I wouldn’t be going back to them again. A bit sad, but overall it was a lovely overnight trip and it really did feel great to be travelling again. I have missed Cádiz so much. It’s one of my favourite places.