Best Jewish Quarter Tours in Cordoba

On your visit to the city of Cordoba you will have many activities and things to see and do and I recommend that you include a visit to the Jewish Quarter in your itinerary. This Jewish quarter is located in the historic centre of the city and forms part of the area designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994.

The Jewish quarter was formerly separated from the rest of the city by a walled enclosure that isolated the Jews who lived there and protected them from the Christians. Today, it is a tourist area and very popular with visitors who are interested in learning about its history and enjoy strolling through its streets and appreciating its architecture. You'll see Maimonides Square and key points in the neighbourhood such as the synagogue, the municipal souk and the market. I'll tell you about the best tours to visit the Jewish Quarter.

Enjoying these three classic attractions of Cordoba in a single tour is a great plan. In four hours you will visit the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, discovering all the secrets of one of the most visited monuments in Spain, the picturesque streets and corners of the Jewish Quarter, such as the Souk or the Synagogue, and the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, the former residence of the Castilian kings.

In addition, the tour will be accompanied by the experience of an expert guide who will be in charge of the tour telling you secrets and unique facts, making this tour more interesting and entertaining.

Interesting details

• Price: you can enjoy this experience for a price starting from 38 € per person.
• Duration: 4 hours.
• Advantages of this type of tour: in addition to the walk through the Jewish Quarter, you will have included: entrance to the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, entrance to the Synagogue and entrance to the Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs.
• Disadvantages of this type of tour: it may not be enough time if you want to visit all three sites at your own pace and in depth.

On this exclusive tour you will learn every detail of the history of this iconic quarter of Cordoba, from the time of the Romans, when the walled perimeter surrounding the Jewish Quarter was built, through the time of the Islamic and Christian invasions.

Accompanied by an expert guide, you can walk around the Plaza de Maimonides and learn about the origin of the successive names it has had throughout history, and just a few metres from there, the Municipal Bullfighting Museum of Cordoba, where you can learn more about the city's tradition and other emblematic sites such as the Synagogue, the municipal souk or the market, where you will find local crafts, and enjoy its narrow, colourful and picturesque streets, nourishing yourself with the architecture of the medieval period and the history that every corner of this mythical neighbourhood conveys.

Interesting details

• Price: you can enjoy this experience from €8 per person.
• Duration: 1 hour.
• Maximum number of travellers: up to 19 people can participate in this tour.
• Advantages of this type of tour: in addition to the walk through the Jewish Quarter, the tour includes admission to the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, the Synagogue and the Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs.
• Disadvantages of this type of tour: meals are not included.

This is a different way of getting to know 2 of the main quarters of Cordoba, the San Basilico quarter and the Jewish quarter. In this case, your guide will be a courtyard keeper and you will be able to enter the amazing courtyards of the city and discover their origin, curiosities and secrets and even talk to the families who live in them.

The renowned Patios of Cordoba were open spaces that during the Muslim period defined the architecture of the houses, provided them with light and contained a well that supplied water to the house. Today, these patios have been awarded prizes in the Festival de los Patios and stand out for their shapes, colours, varieties and the aspect of the Muslim past that still persists in them.

In addition, you can visit the small ethnographic museum which is located in one of the courtyards and is an icon in terms of the history of cooking. And to get even closer to the essence and tradition of the Cordoban patios, this experience includes an exquisite tasting of local wines.

Details of interest

• Price: you can enjoy this experience from €13 per person.
• Duration: between 2 and 2 and a half hours.
• Advantages of this type of tour: it's a tour that covers not only the Jewish Quarter but also other neighbourhoods and the Cordoban Patios, so you'll get the most out of it. It includes entrance to the courtyards and wine tasting.
• Disadvantages of this type of tour: it does not include meals.

I can assure you that there is no better option for touring the city in a short time and without missing anything than the tourist bus of Cordoba. But in addition, this bus has the particularity that it offers 2 free walking tours and one of them is through the Jewish Quarter. This little tour departs from stop 16 at 5 pm and lasts about an hour and a half.

In addition, you can tour the entire city in this comfortable double-decker bus, with a professional guide, stopping at the main attractions and the best neighbourhoods. You will have 17 stops throughout the city and among them you can visit the Jewish Quarter, the Mezquita (the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba), the Roman temple of Cordoba, the Calahorra Tower and much more.

Another plus point of this option is that you can use the bus freely, avoiding the traditional means of transport to move from one side of the city to the other and get off at any place you want to explore at your own pace.

Interesting details

• Price: you can enjoy this experience for €19 per person.
• Duration: there are two routes, one panoramic and one intimate, each lasting 1 hour and buses leave between 9.30am and 8pm.
• Advantages of this type of tour: it includes a walking tour of the Jewish Quarter which departs at 5pm from bus stop 16 of the panoramic route and lasts 90 minutes. It also allows you to see the main attractions of the city.
• Disadvantages of this type of tour: if your idea is to tour only the Jewish Quarter, you may want to consider another option.

You can book any of these tours to the Jewish Quarter online, quickly and easily, always indicating the exact date you are going to do it. As soon as you complete your purchase, you will receive confirmation of your booking and that's it!

As your plans may change for any reason, or you may even regret them, you will be able to cancel any of these tours free of charge, 24 hours before the start time.

All tours of the Jewish Quarter usually last between 1 and 4 hours. This makes them a perfect option to combine with other activities and excursions. Just keep in mind that you should be at the starting point a few minutes before the tour begins, so you can take the opportunity to have a bite to eat or a coffee somewhere close to the starting point.

Also, a tour of the Jewish Quarter can be a perfect plan if you plan to be in the city for a short time and don't want to miss out on its best attractions. Here is a guide of what to see and do in Cordoba in 3 days so you can organise your trip in the best way possible.

Finally, bear in mind that there are a variety of highly recommended restaurants in this neighbourhood, so you might want to consider having a bite to eat in the area at the end of or before you start your tour.

Exclusive tours of this emblematic, traditional and historic neighbourhood cost around 8 and 38 euros and if you decide to take the tourist bus, around 19 euros.

Keep in mind that it all depends on the attractions included in your tour, the number of people you share the tour with and the services included. There are tours with many different options, including other activities besides the Jewish Quarter, and it will be up to you to choose the one that best suits your tastes.

When you take a tour of the Juderia you will learn about its history and discover the secrets, curiosities, myths and truths that lie behind this charming and emblematic quarter that has undergone several transformations over the years. The company of an expert local guide will be indispensable.

Bear in mind that this is a neighbourhood whose origins date back to the Middle Ages and which had to fight against various obstacles and discrimination in order to preserve its identity over time.

These tours will allow you to get to know the history behind every corner of this neighbourhood and how people live in the Jewish Quarter today, making it one of the most interesting areas of the city.

As you can see, none of the tours include food, but that's not a problem when you're strolling through such a traditional and touristy neighbourhood, which also has an incredible gastronomic offer. I 'll tell you about the best options for a bite to eat in the Jewish Quarter.

• Gastrotaberna La Chiquita de Quini: this restaurant is located in the heart of the Jewish Quarter and offers a variety of exquisite Spanish dishes. Sometimes you can listen to live music and enjoy flamenco. It is an ideal place to have lunch or dinner after walking around the neighbourhood.
• Casa Mazal: a restaurant with typical Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food to enjoy a different kind of lunch or dinner and try new flavours.
• Casa Pepe De La Judería: one of the best in Cordoba and located in the Judería. You will be surprised by the Michelin logo on its entrance door and you will be able to enjoy an exquisite meal.
• Patio Romano: a restaurant with a variety of European and Spanish dishes for all tastes. It is located in the heart of the Jewish Quarter and is highly recommended for lunch or dinner and to continue exploring the area.
• El Patio Andaluz: I recommend this restaurant for a delicious meal and to continue exploring the area. At night you can have dinner accompanied by live flamenco. A nice experience.

As well as having a bite to eat in the neighbourhood and discovering its flavours and dreamy corners, in addition to its history, I recommend that you wear comfortable clothes suitable for the time of year and footwear suitable for walking.

These tours will take you around the neighbourhood and various attractions for a few hours, and you'll have to walk quite a bit on winding paths, so you don't want to be uncomfortable and have a bad time.

As for clothing, bear in mind that in Cordoba, both winter and summer can be very harsh, so it will be important to check the weather before the tour and wear clothes accordingly.

It is important that you bear in mind that all these tours are conditioned by the weather, as they include walks and open air spaces, so good weather is necessary for them to take place, otherwise they will have to be rescheduled.

Therefore, bear in mind that autumn and spring are seasons with good temperatures, but also with more rainfall in Cordoba, although nothing to worry about. In winter, temperatures can reach a minimum of 3°C and a maximum of just 14°C and there will also be more rainfall, while summer is between 18°C and 36°C and is the least rainy season of the year.

While you can do these tours all year round, it's a good activity to do when the heat and sun are a bit more intense. I'm not saying you can't do it in winter, but my recommendation is that you choose to do it in summer. Besides, you will have other activities to combine it, you can check this itinerary of things to see and do in summer in Cordoba.

Without a doubt, taking a guided tour will allow you not only to get to know one of the main neighbourhoods of Cordoba, but also to appreciate the extensive and interesting history behind it, without missing any detail. Behind its picturesque and popular streets there is a series of traditions and events that are very interesting to know, and what better than to take advantage of the knowledge of a local guide to tell you all about them! In addition, most of these tours expand into other areas and will end up giving you a general tour of some of the city's main sights.

Anyway, I won't deny that it's also a good option to tour the Jewish Quarter on your own, at your own pace, taking your time and walking through its streets and unique places, but there is something you should take into consideration: although you can walk through this neighbourhood alone, you would be missing out on a fundamental spice, which is precisely what lies behind everything you see on your way that dates back centuries.

You should also take into account what kind of traveller you are. If you like to explore the sites at your own pace, free of time and you are good at organising yourself, a guided tour is definitely not for you. On the other hand, if you have little time to explore the city or you simply like to have everything under control, this tour is for you, as you won't have to worry about anything, the guide will make sure you don't miss anything and you will make the most of your time.