It is located 20 kilometres (12 miles) south-east from Cádiz,[2] and borders the municipalities of San Fernando and Puerto Real to the north and Conil de la Frontera to the south.

The economy depends largely upon modern industry, especially salt processing and tourism,[4] and the municipality is known for its beaches such as the 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) long Playa de la Barrosa, hotels and golf courses in the resort of Novo Sancti Petri.

It was prized for its strategic position guarding the route up-river to Gerion's Castle at Medina Sidonia, overlooking an access to the bay of Cadiz, and its wharfs or docks.

Much of the site was irretrievably lost to aggressive quarrying for sand and stone, but the traces of the medieval streets and cemetery can still be discerned on the hill's slopes.

A mention should be made of the tiny temple island at Santi Petri, in which Hannibal Barca prayed before his famous invasion of Italy.

Alonso Pérez de Guzmán (1256–1309) entered the town in 1303, having been granted it as a reward for services rendered to the crown of Castille, and his possessions in Southern Spain eventually led to the foundation of the dukedom of Medina-Sidonia.

The Battle of Barrosa, an unsuccessful attempt to raise the siege of Cadiz took place 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Chiclana on 5 March 1811.

In 1900, tenders were invited by the municipal authorities of Chiclana de la Frontera, for an electric lighting concession of the town.

The municipality borders Puerto Real to the north, San Fernando to the north-northwest and Conil de la Frontera to the south-southeast.

Villages in the municipality include La Coquina, Los Gallos Cerromolinos, Pinar de los Guisos, Llano de las Maravillas, La Barrosa, Novo Sancti Petri, Melilla, Campano, El Olivar, Torre del Puerco, El Colorado, Barrio Nuevo, Hozanejos and Pago del Humo and Las Veguetas, although it is difficult to distinguish the exact boundaries of many of the settlements as many of the villages are joined.

The municipality and town of Chiclana is crossed by the mineral rich River Iro which rises in the east near Medina Sidonia and runs into the sea at Sancti Petri.

[4] The municipality is known for its beaches such as the 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) long, sandy Playa de la Barrosa, and the many hotels and golf courses in the resort of Novo Sancti Petri.

The Rough guide to Andalucía describes Novo Sancti Petri as "a complex of hundreds of identical avenues lined with featureless tile-roofed dwellings, ugly lamp standards, over-manicured gardens and a golf course designed by Severiano Ballesteros.

The Playa de la Barrosa beach stretching south from the point of Sancti Petri also has many restaurants, bars, and markets.

The town is noted for its sherry, and Chiclana de la Frontera has been cited as one of the world's finest wine-producing areas.

[14][15] La Bodega Cooperativa Unión de Viticultores Chiclaneros, incorporated as a cooperative in 1992, is one of several local wineries currently in operation.

The historic city center is home to several examples of neoclassical architecture and Elizabethan houses that belonged to the nobility and gentry of Cádiz, built to enrichment of the area thanks to trades with America.

Casa Briones, located on the Plaza Mayor is one of the finest examples of 18th-century buildings in the city and is attributed to the neoclassical architect Torcuato Cayon; it currently houses the Museo de Chiclana.

It is named after Conde del Pinar, an important character of French origin who arrived in the city of Cádiz, who like many others was attracted by economic expansion as a result of their trade with America.

The Casa-palacio del Conde de las Cinco Torres is located in the centre of the city on the Calle García Gutiérrez, and as far as the mid-19th century dominated the neighborhood of San Alejandro.

The Capilla del Santo Cristo (Chapel of the Holy Christ), dating from the late 15th century, is the oldest religious building in the city.

In different rooms, the public can learn about the prehistoric periods and antiquity of the city, its formation, the Battle of Chiclana and up to the present day.

All of the displays are labelled and an audiovisual exhibition provides an overview of the history and traditions of Chiclana in an entertaining, accessible and understandable manner.

The Festival of Parpuja occurs in August and consists of a gala attended by the leading national figures of flamenco such as José Mercé, Rancapino, and others.

These include the Feast of San Juan Bautista, held on 23–24 June,[30] in which a procession is accompanied by brass bands in the Plaza Mayor.

The Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, held on July 16, venerates the Virgin del Carmen Barrosa, an icon of which is carried in the procession.

The Feast of Our Lady of Remedies, held on September 8, includes a procession featuring the icon of the Virgen de los Remedios, patron saint of the city.

In recent years, this day also celebrates the Feast of Pescao of Estero, a fish tasting event at the Alameda del Rio.