We visited the wonderful city of Cordoba on a road trip from Madrid. We ended up driving one way while stopping in Toledo and seeing a few castles along the way. For the return we opted for the train which was actually much faster, cheaper, more comfortable and way more relaxing. Moreover, we were pleased to see that the Renfre high speed train is electric powered and runs using sustainable power.
Arriving in Cordoba the first thing you see in the historic center is the colossal Mesquita. The Mosque-Cathedral, monumental and prominent, on the waterfront with the Roman Bridge crossing the Guadalquivir River to the Calahorra Tower just filled us with anticipation to visit the city!
Arriving late by car, we just parked and checked into our hotel, the H10 which was conveniently located right on the town square Plaza de Los Tendillas. The H10 Palacio Colomera is housed in the old Casa Colomera. Built in 1928 it served as a palace for the Counts of Colomera.
Located in the central Plaza de las Tendillas, the palace turned hotel was a great choice. Despite being in a historic building, the rooms were modern and recently redone with tasteful and functional conveniences. USB plugs, push-button showers and a comfortable bed made it a perfect homebase for exploring the city. We even had a small balcony overlooking the square.
While the hotel didn’t have a private parking, they had pointed us towards a public parking where we could reserve a spot ahead of time online. We did and were honestly very happy to have a small Peugeot 208 when we pulled in. The narrowly spaced pillars in the parking lot were filled with a rainbow of colors scraped off unlucky drivers that misjudged the passageways between floors. A stark reminder that is it really necessary to opt for a small car when visiting Europe!
See our travel tip: Opt for a Small Rental Car in Europe, Skip the Tempting Upgrade
Cordoba must-visit attractions
We walked around the city a bit that first evening and found that even in late February it was already full of hustle and bustle. More so than the smaller and quieter Toledo we had arrived from.
For anyone visiting Cordoba, the city’s main attractions are all situated in the same general area and are easily accessible by foot with just a few minutes’ walk. As we headed out the next morning, we stumbled upon a historic churro stand run by a fourth-generation family where we got freshly made churros for only .70c each. So good, we returned the next day to the same area just for the churros!
Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba
The jewel of Cordoba is without a doubt the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba or simply La Mezquita. Officially known as the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption and seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Córdoba.
This must-see attraction is grandiose and an amazing place to visit. It is best to start your day here before the tour bus crowds arrive. You should plan for at least a couple of hours here and those that want to look at the details closely can easily spend the full day! Leave yourself enough time as you have to buy a combined ticket for the tower with a fixed time.
Originally constructed as a Mosque in 785, it was converted to a Cathedral in 1236 when Cordoba was captured by Christian forces. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984. A service has been held in the chapel every day since 1236.
The red striped arches throughout the interior are often shown in the classical pictures of the interior, and these are spectacular. Just the sheer size of the interior structure is impressive.
Be sure to see the small treasury, the original mosque, and the Royal Chapel. You can see remnants of the original exterior walls too. Intricate carvings can be seen on each of the choir stalls. The more we looked the more details we uncovered.
Buy the combined ticket with the Mezquita Bell Tower when visiting. You get some great views of the mosque-cathedral from up there and the tower was also built around the old minaret of the mosque. It’s fortunate that this jewel of a monument was preserved. Having a minaret in a cathedral bell tower is definitely something you don’t see every day!
Tip: Don’t miss your group time to climb up the bell tower or you’ll need a new ticket!
Also, be sure to walk around and take a look at the exterior of La Mezquita. It’s beautiful.
Roman Bridge of Córdoba
It pays to walk over the long Roman Bridge and climb the Torre de la Calahorra on the opposite side of the river for great views.
There are also many small models of daily life in medieval times in the various exhibition rooms as you make your way up to the rooftop terrace.
The Roman Bridge was also featured in Games of Thrones in a scene where vendors were pictured on either side of the bridge.
Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs
Just a short distance down the Guadalquivir River is another must-see attraction, the historic Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, or Castle of the Christian Monarchs. It is commonly known as the Alcázar of Córdoba.
As you walk towards it, check out the huge watermills next to the river that were used to lift water to irrigate the massive gardens of the alcazar. We spotted a large family of cats that seemed to have adopted the structure sunbathing in various spots.
The medieval alcazar or fortress was built in 1328. It was involved in a civil war with Henry the 4th, became a tribunal for the Spanish Inquisition in 1482 where it was converted into torture and interrogation chambers. It was also where Christopher Columbus met Isabella and Ferdinand the catholic monarchs. The Alcazar later served as a garrison for Napoleons troops in 1810 and became a notorious prison in 1821. It became a tourist attraction and national monument in the 1950s and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.
While there is not much inside, just touring the stone walls and climbing the towers for views thinking about the rich history is a thrill. A favorite for us was the lavish and beautiful gardens.
While it was early when we visited in February, we saw that much of the planting was done and we could just imagine how beautiful it would look in March or April with everything in bloom.
Caliphal Baths
The Moorish baths (Los Baños del Alcázar Califal) that were part of a medieval bath complex are right next door and can be visited separately. Here you can see remnants of the boiler and the various rooms. Be sure to see the star-shaped skylights. This was also the scene of tragic events during the civil war with the murder of the Caliph by three of his slaves in 1018.
Exploring the Old Jewish Quarter
We just loved wandering the narrow cobblestone alleyways in the historic part of Cordoba. One famous street is the narrow alleyway Calleja de las Flores (street of flowers). While we saw wall-mounted flowerpots on many streets this one has gained some internet fame attracting many fellow tourists.
We also visited the small Bullfighting Museum of Cordoba which we had heard was gruesome, but it turned out not to be as macabre as some had suggested. It depicted the historical art of bullfighting and showcased exhibits about some local bullfighting celebrities (toreadors) as well as some of the tight outfits (some seemed blood stained!). There were also many photos and movies.
Nearby was the small Chapel of San Bartolomé (Capilla Mudéjar de San Bartolomé). There was an interesting structure around the roots of a palm tree in the court. The church, now museum, was originally a mosque. You can still see some of the painted frescos.
In the same area we visited the Cordoba Synagogue (Sinagoga de Córdoba). Built in 1315, this small but significant synagogue is one of only three remaining preserved medieval synagogues in Spain. We also had the chance to visit the other two in Toledo.
Nearby there was the Archeology Museum. The collection spans from prehistory to the Middle Ages and also includes Roman antiquities and Moorish art.
Next door there was the Palacio de los Paez de Castillejos. It was closed but we had a quick look around the courtyard.
Other attractions off the beaten path
On the other side of town, but only a 15-minute walk was the private Palacio de Viana. This palace was erected in the 16th century. It was later owned by the Marquis of Villaseca and then in the 19th century the Marquises of Viana. In 1980 the family sold it to the provincial savings bank of Cordoba who opened it to the public for visitation.
There are twelve beautiful patios and gardens in the sprawling palace and the rooms are furnished with antiquities and paintings. Normally visited only by private tour, we were able to tour some of the rooms on our own as part of the garden tour. I guess someone left the gate open. Lucky us.
Be sure to visit the small Real Iglesia Conventual de San Agustín around the corner after your visit. A 5-minute walk away, the church is beautiful.
There happened to be a procession for Easter when we were there and dozens of men wearing tightly fitting headbands were carrying huge curios on their backs. We assumed these were being transported from one church to another as part of an Easter procession. We could not find out exactly what it was.
Further afield
Medina Azahara
About a 30-minute drive away and something that could be organized by a local tour if without a car is the historical site of Madinat Al-Zahra. We arrived at this archeological site around 10:30 am and it was already full of people in February! Huge busloads of tourists assembled in groups with guides whispering into microphones. If coming by car, avoid the crowd and come early.
The visit starts with a 15-minute video about the historical significance of the site, depictions of the rooms and areas as well as explanations or extrapolations of how they were used and how they once looked.
After the video you must take a green bus to the actual archeological site from the visitor center and public parking area. Be sure to check out the 13th century olive trees at the entrance.
The site itself is quite large and there is ongoing renovation and excavation. While not the size or state of preservation as we had seen in Ephesus or Pompei, these ruins date from 940 and were built for the ruling Caliph of Al-Andalus, Abd al-Rahman III. The new city was destined to be the new political and administrative seat of the Western Umayyad Caliphate. It’s impressive to see the site and the significance. However, the city was only in existence for about 70 years.
Be sure to also visit the museum in the visitor center to see some of the artifacts found on the archeological site of Madinat Al-Zahra.
Almodóvar Castle
Another historic site about 30 minutes from Cordoba is the impressive hilltop Castillo Almodóvar del Rio. This beautifully restored castle was wonderful to visit. Featured in the Game of Thrones series as Highgarden, it brought back some great memories with numerous familiar scenes for us.
Parking was at the base of the hill from where one could walk up or take a shuttle up for 3 euros. We thought we’d save our legs and sprang for the 3 euros. It was a two-way ticket.
The castle itself is well marked and surprisingly big. You can climb up all the turrets and walk the ledges of the walls. We spent over two hours here, closer to three! We even recreated some famous Game of Thrones photo scenes like this one off the tower balcony. Don’t miss the sword collection, and the Chapel.
Constructed by the Arabs, between the years 740 and 756, the fortress became the estate of the Moorish Princes, the Caliphate of Cordoba, and fell into Christian hands in the 12th century.
Almodóvar Castle is located on top of Iberian and Roman remains and considered to have been the best strategic point between Córdoba and Seville.
It was chosen by Peter I as the ideal place to store his treasure and as a Royal prison, holding in its dungeons famous characters of the era such as Juana de Lara and the 1st Duke of Benavente.
In 1629 Philip IV sold the castle into private hands.
The ruinous state of the fortress in the year 1902 led to its then owner, Rafael Desmaissières Farina, the 12th Count of Torralva, to invest much of his fortune and 34 years of his life to see his dream of restoring the castle to its glory. 6,000 m3 of stone from different quarries was used throughout the restoration and 800 workmen worked over 34 years to revive the monument. It is just a delight to visit and the pride of the village of Almodóvar.
It was well worth keeping our car to visit both of these sites and they can easily be combined and done in a day. Check out our post: Road Trip: Madrid to Toledo and Cordoba With a Few Castles Along the Way
Overall impressions of Cordoba
We spent 4 nights in Cordoba with one day doing the further afield attractions. While we could have done much of Cordoba itself in a couple of days (and even the must-see sights of the Mosque-Cathedral, Roman Bridge and Calahorra Tower, as well as the Alcazar in one day), we enjoyed the slower pace and took time for lunch, and just to get lost in the city’s narrow cobblestone streets.
We visited in late February, and unfortunately in the middle of a cold spell. The week prior had been in the 50°s F and 60°s F but we had some early morning temperatures in the high 30°s F! We even had one bout of hail! Seeing the nearly black clouds coming over the Roman Bridge made for some good photos.
We also noticed that many shops and restaurants were closed (possibly waiting for high season). Moreover, the city workers were cleaning the fountains on our last day and getting them ready. Many gardeners were busy in the famous gardens suggesting that March may be an even more beautiful time to visit rewarding one with colorful and picturesque flowers in the gardens and working fountains. Despite that we enjoyed the smaller crowds and shorter lines at the attractions.
We would recommend coming by train and either taking a tour to the further attractions or renting a car for the day. Parking is difficult in the city and parking spots are very small.
Also check the opening times, we saw that many attractions were closed on Mondays so plan accordingly with your dates.