Map: Central Córdoba Restaurants
Between Puerta de Almodóvar and the Jewish Quarter
Just East of the Mezquita Zone
Straddling a sharp bend of the Guadalquivir River, Córdoba has a glorious Roman and Moorish past, once serving as a regional capital for both empires. It’s home to Europe’s best Islamic sight after Granada’s Alhambra: the Mezquita, a splendid and remarkably well-preserved mosque that dates from A.D. 784. When you step inside the mosque, which is magical in its grandeur, you can imagine Córdoba as the center of a thriving and sophisticated culture. During the Dark Ages, when much of Europe was barbaric and illiterate, Córdoba was a haven of enlightened thought—famous for religious tolerance, artistic expression, and dedication to philosophy and the sciences. To this day, you’ll still hear the Muslim call to prayer in Córdoba.
Beyond the magnificent Mezquita, the city of Córdoba has two sides: the extremely touristy maze of streets immediately surrounding the giant main attraction, lined with trinket shops, hotels, and restaurants; and the workaday part of town (centered on Plaza de las Tendillas). While the over-commercialized vibe of the touristy area can be off-putting, a quick walk takes you to real-life Córdoba.
Ideally, Córdoba is worth two nights and a day. Don’t rush the magnificent Mezquita, but also consider sticking around to experience the city’s other pleasures: Wander the evocative Jewish Quarter, enjoy the tapas scene, and explore the modern part of town.
However, if you’re tight on time, it’s possible to do Córdoba more quickly—especially since it’s conveniently located on the AVE bullet-train line (and because, frankly, Córdoba is less interesting than the other two big Andalusian cities, Sevilla and Granada). To see Córdoba as an efficient stopover between Madrid and Sevilla (or as a side-trip from Sevilla—frequent trains, 45-minute trip), focus on the Mezquita: Taxi from the station, spend two hours there, explore the old town for an hour...and then scram.
Córdoba’s big draw is the mosque-turned-cathedral called the Mezquita (for pronunciation ease, think female mosquito). Most of the town’s major sights are nearby, including the Alcázar, a former royal castle. And though the town seems to ignore its marshy Guadalquivir River (a prime bird-watching area), the riverbank sports a Renaissance triumphal arch next to a stout “Roman Bridge.” The bridge leads to the town’s old fortified gate (which now houses a museum on Moorish culture, the Museum of Al-Andalus Life). The Mezquita is buried in the characteristic medieval town. Around that stretches the Jewish Quarter, then the modern city—which feels much like any other in Spain, but with some striking Art Deco buildings at Plaza de las Tendillas and lots of Art Nouveau lining Avenida del Gran Capitán.
Córdoba has helpful TIs at the train station, Alcázar, and Plaza de las Tendillas (all open daily 9:00-14:00 & 17:00-19:30, tel. 902-201-774, www.turismodecordoba.org). Another TI, near the Mezquita, is run separately and covers all of Andalucía (Mon-Fri 9:00-19:30, Sat-Sun 9:00-15:00, Torrijos 10, tel. 957-355-179).
By Train or Bus: Córdoba’s train station is located on Avenida de América. Built in 1991 to accommodate the high-speed AVE train line, the slick train station has ATMs, restaurants, a variety of shops, a TI booth (on the concourse above the track), an information counter, and a small lounge for first-class AVE passengers. Taxis and local buses are just outside, to the left as you come up the escalators from the platforms.
The bus station is across the street from the train station (on Avenida Vía Augusta, to the north). There’s no luggage storage at the train station, but the bus station has lockers (€4, look for consigna sign and buy token at machine).
To get to the old town, hop a taxi (€7 to the Mezquita) or catch bus #3 (buy €1.20 ticket on board, ask driver for “mezquita,” get off at Calle San Fernando, and take Calle del Portillo, following the twists and turns—and occasional signs—to the Mezquita).
It’s about a 25-minute walk from either station to the old town. To walk from the train station to the Mezquita, turn left onto Avenida de América, then right through the Jardines de la Victoria park. Near the end of the park, on the left, you’ll see a section of the old city walls. The Puerta de Almodóvar gate marks the start of Calle Cairuan—follow this street downhill, with the wall still on your left, until you reach Plaza Campo de los Martires. Consider popping in to the TI on this square for a city map. Then head left, past the Alcázar, down Calle Amador de los Reyes, which leads directly to the Mezquita.
Closed Days: The synagogue, Alcázar, Madinat Al-Zahra, and Palacio de Viana are closed on Monday. The Mezquita is open daily.
Festivals: May is busy with festivals. During the first half of May, Córdoba hosts the Concurso Popular de Patios Cordobeses—a patio contest (see sidebar on here).
Local Guides: Isabel Martinez Richter is a charming archaeologist who loves to make the city come to life for curious Americans (€130/3 hours, mobile 669-369-645, isabmr@gmail.com). Angel Lucena is also a good teacher and a joy to be with (€100/3 hours, mobile 607-898-079, lucenaangel@hotmail.com).
Triumphal Arch and Plague Monument
Statues of Maimonides and Averroes
Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos
Baths of the Caliphate Alcázar (Baños Califales)
Madinat Al-Zahra (Medina Azahara)
This massive former mosque—now with a 16th-century church rising up from the middle—was once the center of Western Islam and the heart of a cultural capital that rivaled Baghdad and Constantinople. A wonder of the medieval world, it’s remarkably well-preserved, giving today’s visitors a chance to soak up the ambience of Islamic Córdoba in its 10th-century prime.
Cost and Hours: €8, ticket kiosk inside the Patio de los Naranjos, Mon-Sat free entry until 10:00 (because they don’t want to charge a fee to attend the 9:30 Mass), dry €3.50 audioguide; open March-Oct Mon-Sat 8:30-19:00, Sun 8:30-11:30 & 15:00-19:00; Nov-Feb Mon-Sat 8:30-18:00, Sun 8:30-11:30 & 15:00-18:00; last entry 30 minutes before closing, Christian altar accessible only after 11:00 unless you attend Mass, try to avoid midday crowds (11:00-15:00) by coming early or late; tel. 957-470-512, www.catedraldecordoba.es. You can also enjoy the Mezquita on a sound-and-light tour on some summer evenings (described on here).
Nearby Eateries: For restaurants near the Mezquita, see here.
(See “The Mezquita” map, here.)
Self-Guided Tour: Before entering the patio, take in the exterior of the Mezquita. The mosque’s massive footprint is clear when you survey its sprawling walls from outside. At 600 feet by 400 feet, it seems to dominate the higgledy-piggledy medieval town that surrounds it.
Patio de los Naranjos: The Mezquita’s big, welcoming courtyard is free to enter. When this was a mosque, the Muslim faithful would gather in this courtyard to perform ablution—ritual washing before prayer, as directed by Muslim law. The courtyard walls display many of the mosque’s carved ceiling panels and beams, which date from the 10th century.
Bell Tower/Minaret: Gaze up through the trees for views of the bell tower (c. 1600), built over the remains of the original Muslim minaret. For four centuries, five times a day, a singing cleric (the muezzin) would ride a donkey up the ramp of the minaret, then call to all Muslims in earshot that it was time to face Mecca and pray.
• Buy your ticket (and, if you wish, rent an audioguide at a separate kiosk to the right). Enter the building by passing through the keyhole gate at the far-right corner (pick up an English map-brochure as you enter).
Entrance: Walking into the former mosque from the patio, you pass from an orchard of orange trees into a forest of delicate columns (erected here in the eighth century). The more than 800 red-and-blue columns are topped with double arches—a round Romanesque arch above a Visigothic horseshoe arch—made from alternating red brick and white stone. The columns and capitals (built of marble, granite, and alabaster) were recycled from ancient Roman ruins and conquered Visigothic churches. (Golden Age Arabs excelled at absorbing both the technology and the building materials of the people they conquered—no surprise, considering the culture’s nomadic roots; centuries of tentmaking didn’t lend much stoneworking expertise.) The columns seem to recede to infinity, as if reflecting the immensity and complexity of Allah’s creation.
Although it’s a vast room, the low ceilings and dense columns create an intimate and worshipful atmosphere. The original mosque was brighter, before Christians renovated the place for their use and closed in the arched entrances from the patio and street. The giant cathedral sits in the center of the mosque. For now, pretend it doesn’t exist. We’ll visit it after exploring the mosque.
• From the entrance, walk along the side wall five columns in and find a glass floor over a section of mosaic floor below. Look in.
Visigothic Mosaic: The mosque stands on the site of the early-Christian Church of San Vicente, built during the Visigothic period (sixth century). Peering down, you can see a mosaic that remains from that original church. This is important to Catholic locals, as it proves there was a church here before the mosque—thereby giving credence to those who see the modern-day church on this spot as a return to the site’s original purpose, rather than a violation of the mosque.
• Walk straight ahead to the far right corner (opposite the entrance), where you’ll find more...
Visigothic Ruins: On display in the corner are rare bits of carved stone from that same sixth-century church. (Most other stonework here had been scrubbed of its Christian symbolism by Muslims seeking to reuse them for the mosque.) Prince Abd Al-Rahman bought the church from his Christian subjects before leveling it to build his mosque. From here, pan to the right to take in the sheer vastness of the mosque. (Keep panning to find a hidden WC and drinking fountain in the corner.)
• Walk to your left until you come to the mosque’s focal point, the...
Mihrab: The mosque equivalent of a church’s high altar, this was the focus of the mosque and remains a highlight of the Mezquita today. Picture the original mosque at prayer time, with a dirt floor covered by a patchwork of big carpets...more than 20,000 people could pray at once here. Imagine the multitude kneeling in prayer, facing the mihrab, rocking forward to touch their heads to the ground, and saying, “Allahu Akbar, la illa a il Allah, Muhammad razul Allah”—“Allah is great, there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet.”
The mihrab, a feature in all mosques, is a decorated “niche”—in this case, more like a small room with a golden-arch entrance. During a service, the imam (prayer leader) would stand here to read scripture and give sermons. He spoke loudly into the niche, his back to the assembled crowd, and the architecture worked to amplify his voice so all could hear. Built in the mid-10th century by Al-Hakam II, the exquisite room reflects the wealth of Córdoba in its prime. Three thousand pounds of multicolored glass-and-enamel cubes panel the walls and domes in mosaics designed by Byzantine craftsmen, depicting flowers and quotes from the Quran. Gape up. Overhead rises a colorful, starry dome with skylights and interlocking lobe-shaped arches.
• Now turn around so that you’re facing away from the mihrab. Ahead of you, and a bit to the left, is a roped-off open area. Step up, and gaze into the first chapel built within the mosque after the Christian Reconquista.
Villaviciosa Chapel: In 1236, Saint-King Ferdinand III conquered the city and turned the mosque into a church. The higher ceiling allowed for clerestory windows and more light, which were key to making it feel more church-like. Still, the locals continued to call it “la Mezquita,” and left the structure virtually unchanged (70 percent of the original mosque structure survives to this day). Sixteen columns were removed and replaced by Gothic arches to make this first chapel. It feels as if the church architects appreciated the opportunity to incorporate the sublime architecture of the pre-existing mosque into their church. Notice how the floor was once almost entirely covered with the tombs of nobles and big shots eager to make this their final resting place.
• Immediately to your right (as you face the main entrance of the Mezquita), you’ll see the...
Royal Chapel: The chapel—designed for the tombs of Christian kings—is completely closed off. While it was never open to the public, the tall, well-preserved Mudejar walls and dome are easily visible. Notice the elaborate stucco work. The lavish Arabic-style decor dates from the 1370s, done by Muslim artisans after the Reconquista. The floor is a bit higher here to accommodate tombs buried beneath it. The fact that a Christian king chose to be buried in a tomb so clearly Moorish in design indicates the mutual respect between the cultures (before the Inquisition changed all that).
• Return to the mihrab, then go through the big door to your immediate left, which leads into the Baroque...
Treasury (Tesoro): The treasury is filled with display cases of religious artifacts and the enormous monstrance that is paraded through the streets of Córdoba each Corpus Christi, 60 days after Easter (notice the handles).
The monstrance was an attempt by 16th-century Christians to create something exquisite enough to merit being the holder of the Holy Communion wafer. As they believed the wafer actually was the body of Christ, this trumped any relics. The monstrance is designed like a seven-scoop ice-cream cone, held together by gravity. While the bottom is silver-plated 18th-century Baroque, the top is late Gothic—solid silver with gold plating courtesy of 16th-century conquistadors.
The big canvas nearest the entrance shows Saint-King Ferdinand III, who conquered Córdoba in 1236, accepting the keys to the city’s fortified gate from the vanquished Muslims. The victory ended a six-month siege and resulted in a negotiated settlement: The losers’ lives were spared, providing they evacuated. Most went to Granada, which remained Muslim for another 250 years. The same day, the Spaniards celebrated Mass in a makeshift chapel right here in the great mosque.
Among the other Catholic treasures, don’t miss the ivory crucifix (next room, body carved from one tusk, arms carefully fitted on) from 1665. Get close to study Jesus’ mouth—it’s incredibly realistic. The artist? No one knows.
• Just outside the treasury exit, a glass case holds casts that show many...
Stonemason Marks: These stones still bear the marks and signatures left by those who cut them to build the original Visigothic church. Try to locate the actual ones on nearby columns. (I went five for six.) This part of the mosque has the best light for photography, thanks to skylights put in by 18th-century Christians.
The mosque grew over several centuries under a series of rulers. Remarkably, each ruler kept to the original vision—rows and rows of multicolored columns topped by double arches. Then came the Christians.
• Find the towering church in the center of the mosque and step in.
Cathedral: Rising up in the middle of the forest of columns is the bright and newly restored cathedral, oriented in the Christian tradition, with its altar at the east end. Gazing up at the rich decoration, it’s easy to forget that you were in a former mosque just seconds ago. While the mosque is about 30 feet high, the cathedral’s space soars 130 feet up. Look at the glorious ceiling.
In 1523 Córdoba’s bishop proposed building this grand church in the Mezquita’s center. The town council opposed it, but Charles V (called Carlos I in Spain) ordered it done. If that seems like a travesty to you, consider what some locals will point out: Though it would have been quicker and less expensive for the Christian builders to destroy the mosque entirely, they respected its beauty and built their church into it instead.
As you take in the styles of these two great places of worship, ponder how they reflect the differences between Catholic and Islamic aesthetics and psychology: horizontal versus vertical, intimate versus powerful, fear-inspiring versus loving, dark versus bright, simple versus elaborate, feeling close to God versus feeling small before God.
The basic structure is late Gothic, with fancy Isabelline-style columns. The nave’s towering Renaissance arches and dome emphasize the triumph of Christianity over Islam in Córdoba. The twin pulpits feature a marble bull, eagle, angel, and lion—symbols of the four evangelists. The modern cátedra (the seat of the bishop) is made of Carrara marble.
While churches and mosques normally both face east (to Jerusalem or Mecca), this space holds worship areas aimed 90 degrees from each other, since the mihrab faces south. Perhaps it’s because from here you have to go south (via Gibraltar) to get to Mecca. Or maybe it’s because this mosque was designed by the Umayyad branch of Islam, whose ancestral home was Damascus—from where Mecca lies to the south.
• Facing the high altar is a big, finely decorated wooden enclosure.
Choir: The Baroque-era choir stalls were added much later—made in 1750 of New World mahogany. While cluttering up a previously open Gothic space, the choir is considered one of the masterpieces of 18th-century Andalusian Baroque. Each of the 109 stalls (108 plus the throne of the bishop) features a scene from the Bible: Mary’s life on one side facing Jesus’ life on the other. The lower chairs feature carved reliefs of the 49 martyrs of Córdoba (from Roman, Visigothic, and Moorish times), each with a palm frond symbolizing martyrdom and the scene of their death in the background.
The medieval church strayed from the inclusiveness taught by Jesus: Choirs (which were standard throughout Spain) were for clerics (canons, priests, and the bishop). The pews in the nave were for nobles. And the peasants listened in from outside. (Lay people didn’t understand what they were hearing anyway, as Mass was held in Latin until the 1960s.) Those days are long over. Today, a public Mass is said—in Spanish—right here most mornings (Mon-Sat at 9:30).
All of these sights are within a few minutes’ walk of the Mezquita.
Just downhill from the Mezquita is the Guadalquivir River, which flows on to Sevilla and eventually out to the Atlantic. While silted up today, it was once navigable from here. The town now seems to turn its back on the Guadalquivir, but the arch next to the Roman Bridge (with its ancient foundation surviving) and the fortified gate on the far bank (now housing a museum, described later) evoke a day when the river was key to the city’s existence.
The unfinished Renaissance arch was designed to give King Philip II a royal welcome, but he arrived before its completion—so the job was canceled. (“Very Andalusian,” according to a local friend.) The adjacent monument with the single column is an 18th-century plague monument dedicated to St. Raphael (he was in charge of protecting the region’s population from its main scourges: plague, hunger, and floods).
The modern visitors center behind the arch is unlikely to be open during your visit—like so many other projects affected by Spain’s economic crisis, the completion of the building’s interior has been abandoned for the time being.
The bridge, which sits on its first-century-A.D. foundations and retains its 16th-century arches, was poorly restored in 2009. It feels like so much other modern work along this riverbank—done on the cheap. As it was the first bridge over this river, it established Córdoba as a strategic place. Walk across the bridge for a fine view of the city—especially the huge mosque with its cathedral busting through the center. You’ll be steps away from the museum described next.
The Museo Vivo de Al-Andalus fills the fortified gate (built in the 14th century to protect the Christian city) at the far side of the Roman Bridge. It is a velvety, philosophical, almost evangelical attempt to explain the Muslim Moorish culture, and is funded by a foundation started by Roger Garaudy, a former French politician and writer. Don a headset and wander through simple displays as the clear and engrossing (if gauzy) commentary lets you sit at the feet of the great poets and poke into Moorish living rooms. It’s worth the climb up to the rooftop terrace for the best panoramic view of Córdoba. Garaudy’s flowery audiotour focuses on the formation of the great monotheistic religions...the greatest of which—in his opinion—is Islam.
Cost and Hours: €4.50, includes one-hour audio tour, daily May-Sept 10:00-14:00 & 16:30-20:30, Oct-April 10:00-18:00, Torre de la Calahorra, tel. 957-293-929, www.torrecalahorra.com.
Córdoba’s Jewish Quarter dates from the late Middle Ages, after Muslim rule and during the Christian era. Now little remains. For a sense of the neighborhood in its thriving heyday, visit the synagogue and the cultural center located a few steps away (both described in this section). For a pretty picture, find Calle de las Flores (a.k.a. “Blossom Lane”). This narrow flower-bedecked street frames the cathedral’s bell tower as it hovers in the distance (the view is a favorite for local guidebook covers).
The small yet beautifully preserved synagogue was built in 1315, under Christian rule, but the Islamic decoration has roots way back to Abd Al-Rahman I (see sidebar on here). During Muslim times, Córdoba’s sizable Jewish community was welcomed, though its members paid substantial taxes to the city—money that enlarged the Mezquita and generated goodwill. That goodwill came in handy when Córdoba’s era of prosperity and mutual respect ended with the arrival of the intolerant Almohad Berbers. Christians and Jews were repressed, and brilliant minds—such as the philosopher Maimonides—fled for their own safety.
The Christian Reconquista of Córdoba (1236) brought another brief period of religious tolerance. That’s when this synagogue was built—the result of a joint effort by Christians, Jews, and Muslim (Mudejar) craftsmen. By the end of the 14th century, however, Spain’s Jews were again persecuted. They were finally expelled or forced to convert in 1492; this is one of only three surviving synagogues in Spain built before that year.
Rich Mudejar decorations of intertwined flowers, arabesques, and Stars of David plaster the walls. What appear to be quotes from the Quran in Arabic are actually quotes from the Bible in Hebrew. On the east wall (the symbolic direction of Jerusalem), find the niche for the Ark, which held the scrolls of the Torah (the Jewish scriptures). The upstairs gallery was reserved for women. This synagogue, the only one that survives in Córdoba, was left undisturbed because it was used as a church until the 19th century (look for the cross painted into a niche).
Cost and Hours: Free, Tue-Sun 9:30-14:00 & 15:30-17:30, closed Mon, Calle de los Judíos 20, tel. 957-202-928. To learn more about the synagogue and its community, head next to the Casa de Sefarad, just 10 steps uphill.
Set inside a restored 14th-century home directly across from the synagogue, this interpretive museum brings to life Córdoba’s rich Jewish past. Eight rooms around a central patio are themed to help you understand different aspects of daily life for Spain’s former Jewish community. The rooms focus on themes such as contributions from women in the community, Jewish holidays, and musical traditions. Upstairs is an interpretive center for the synagogue, along with rooms dedicated to Maimonides, the Inquisition, and the synagogue. The Casa de Sefarad is a cultural center for Sephardic (the Hebrew word for “Spanish”) Jewish heritage. Jaime and his staff stress that the center’s purpose is not political or religious, but cultural. Along with running this small museum, they teach courses, offer a library, and promote an appreciation of Córdoba’s Jewish heritage.
Cost and Hours: €4, Mon-Sat 11:00-18:00, Sun 11:00-14:00, 30-minute guided tours in English available by request if guide is available, next to synagogue at the corner of Calle de los Judíos and Calle Averroes, tel. 957-421-404, www.casadesefarad.es. The Casa de Sefarad hosts occasional concerts—acoustic, Sephardic, Andalusian, and flamenco—on its patio (€15, some Sat in season, usually at 19:00).
Built upon the foundation of Córdoba’s Roman walls, these fortifications date mostly from the 12th century. While the city stretched beyond the walls in Moorish times, these walls protected its political, religious, and commercial center. Of the seven original gates, the Puerta de Almodóvar (near the synagogue) is best preserved today. Just outside this gate, you’ll find statues of Córdoba’s great thinkers: Seneca (the Roman philosopher and adviser to Nero), Maimonides, and Averroes.
Statues honor two of Córdoba’s deepest-thinking homeboys—one Jewish, one Muslim, both driven out during the wave of intolerance after the fall of the Umayyad caliphate. (Maimonides is 30 yards downhill from the synagogue; Averroes is at the end of the old wall, where Cairuán and Doctor Fleming streets meet.)
Moses Maimonides (1135-1204), “the Jewish Aquinas,” was born in Córdoba and raised on both Jewish scripture and the philosophy of Aristotle. Like many tolerant Cordovans, he saw no conflict between the two. An influential Talmudic scholar, astronomer, and medical doctor, Maimonides left his biggest mark as the author of The Guide for the Perplexed, in which he asserted that secular knowledge and religious faith could go hand-in-hand (thereby inspiring the philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas). In 1148, Córdoba was transformed when the fundamentalist Almohads assumed power, and young Maimonides and his family were driven out. Today tourists, Jewish scholars, and fans of Aquinas rub the statue’s foot in the hope that some of Maimonides’ genius and wisdom will rub off on them.
The story of Averroes (1126-1198) is a near match of Maimonides’, except that Averroes was a Muslim lawyer, not a Jewish physician. He became the medieval world’s number-one authority on Aristotle, also influencing Aquinas. Averroes’ biting tract The Incoherence of the Incoherence attacked narrow-mindedness, asserting that secular philosophy (for the elite) and religious faith (for the masses) both led to truth. The Almohads banished him from the city and burned his books, ending four centuries of Cordovan enlightenment.
Tourists line up to visit Córdoba’s overrated fortress, the “Castle of the Christian Monarchs,” which sits strategically next to the Guadalquivir River. (I think they confuse it with the much more worthy Alcázar in Sevilla.) Upon entering, look to the right to see a big, beautiful garden rich with flowers and fountains. To the left is a modern-feeling, unimpressive fort. While it was built along the Roman walls in Visigothic times, constant reuse and recycling has left it sparse and barren (with the exception of a few interesting Roman mosaics on the walls). Crowds squeeze up and down the congested spiral staircases of “Las Torres” for meager views. Ferdinand and Isabel donated the castle to the Inquisition in 1482, and it became central in the church’s effort to discover “false converts to Christianity”—mostly Jews who had decided not to flee Spain in 1492.
Cost and Hours: €4.50, free Tue-Fri 8:30-10:30; open mid-June-mid-Sept Tue-Sun 8:30-14:30; off-season Tue-Fri 8:30-19:30, Sat 9:30-16:30, Sun 9:30-14:30; closed Mon year-round. On Fridays and Saturdays, you’re likely to see people celebrating civil weddings here.
The scant but evocative remains of these 10th-century royal baths are all that’s left from the caliph’s palace complex. They date from a time when the city had hundreds of baths to serve a population of several hundred thousand. The exhibit teaches about Arabic baths in general and the caliph’s in particular. A 10-minute video (normally in Spanish, English on request) tells the story well.
Cost and Hours: €2.50, free Tue-Fri 8:30-10:30, open same hours as Alcázar, just outside the wall—near the Alcázar.
While most tourists leave Córdoba having seen only the Mezquita and the cute medieval quarter that surrounds it, the modern city offers a good peek at urban Andalucía. Perhaps the best way to sample this is to browse Plaza de las Tendillas and the surrounding streets. The square, with an Art Deco charm, acts like there is no tourism in Córdoba. On the hour, a clock here chimes the guitar chords of Juan Serrano—a Cordovan classic.
Characteristic cafés and shops abound. For example, Café La Gloria provides an earthy Art Nouveau experience. Located just down the street from Plaza de las Tendillas, it has an unassuming entrance, but a sumptuous interior. Carved floral designs wind around the bar, mixing with feria posters and bullfighting memories. Pop in for a quick beer or coffee (daily from 8:00 until late, quiet after the lunch crowd clears out, Calle Claudio Marcelo 15, tel. 957-477-780).
Decidedly off the beaten path, this former palatial estate is a 25-minute walk northeast from the cluster of sights near the Mezquita. A guided tour whisks you through each room of an exuberant 16th-century estate, while an English handout drudges through the dates and origin of each important piece. But the house is best enjoyed by ignoring the guide and gasping at the massive collection of—for lack of a better word—stuff. Decorative-art fans will have a field day. The sight is known as the “patio museum” for its 12 connecting patios, each with a different theme.
Cost and Hours: House-€8, patios only-€5, July-Aug Tue-Sun 9:00-15:00, Sept-June Tue-Sun 10:00-19:00 closed Mon year-round, last entry one hour before closing, no photos inside, Plaza Don Gome 2, tel. 957-496-741.
Five miles northwest of Córdoba, these ruins of a once-fabulous palace of the caliph were completely forgotten until excavations began in the early 20th century. Built in A.D. 929 as a power center to replace Córdoba, Madinat Al-Zahra was both a palace and an entirely new capital city—the “City of the Flower”—covering nearly half a square mile (only about 10 percent has been uncovered). Extensively planned with an orderly design, Madinat Al-Zahra was meant to symbolize and project a new discipline on an increasingly unstable Moorish empire in Spain. It failed. Only 75 years later, the city was looted and destroyed.
The site is underwhelming—a jigsaw puzzle waiting to be reassembled by patient archaeologists. Upper terrace excavations have uncovered stables and servants’ quarters. Farther downhill, the house of a high-ranking official has been partially reconstructed. At the lowest level, you’ll come to the remains of the mosque—placed at a diagonal, facing true east. The highlight of the visit is an elaborate reconstruction of the caliph’s throne room, capturing a moody world of horseshoe arches and delicate stucco. Legendary accounts say the palace featured waterfall walls, lions in cages, and—in the center of the throne room—a basin filled with mercury, reflecting the colorful walls. The effect likely humbled anyone fortunate enough to see the caliph.
Cost and Hours: €1.50, Tue-Sat 10:00-20:00, Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon, tel. 957-352-860.
Getting There: Madinat Al-Zahra is located on a back road five miles from Córdoba. By car, head to Avenida de Medina Azahara (one block south of the train station), following signs for A-431; the site is well-signposted from the highway. Though the ruins aren’t accessible by regular public transportation, the TI runs a shuttle bus that leaves twice a day and returns 2.5 hours later (€7, must buy ticket at any of the city TIs; runs year-round Tue-Sun at 9:30 and 10:15, no buses on Mon; informative English booklet provided). Catch the bus near the Cruz Roja Hospital at Paseo de la Victoria.
In Córdoba, patios are taken very seriously, as shown by the fiercely fought contest, the Concurso Popular de Patios Cordobeses, which takes place the first half of every May to pick the city’s most picturesque. Patios, a common feature of houses throughout Andalucía, have a long history here. The Romans used them to cool off, and the Moors added lush, decorative touches. The patio functioned as a quiet outdoor living room, an oasis from the heat. Inside elaborate ironwork gates, roses, geraniums, and jasmine spill down whitewashed walls, while fountains play and caged birds sing. Some patios are owned by individuals, some are communal courtyards for several homes, and some grace public buildings like museums or convents.
Today homeowners take pride in these mini-paradises, and have no problem sharing them with tourists. Keep an eye out for square metal signs that indicate historic homes. As you wander Córdoba’s back streets, pop your head into any wooden door that’s open. The proud owners (who keep inner gates locked) enjoy showing off their picture-perfect patios. A concentration of patio-contest award-winners runs along Calle de San Basilio and Calle Martín Roa, just across from the Alcázar gardens. Some of these winners have banded together to keep their patios open to the public on a daily basis (€5, daily Sept-May 11:00-14:00 & 17:00-20:00, June 11:00-14:00 & 19:00-22:00, closed July-Aug, get tickets at at their office on Calle de San Basilio, tel. 957-043-325, www.patiosdelalcazarviejo.com). Many other nearby patios, however, are open and free to visit.
This equestrian show at the royal stables (just beyond the Alcázar) combines an artful demonstration of different riding styles with flamenco dance (€15; 1-hour shows generally Wed, Fri, and Sat at 21:00; Sun at 12:00, no shows Mon-Tue, outside in summer, inside in winter, mobile 671-949-514, tel. 957-497-843, www.caballerizasreales.com). During the day, you can tour the stables for free (Tue-Sat 11:00-13:30 & 17:00-20:00, Sun 10:00-11:30, closed Mon).
While flamenco is better in nearby Sevilla, you can see it in Córdoba, too. Tablao Flamenco El Cardenal is the city’s most popular show, with 200 seats in a former archbishop’s palace, just across the street from the Mezquita (€23, includes one drink, 1.5-hour shows nightly at 22:30, Calle de Torrijos 10, tel. 957-483-320).
To experience “the soul of Córdoba”—or at least the Mezquita by night—you can take this pricey one-hour audiotour, joining about 80 people to be shepherded around the complex listening via headset to an obviously Christian-produced sound-and-light show (€18, at least four nights a week most of year, Fri-Sat in winter, 1-2 shows a night, book at TI or at Mezquita, www.elalmadecordoba.com).
I’ve listed prices for the high season; most of these are cheaper outside peak times. If it’s hot and you’ve got a lot of luggage, don’t bother with the inconvenient city buses; just hop in a taxi.
These are all within a five-minute stroll of the Mezquita.
$$$ La Hospedería de El Churrasco is a nine-room jewel box of an inn, featuring plush furniture, tasteful traditional decor, and hardwood floors. Quiet and romantic, it’s tucked in the old quarter just far enough away from the tourist storm, yet still handy for sightseeing (Sb-€135, Db-€155, superior Db-€199, €20 more per room in April-May and Oct, website shows each distinct room, no twin rooms, includes breakfast, air-con, guest computer, free Wi-Fi, parking-€21/day, midway between Puerta de Almodóvar and the Mezquita at Calle Romero 38, tel. 957-294-808, www.elchurrasco.com, hospederia@elchurrasco.com).
$$$ Balcón de Córdoba is an elegant little boutique hotel buried in the old town, just steps away from the Mezquita. With 10 stylish rooms, generous public spaces, plenty of thoughtful touches, and a magnificent rooftop terrace, it’s a lot of luxury for the price. It feels both new and steeped in tradition (Db-€140—though prices fluctuate depending on room and season, includes breakfast, check website for special promotions, Calle Encarnación 8, tel. 957-498-478, www.balcondecordoba.com, reservas@balcondecordoba.com).
$$ Hotel Albucasis, at the edge of the tourist zone, features 15 basic, clean rooms, all of which face quiet interior patios. The friendly, accommodating staff and cozy setting make you feel right at home (Sb-€55, Db-€85, breakfast-€7, air-con, elevator, free Wi-Fi in lobby, parking-€14/day but free in off-season, Buen Pastor 11, tel. 957-478-625, www.hotelalbucasis.com, hotelalbucasis@hotmail.com).
$$ Hotel González, with many of its 29 basic rooms facing its cool and peaceful patio, is sparse but sleepable. It’s clean and well-run, with a good location and price (Sb-€42, Db-€75, Tb-€110, higher prices for busy times—especially weekends, breakfast-€5, air-con, elevator, free Wi-Fi in lobby, Calle de los Manríquez 3, tel. 957-479-819, www.hotelgonzalez.com, recepcion@hotelgonzalez.com).
$$ Hotel Mezquita, just across from the main entrance of the Mezquita, rents 31 modern and comfortable rooms. The grand entrance lobby elegantly recycles an upper-class mansion (Sb-€45, Db-€89, Tb-€135, breakfast-€6, air-con, elevator, free Wi-Fi in lobby, Plaza Santa Catalina 1, tel. 957-475-585, www.hotelmezquita.com, recepcion@hotelmezquita.com).
$ Hostal Alcázar is your best cheapie option. Run-down and budget-priced, without a real reception desk, this friendly place is just outside the old city wall on a quiet, cobbled, traffic-free street known for its prizewinning patios. Its 16 rooms are split between 2 homes on opposite sides of the lane, conveniently located 50 yards from a taxi and bus stop (Sb-€20, D-€30, small Db-€36, bigger Db-€50, Tb-€60, 2-room apartment-€60 for 3 or €80 for 4, rooms with air-con cost more, breakfast-€4, free Wi-Fi on patio, parking-€6/day, near Alcázar at Calle de San Basilio 2, tel. 957-202-561, www.hostalalcazar.com, hostalalcazar@hotmail.com, ladies’ man Fernando and family, son Demitrio speaks English).
$ Al-Katre Backpacker is a fun new hostel run in a homey way by three energetic girlfriends. Its 13 rooms, with 32 beds total, gather around a cool courtyard (about €20 per person in 2-, 4-, and 6-bed rooms, D-€45-50, includes breakfast, lockers, free Wi-Fi, guest kitchen, Calle Martinez Rucker 14, tel. 957-487-539, www.alkatre.com, alkatre@alkatre.com).
While still within easy walking distance of the Mezquita, these places are outside of the main tourist zone—not buried in all that tangled medieval cuteness.
$$ Hotel Califa, a modern 65-room business-class hotel belonging to the NH chain, sits on a quiet street a block off busy Paseo Victoria, on the edge of the jumbled old quarter. Still close enough to the sights, its slick modern rooms can be a great value if you get a deal (vast price range depending on demand but Db generally €80-90 during the week, €120 weekends, around €70 in heat of summer, Tb generally €20-25 more, air-con, elevator, guest computer, pay Wi-Fi in rooms, free Wi-Fi in lobby, parking-€15/day, Lope de Hoces 14, tel. 957-299-400, www.nh-hotels.com, nhcalifa@nh-hotels.com).
$$ Hotel Boston, with 39 rooms, is a decent budget bet if you want a reliable, basic hotel away from the touristy Mezquita zone. It’s a taste of workaday Córdoba (Sb-€45-55, Db-€60-85, Tb-€75-110, check website for best price, breakfast-€5, air-con, elevator, pay guest computer, free Wi-Fi, parking-€12/day, Calle Málaga 2, just off Plaza de las Tendillas, tel. 957-474-176, www.hotel-boston.com, info@hotel-boston.com).
$ Funky Córdoba Hostel rents dorm beds and simple doubles in a great neighborhood (dorm beds-€13-22, Sb-€22, Db-€40-56, air-con, free Wi-Fi, terrace, kitchen, self-service laundry, lots of hostel-type info and help, right by Potro bus stop—take #3 from station—at Calle Lucano 12, tel. 957-492-966, www.funkycordoba.com, funkycordoba@funkyhostels.es).
Córdoba is a great dining town, with options ranging from obvious touristy bars in the old center to enticing, locals-only hangouts a few blocks away. Specialties include salmorejo, Córdoba’s version of gazpacho. It’s creamier, with more bread and olive oil and generally served with pieces of ham and hard-boiled egg. Most places serve white wines from the nearby Montilla-Moriles region; these finos are slightly less dry but more aromatic than the sherry produced in Jerez de la Frontera.
(See “Central Córdoba Restaurants” map, here.)
Touristy options abound near the Mezquita. By walking a couple of blocks north or east of the Mezquita, you’ll find plenty of cheap, accessible little places offering a better value.
Bodegas Mezquita is one of the touristy places, but it’s easy and handy—a good bet for a bright, air-conditioned place a block from the mosque. They have a good menú del día, or you can order from their menu of €3-4 tapas, €4-10 half-raciones, and €8-16 raciones (long hours daily, one block above the Mezquita garden at Céspedes 12, tel. 957-490-004).
La Abacería is another good option on a touristy street in the old center. They have a fun and accessible menu with good €3 tapas and €8 raciones (open daily, Calle de los Deanes 1, tel. 957-487-050, Blanca).
Bar Santos, facing the Mezquita, supplies the tortillas de patatas (potato omelettes) that you see locals happily munching on the steps of the mosque. All of their food is served “to go” in disposable containers. A hearty €2 tortilla and a €2 beer makes for a very cheap meal; add a €3 salmorejo and it feels complete (daily 10:00-24:00, Calle Magistral González Francés 3, tel. 957-484-975).
(See “Central Córdoba Restaurants” map, here.)
This delightful little quarter outside the town wall, just a couple of minutes’ walk west of the Mezquita and behind the royal stables, is famous for its patios. It’s traffic-free, quaint as can be, and feels perfectly Cordovan without the crush of tourists around the Mezquita.
La Posada del Caballo Andaluz is a fresh, modern place with tables delightfully scattered around a courtyard. Enjoy tasty traditional Cordovan cuisine at great prices (all half-raciones are €5, all raciones €8) while sitting amid flowers and under the stars (closed Sun, Calle de San Basilio 16, tel. 957-290-374).
Mesón San Basilio, just across the street, is the longtime neighborhood favorite, with no tourists and no pretense. Although there’s no outside seating, it still offers a certain patio ambience, with a view of the kitchen action (classic €16 fixed-priced meal, €9 lunch special weekdays, lots of €9-15 fish and meat dishes, Mon-Sat 13:00-16:00 & 20:00-24:00, closed Sun, Calle de San Basilio 19, tel. 957-297-007).
Bodega San Basilio, around the corner, is rougher, serving rustic tapas and good meals to workaday crowds. The bullfight decor gives the place a crusty character—and you won’t find a word of English here (€5 half-raciones, €8 raciones, €9 fixed-price meal, closed Tue, on the corner of Calle de Enmedio and small street leading to Calle de San Basilio at #29, tel. 957-297-832).
(See “Central Córdoba Restaurants” map, here.)
The evocative Puerta de Almodóvar gate connects a park-like scene outside the wall with a delightfully jumbled Jewish quarter just inside it, where cafés and restaurants take advantage of the neighborhood’s pools, shady trees, and dramatic face of the wall. The first two recommendations are immediately inside the gate; the others are on or near Calle de los Judíos, which runs south from there.
Taberna Restaurante Casa Rubio serves reliably good traditional dishes with smart service and several zones to chose from: on the sidewalk, with classic people-watching; inside, with a timeless interior; or on the rooftop, with dressy white tablecloths and a view of the old wall (€2 tapas, €4 half-raciones, €6 raciones, open daily, easy English menu, Calle Puerta de Almodóvar 5, tel. 957-420-853).
Taberna Casa Salinas is a more basic place with a fine reputation for quality food at a good price (run by the same people who run the highly recommended Taberna Salinas in the modern town, at Puerta de Almodóvar gate at Calle Puerta de Almodóvar 2, tel. 957-290-846).
Restaurante El Choto is bright, formal, and dressy steak house buried deep in the Jewish Quarter. With a small leafy patio, it’s touristy yet intimate, serving well-presented international dishes with an emphasis on grilled meat. The favorite is kid goat with garlic—choto al ajillo (€22 fixed-price meal, €15-28 main dishes, closed Sun evening year-round and all day Mon in summer, Calle de Almanzor 10, tel. 957-760-115).
Casa Mazal, run by the nearby Casa de Sefarad Jewish cultural center, serves updated, modern Jewish cuisine. Small dining rooms sprawl around the charming medieval courtyard of a former house. With a seasonal menu that includes several vegetarian options, it offers a welcome dose of variety from the typical Spanish standards (€6-12 starters, €10-18 main dishes, daily 12:30-17:00 & 20:00-24:00, Calle de Tomás Conde 3, tel. 957-941-888).
Bodega Guzmán could hardly care less about attracting tourists. This rough, dark holdover from a long-gone age proudly displays the heads of brave-but-unlucky bulls, while serving cold, very basic tapas to locals who burst into song when they feel the flamenco groove. Notice how everyone seems to be on a first-name basis with the waiters. It may feel like a drinks-only place, but they do serve rustic €2-3 tapas and €6 raciones (ask for the list in English). Choose a table or belly up to the bar and try a €1 glass of local white wine, either dry (blanco seco) or sweet (blanco dulce). If it’s grape juice you want, ask for mosto (closed Thu; if entering the old town through Puerta de Almodóvar take the first right—it’s 100 yards from the gate at Calle de los Judíos 7, tel. 957-290-960).
(See “Córdoba” map, here.)
Bodegas Campos, my favorite place in town, is a historic and venerable house of eating, attracting so many locals it comes with its own garage. It’s worth the 10-minute walk from the tourist zone. They have a stuffy and expensive formal restaurant upstairs (€12-20 starters, €17-27 main dishes), but I’d eat in the more relaxed and affordable tavern on the ground floor (€6-11 half-raciones). The service is great and the menu is inviting. In two visits I nearly ate my way through the offerings, a half-ración at a time, and enjoyed each dish. Experiment—you can’t go wrong. House specialties are bull-tail stew (rabo de toro—rich, tasty, and a good splurge) and anything with pisto, the local ratatouille-like vegetable stew. Don’t leave without exploring the sprawling complex, which fills 14 old houses that have been connected to create a network of dining rooms and patios, small and large. The place is a virtual town history museum: Look for the wine barrels signed by celebrities and VIPs, the old refectory from a convent, and a huge collection of classic, original feria posters and great photos (Mon-Sat 12:00-17:00 & 20:00-24:00, Sun 12:00-17:00 only; from river end of Mezquita walk east along Calle Cardenal González, then continue 10 minutes straight to Calle de Lineros 32; tel. 957-497-500). Its trendy annex, called Pick and Go, serves dishes from the same fine kitchen, but with livelier music and a hipper crowd.
(See “Córdoba” map, here.)
These are worth the 10-to-15-minute walk from the main tourist zone—walking here, you feel a world apart from the touristy scene. Combine a meal here with a paseo through the Plaza de las Tendillas area to get a good look at modern Córdoba. If Taberna Salinas is full, as is likely, there are plenty of characteristic bars nearby in the lanes around Plaza de la Corredera.
Taberna Salinas seems like a movie set designed to give you the classic Córdoba scene. Though all the seating is indoors, it’s still pleasantly patio-esque, and popular with locals for its traditional cuisine and exuberant bustle. The seating fills a big courtyard and sprawls through several smaller, semi-private rooms. The fun menu features a slew of enticing €6-7 plates (spinach with chickpeas is a house specialty). Study what locals are eating before ordering. There’s no drinks menu—just basic beer or inexpensive wine. If there’s a line (as there often is later in the evening), leave your name and throw yourself into the adjacent tapas-bar mosh pit for a drink (Mon-Sat 12:30-16:00 & 20:00-23:30, closed Sun and Aug; from Plaza de las Tendillas walk 3 blocks to the Roman temple, then go 1 more block and turn right to Tundidores 3; tel. 957-480-135).
Taberna San Miguel is nicknamed “Casa el Pisto” for its famous vegetable stew (pisto). Well-respected, it’s packed with locals who appreciate regional cuisine, a good value, and a place with a long Cordovan history. There’s great seating in its charming interior or on the lively square (€2-3 tapas at bar only, €6-10 half-raciones, €7-14 raciones, closed Sun and Aug, 2 blocks north of Plaza de las Tendillas at Plaza San Miguel 1, tel. 957-478-328).
From Córdoba by Train: Córdoba is on the slick AVE train line (reservations required), making it an easy stopover between Madrid (2-3/hour, 1.75 hours) and Sevilla (2-3/hour, 45 minutes). The Avant train connects Córdoba to Sevilla just as fast for nearly half the price (9/day, 45 minutes; railpass reservations also about half-price). The slow regional train to Sevilla takes about twice as long, but doesn’t require a reservation and is even cheaper (7/day, 80 minutes).
Other trains go to Granada (2/day on Altaria, 2.5 hours—bus is more frequent, cheaper, and nearly as fast), Ronda (2/day direct on Altaria, 1.75 hours, 1/day cheaper but much longer with transfer in Bobadilla, 3.75 hours), Jerez (to transfer to Arcos; 8/day, 2-2.5 hours), Málaga (fast and cheap Avant train, 6/day, 1 hour; fast and expensive AVE train, 10/day, 1 hour), and Algeciras (2/day direct, 3.25 hours, more with transfer, 5-5.5 hours). Train info: Toll tel. 902-320-320.
By Bus to: Granada (7/day directo, 2.75 hours; 2/day ruta, 4 hours, Sevilla (7/day, 1-2 hours), Madrid (6/day, 4.75 hours), Málaga (4/day, 2.5-3.5 hours directo), Barcelona (2/day, 10 hours). The efficient staff at the information desk prints bus schedules for you—or you can check all schedules at www.estacionautobusescordoba.es. Bus info: Tel. 957-404-040.