Playa Santa María del Mar

About Playa Santa María del Mar

Playa de Santa María del Mar, known in Cádiz as the Playita de las Mujeres, is the small beach where the city's Atlantic shore meets the old town, at the start of the long Playa de la Victoria. It lies within Cádiz city and looks back towards the historic quarter.

About 900 metres long and 30 metres wide, it is the smallest and most sheltered of the city's beaches. Ramps and spiral staircases lead down from the seafront avenue, and the sand joins La Victoria, so you can walk on for kilometres. Waves are usually moderate.

It holds a Blue Flag and is well run: lifeguards in season, toilets, showers and footbaths, umbrella and sunbed hire, food and drink, regular cleaning and step-free access. Urban buses stop nearby and there is parking in the area. The Museo de Cádiz on Plaza de Mina, with finds from the city's 3,000-year history and paintings including works by Rubens, is a short walk into the old town.

June and September offer warm water without the August crowds. On this Atlantic coast the tide changes the width of the sand, so check tide times, and stay for late-afternoon light over the old town.

Playa Santa María del Mar in pictures

What you’ll find

• Beach lifeguardSupervised swimmingFree
• Beach sunbedsSunbed hireRent
• Beach umbrellasUmbrella hireRent
• Public showersWash bodyFree
• Public toiletsPersonal SanitattionFree
• Sandy beachRest on beachFree
• Sea shoreSnorkellingRentSwimmingFree

Nearby places to visit

Just inland, the Lithographic Workshop Museum (300 m) is devoted to the city's lithographic printing. In the old town, the Cádiz Museum (2 km) on Plaza de Mina covers archaeology and fine art, including Rubens. On the far side of the old town, Playa de la Caleta (2 km) is the city's most popular beach, set between the castles of San Sebastián and Santa Catalina and used as a location for Die Another Day. Southward, Playa de la Victoria (3 km) runs for about 3 km beside the newer city, and Playa de la Gamba (4 km) lies further south. City buses link them all.