Cordoba in 1 Day: all you need to know

Situated on the banks of the Guadalquivir, Cordoba is one of the most important cities in Andalusia. One day is certainly not enough to see all the attractions of the city, but at least it is possible to get a glimpse of its endless cultural legacy and rich history.

With an intense tour, from morning until sunset, it may be possible to visit most of the activities that Cordoba has to see and do. Here I suggest a tour of the main points of the city so that you can make the most of your whirlwind visit.

The only way to start a tour of Cordoba, especially if it's your first time in the city, is at the famous Mosque, declared a World Heritage Site in 1984 by Unesco and considered the greatest monument in the Islamic West.

But the Mezquita is also one of the most fascinating monuments in Andalusia, since it was converted into a cathedral by the Catholic Church during the Reconquest, so its eclectic style cannot go unnoticed.

The greatest treasures of the Mosque-Cathedral are to be found in its interior, where centuries of Islamic art are combined with baroque, gothic and renaissance details, which simply reflect the cultural legacy of Andalusia as an Arab territory reconquered by the Spaniards.

Every day it is visited by thousands of people, so I recommend that you secure your tickets to the Mosque in advance.

The most recommendable option to not miss any detail of the Mosque-Cathedral is to opt for a guided tour of those offered in Cordoba, so you can discover much more than the Belfry and the Patio de los Naranjos.

Interesting details

• Price... Entrance to the Mosque-Cathedral starts at eleven euros. If you want a guided tour, the price is around 26 €.
• Location... Cardenal Herrero 1, Cordoba.
• Opening hours... Monday to Saturday from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm. Sundays from 8.30 am to 11.30 am and from 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm.

A few streets away from the Mosque-Cathedral you will find the Alcazar of the Christian Kings of Cordoba, one of the most beautiful buildings in the city.

The Alcazar is nothing more than a medieval fortress built inside the historic centre by King Alfonso XI on the ruins of the Muslim Caliphate palace during the Reconquest. Cordoba is full of symbols and myths!

The Alcazar, second only to the Mosque, is the most visited monument in Cordoba by tourists and not only because of the architectural richness of its military structure or the Tower of the Lions that offers an open panoramic view of the city, but because within its walls took place some of the most important historical milestones in the world such as the visit of Christopher Columbus to present his plan to visit Asia that ended with the discovery of America in 1492 or the battle planning for the capture of Granada by the Spanish monarchy.

With your tickets to visit the Alcázar you can also visit the Museum of Roman Mosaics and the lush gardens with trees, seasonal flowers and endless fountains inside, and even some of the royal stables.

Details of interest

• Price... Entrance to the Alcázar costs approximately five euros, while those who want to go with a guide will have to pay around €15.
• Location... Plaza Campo de los Mártires.
• Opening hours... Tuesday to Friday from 8.30am to 8.30pm. Saturdays from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm. Sundays from 8.30 am to 2.30 pm.

This square is another proof that Cordoba's inexhaustible cultural legacy is bathed in different styles.

A few streets away from the Mosque and the Alcázar is the only quadrangular square in Andalusia in the historic district of Axerquía.

The name of the Corredera derives from the bullfights that took place there, but it was also the scene of the autos de fe and public executions of the Spanish Inquisition. Since 1981 La Corredera has been considered a Historic-Artistic Monument.

The Plaza de la Corredera is notable for the Sánchez Peña Market, which is now a food market, and the Casas de Doña Ana Jacinto, which are the only buildings in the area that predate even the construction of the square.

Nowadays it is very easy to get to the square because it is one of the usual fixed points of the hop on-hop off buses that travel around the city.

The area around the Plaza de la Corredera is known for its tapas bars and restaurants. Since it's an excellent intermediate stop, one option I recommend is to have lunch there before continuing your hectic tour of Cordoba.

You'll find delicious food for all tastes, but I recommend you try the seafood at Tu Pescaito or the tapas at La Taberna de la Corredera.

Incredible as it may seem, the structure of the Roman Temple dating back to the 1st century was discovered in 1951 while excavations were being carried out to enlarge the Town Hall facilities.

Since then, the six columns of the reconstructed entrance leading to the altar have become one of the main attractions of the city.

The Roman Temple of Cordoba also shows the vital importance of the city during Roman times, and for this it is enough to understand that to find structures of a similar size you have to go to the Forum and the Palatine Hill in Rome, the capital of the Empire.

These columns can be visited at any time and can be seen from various points in the city, but the best time to see them on a clear day is during the morning and afternoon.

Interesting details

• Price... Admission is free.
• Location... Capitulares 1, Córdoba.
• Opening hours... Available to visitors 24 hours a day.

A typical concept of the city is that of the Cordoban patios, which consist of large balconies filled with pots of colourful plants and flowers.

These patios can be found on any street in Cordoba, even outside the dates of the Festival de los Patios Cordobeses in May, but the Palacio de Viana is home to many of them, and some of the most beautiful.

The Palacio de Viana has twelve Cordoban patios that concentrate the essence of the city, with the colours of Andalusia and its influences of Roman and Islamic architecture.

The palace also has fountains, flowering trees and a wide range of outdoor furniture that make the experience of walking through its corners magical.

The Viana Palace also has a very complete museum with Flemish tapestries, firearms, period porcelain and several originals by Francisco de Goya, one of the great artists of Romanticism.

Details of interest

• Price... Entrance to the palace costs approximately ten euros.
• Location... Plaza de Don Gome 2, Cordoba.
• Opening hours... Tuesday to Sunday from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm.

Cordoba has one of the best preserved medieval Jewish quarters in the world. In the Jewish Quarter it is possible to discover narrow cobbled streets and one of the few historic synagogues that remain in Spain, as most of them were destroyed.

This neighbourhood was occupied by members of the Jewish community from the 10th century until they were expelled in 1492 by the Catholic Monarchs.

Among the places to visit in the Jewish Quarter are the Casa Andalusí, the Calleja de las Flores, the Plaza de Maimónides and the Casa de Sefarad. You can also visit the Calleja del Pañuelo, one of the narrowest in Europe, which, as its name suggests, is as wide as a handkerchief along its entire length.

The Jewish Quarter stretches from the Puerta de Almodóvar to the Mosque-Cathedral and is one of the main sights in the eclectic historic centre of Cordoba.

Its route is essential to understand the cultural richness of the city that was known as the City of the Three Cultures due to its Catholic, Jewish and Islamic influence.

I recommend that you take a tour of the Jewish Quarter with an expert local guide so that you don't miss any detail and get the most out of your visit to one of the most emblematic places in Cordoba and Andalusia.

Details of interest

• Location... From the Almodovar Gate to the Mosque-Cathedral in the historic centre of Cordoba.

After a full day's sightseeing in Cordoba, it's normal to feel exhausted, so a visit to the city's Arab baths to relax your body and mind is the ideal option.

Very close to the Jewish Quarter you will find several traditional Arab bath complexes where you can enjoy a hammam experience.

The hammam is a type of steam bath taken by the Arabs in ancient times to purge the soul, body and mind. These baths combine hot steam with the cold temperature of the water to reduce stress and loosen muscles, achieving a state of total relaxation.

The Arab baths can be accompanied by massages and aromatic herbal teas for a complete experience before embarking on Cordoba' s evening activities or the city's flamenco shows.

Details of interest

• Price... Entrance tickets start at 34 euros.
• Location... C. Corregidor Luis de la Cerda 51, Cordoba.
• Opening hours... Every day from 10am to midnight.

A few metres from the Mosque-Cathedral, the Roman Bridge, crowned by the Calahorra Tower, awaits you to watch the sunset reflected in the waters of the Guadalquivir River.

I recommend you to take a comfortable place and wait for the sunset to see one of the most beautiful sunsets in one of the monumental cities of Spain.

If you feel like it, you can also go to the top of the Calahorra tower and see the immensity of Cordoba from there. In any case, watching the sunset from the banks of the Guadalquivir from the bridge or from the tower is a very interesting plan.

Once it gets dark you will be ready to close your day tour of Cordoba with some tapas and wine or your favourite drink in some of the delicious restaurants and bars of the city.

Interesting details

• Price... Entrance tickets to the top of the tower start at five euros.
• Location... Puente Romano, Cordoba.
• Opening hours... Every day from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm and from 4.30 pm to 8.30 pm.

Mission accomplished, you have managed to see the main sights of Cordoba in a frenetic full-day tour and you deserve to end the day with an excellent meal and a good drink, because if Andalusia amazed you with its landscapes , then you will fall in love with its extremely varied gastronomy.

Aubergines, oxtail, marinated japuta, salmorejo, snails and Iberian ham are some of the typical dishes of Cordoba's cuisine. Is your mouth watering? You can accompany any of these alternatives with a wine or a local preparation such as the typical rebujito.

You can find places to eat in the Jewish Quarter, in the Plaza de La Corredera or in the taverns of the Plaza de las Tendillas. You can also opt for the Mercadillo Victoria or the Mercadillo de los Patios de la Marquesa. But don't worry, you won't go hungry.

Touring a city in a day can be tiring but it can also be a satisfying experience at the end of the day. The success of the tour will depend on the organisation of the itinerary and also on the optimisation of time, especially during the intermediate stops.

If you have hired the Cordoba tourist bus service you can use it for the longer distances, but don't be delayed waiting for it if your next activity is a few streets away.

As the tour of Cordoba starts at the Mosque-Cathedral, which opens its doors only at 10.00 a.m., you should ideally take the time to have breakfast beforehand and start your walk without rushing or interruptions. You should also always have a bottle of water and a snack in your backpack in case you get hungry in the middle of the walk.

I also recommend that you wear comfortable shoes for the long walk and that you stop for lunch in places suitable for this purpose, such as the Plaza de la Corredera, which has many tapas bars and restaurants.

Finally, always remember to stick to the itinerary, especially in places where you might take too long, such as the guided tours of the Mezquita or the Alcázar or the Arab baths.