A weekend is probably the perfect time to visit the city of Cordoba. In this small guide we leave you our recommendation of what to do in Córdoba over two days.
Firrst day.
Undoubtedly, one of the most important attractions of the Caliphate capital is the Mosque of Cordoba. If you decide to get up early you have a free visit to the Mosque of Cordoba every day of the year (except for some religious exception).
This monument is one of the most important buildings in the empire of Al-Andalus and one of the few remains of the Umayyad culture in Europe.
Reserve your free visit to the Mosque of Cordoba every day at 8:30 until 9:30 in the morning. If you do not want to visit the Mosque for free during this time, you can do it later from 10:00, the price is € 10.
If you have really visited the mosque of Cordoba at the first hour, you will have saved queues, money and most likely you have visited the mosque much quieter than at any other time. Best of all, it's 9:30 in the morning and you have the whole day ahead.
We continue with the guide on what to do in Cordoba, our next recommendation is to start walking around the public places of the city.
Around the Mosque of Cordoba, the life of the city develops in two or three hours you will have the opportunity to take a walk through the Jewish quarter of Córdoba, enjoy visiting the synagogue, visit the souk, the house of Sefarad or the wonderful Mudéjar Chapel , also known as San Bartolomé Chapel. All these places are very close to each other, within a radius of 5 minutes, you can move very quietly from one to another.
To continue, we recommend you to take a walk along the river and enjoy the wonders of the Roman Bridge and the past of the Guadalquivir River through our city.
For these moments it will be time to have lunch and probably rest a little before continuing in the afternoon.
Afternoon.
In the afternoon our advice on what to do in Cordoba is to continue focusing on walking and walking mainly through its most popular streets and most significant squares, the alley of flowers (always less crowded at the end of the day), alley of the handkerchief and the always beautiful Plaza Tendillas, Roman Temple in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, Plaza Corredera and the mysterious Plaza del Potro, where you can visit the Museum of Fine Arts or the Julio Romero de Torres Museum, as well as the Posada del Potro.
To end the day before dinner one of my favorite places in Cordoba is the Bar / Pub Soho, next to the river from where you can see the Guadalquivir and the Roman bridge. Amazing views from where you can imagine the past of the city of Califal.
Second day.
What to do in Córdoba. On the second day we recommend visiting the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos. It is an impressive construction, its walls, palaces and representation will not leave you indifferent, although probably what most astonishes you are its beautiful gardens, with caliphal design, centenary gardens and preserved since the Caliphate era.
Very close to the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, there are the baths of the Caliphal Alcázar, some small archaeological remains of the richest cultural and economic period of the Iberian Peninsula, it is a short visit, a small place that can be done even after the Alcázar before eat.
Depends on the time you have gone to the Alcázar it will be lunch time or you will still have time for one more hour of visits.
If so, you can take advantage of the proximity to the neighborhood of San Basilio and make a visit to the courtyards of Cordoba. The festival of courtyards is in the month of May, but throughout the year there is a series of courtyards that open their doors so you can enjoy one of the world heritage festivals by UNESCO. You can book your tickets to the courtyards of Cordoba, the price is € 5, except in the festival of the playgrounds that is free.
Afternoon.
In the afternoon we have different variables, you will have to choose according to your preferences, for reasons of distance, it will be difficult to do both visits. It is also possible that you still have things pending from our previous recommendations ...
What to do in Córdoba the second afternoon. The first option is to make a small excursion to Medina Azahara, where there is an archaeological site of the Islamic period of the city, Caliphal remains, Umayyad palaces and buildings. Medina Azahara is a free visit and is located about 8km from the center of Cordoba. You can go by car or yellow buses of Medina Azahara.
The second option is to visit the Palacio de Viana.
