Cross a busy four-lane street in Córdoba, Spain and step into history. The paved walkway narrows to cobblestones to pass beneath the rough stones of the 700-year-old Puerta de Almodovar de Córdoba battlement. The gate is a portal into another time, the entry to an ancient town’s heart where twisting streets can dead end or open into pretty squares. Rows of small, white homes, shops and restaurants, some dotted with ceramic pots of colourful flowers, line the passages.
In the rush to see Seville and Barcelona, visitors to Spain may overlook this small city, home to one of the largest ancient quarters of this type in Europe. What they miss are the layers of thousands of years in Córdoba’s old quarter.
It’s a place that saw Roman settlements and conquering armies. And it is home to one of the world’s great architectural treasures, built when Córdoba was the capital of the Muslim Caliphate of the southern half of Spain.
It’s all packed into 1.5 square kilometres of the historic centre, one of four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Córdoba.
My hotel, Eurostars Palace, was located across the street from the Puerta de Almodovar de Córdoba, so it was easy to make repeated trips to the historic quarter, from quiet mornings to pleasant evening walks when the buildings are illuminated.
Be sure to stop in one small courtyard at the bronze statue of the 12th-century, Córdoba-born Jewish physician, philosopher and scholar Moses Maimonides. Touch the book in his hands for wisdom and be sure to rub both feet, which ensures you’ll return to this remarkable city.
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Best things to do in Cordoba Andalusia Spain
Here are a few suggestions for what to see, do and eat in the historic heart of extraordinary Córdoba.
The Great Mosque-Cathedral
All streets of the old quarter lead to the La Mezquita, the Great Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, where as many as 40,000 worshipers prayed in the cavernous space.
Built in 787 on the ruins of a Visigoth Basilica, the grand structure is a wonder of Muslim architecture, known for the more than 800 red-and-white-striped double arches inside. With the Christian conquest of the city in 1236, the building became a cathedral. It was expanded in the 16th century to include a magnificent Renaissance chapel in the center.
Long before Córdoba became the capital of southern Spain’s Andalusia region, the Romans established a provincial capital there. Next came the Visigoths. Then the Muslims with the 711 conquest. It was a city that understood coexistence. Muslims, Christians and Jews lived and did business there together.
The incredible architecture of the Great Mosque-Cathedral in Cordoba at night. Photo Tourism Spain©
One of the best things to do in Cordoba Andalusia Spain is visit the Great Mosque-Cathedral. Photo Linda Barnard©
The Jewish Quarter
Just inside the Puerta de Almodovar de Córdoba, a sign points to the entry to the Judería, the old Jewish Quarter. A plaque on the wall shows the area is part of the network of Jewish Quarters in Spain called the Caminos de Sefarad. There are shops and cafés along the narrow, busy streets. Drop in for a tour at the House of Sepharad – House of Memories cultural centre, a good place to learn more about the Hispano-Jewish history and tradition.
Cafe in the old Jewish Quarter of Cordoba. Photo: Córdoba Tourism Spain©
The Roman Bridge
Located behind the massive Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, the Roman Bridge has been rebuilt several times since the foundations were laid in the first century across the Guadalquivir River. It has striking views of the historic city and the Mosque-Cathedral. Be sure to come back for the sunset. It’s also lovely here after the sun goes down.
Built in the 1st century the Roman Bridge in Cordoba Andalucia Spain played an important role in the city’s battles. Photo: Canva
Orange blossoms
From winter to spring, the Seville orange trees that line Córdoba streets and fill parks are heavy with the vivid-coloured, bitter fruit that’s the key ingredient in the marmalade enjoyed all over the world, especially in Great Britain. The trees make up for bearing fruit too sour to eat by having intensely fragrant blossoms that make the air smell like a garden in paradise.
Pick a patio
It may sound confusing at first to hear people talking about the charming patios of Córdoba. We’d call them courtyards. Either way, these communal spaces are an important part of the old city’s culture and sense of community, especially during the two-week patio festival each May, where the patios are open to the public as owners compete for prizes.
You can get inside a few year-round. There are lush gardens, fountains and rows of clay pots stuffed with foliage affixed to whitewashed walls.
Al-Andalus Hammam Andalusian Arab bath experience
Wellness and water have been linked for millennia. Located in the Jewish Quarter, the Al-Andalus Hammam recreates the traditional and ancient Andalusian Arab bath experience. The serene space is just the ticket for road-weary travellers to rest and be restored in a place where silence is encouraged. Soak in one of three pools ringed with lanterns, columns, and arches trailing diaphanous curtains, then enter the steam room.
Sip tea as you cool off in a lounge area and enjoy the peaceful vibes. A scrub on a hot marble stone ends with a shower of soft bubbles, then choose a scent for the aromatic oil massage.
Inside Al-Andalus Hammam, the Andalusian Arab baths provide a serene atmosphere for total wellness and relaxation. Photo: Linda Barnard©
One of the three baths at the Al-Andalus Hammam in Cordoba. Photo: Linda Barnard©
Flamenco
Seeing an authentic flamenco performance is a must-do. You don’t need to understand Spanish to know exactly what the singer, musicians and female and male dancers are telling you with tales of heartbreak, loss, defeat and joy. The physicality and passion of the players is astonishing.
Try restaurant Tablao El Jaleo in the old quarter for a dinner and flamenco performance package. The food was good and flamenco top notch.
Horse show
Located within the 17th-century Caballerizas Reales (royal stables) of Córdoba, the equestrian performance in an outdoor ring showcases the powerful beauty of Andalusian horses. Riders take the stallions through a series of exercises set to traditional music with the addition of flamenco dancers. It won’t be for everybody, but the audience was enthusiastic. The stables can be toured free of charge during the day.
Caballerizas Reales horse and flamenco show. Photo Patronato Provincial de Turismo de Córdoba©
What to eat
Spain is the largest producer of olive oil in the world. No wonder it’s a foundation of the cuisine in Córdoba, along with the rest of Spain. It’s worth making the hour-long trip to the lovely hilltop town of Priego de Córdoba to sample the superb oil and admire the seemingly endless olive groves.
A pretty courtyard in Priego de Córdoba. Photo: Tourism Spain©
My two favourite Córdoba dishes highlight olive oil in creamy, dairy-free cold soups.
Salmorejo is made with pureed tomatoes, garlic, bread, salt and olive oil while ajoblanco uses almonds, bread, water, garlic, olive oil and a splash of sherry vinegar. Perfect on warm days, I loved them equally. A good place to try them is Taberna La Montillana in the Plaza de San Miguel or El Taberna No. 10 in the Jewish Quarter.
The runner-up is lightly fried artichokes baked with local Montilla-Moriles sherry and topped with crumbled Iberian ham. Ham fans in Córdoba also order flamenquín, which is slices of cured ham wrapped in thin slices of pork loin rolled in breadcrumbs and deep fried.
Los cordobeses, as they call Córdoba residents, are huge fans of oxtail, (although I’m not). But it was on just about every menu.
You can taste all these Córdoba dishes and more at the lively Mercado Victoria, just outside the old quarter. Located in a circa-1877 Victorian glass and steel building, it’s now Andalusia’s first culinary market. The stalls sell food from fire-grilled steaks to oysters, local favourites and Arabic and Japanese cuisine. Drink stands sell cocktails, locally made vermouth, beer on tap and more. Try excellent wines from nearby regions at the large wine bar. There’s seating all around the market, plus a stylish cocktail bar.
Cordoba drinks stands sell cocktails locally made vermouth. Photo Linda Barnard©
Where to stay
Eurostars Palace hotel is a modern, centrally located, 162-room hotel with a spacious restaurant, lobby bar-restaurant and pool. It’s across the street from the Puerta de Almodovar de Córdoba entrance to the old quarter and a short walk to Mercado Victoria, Roman Temple of Córdoba and the historic Plaza de la Corredera square.
Getting there
Located in the southern region of Andalusia Spain, Córdoba is accessible by high-speed train from Madrid (just over 90 minutes) and Seville (about 45 minutes).
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Linda Barnard was a guest of Tourism Spain and Andalucia Tourism which did not preview this story.
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