Categoria: Córdoba

Córdoba was the capital of Islamic Spain, and the city still has the magical charm of Islamic style. The Spanish region where is located Córdoba, in fact, takes its name from the Arab word “Al-Andalus”, studied by several schools of thought.
The Moors made Córdoba the most important city of their European Empire, capital of Arab culture in Europe. The beauty of Córdoba has been preserved : the history of the city can be seen in the houses with courtyards and beautiful fountains, the spicy foods, and the physical features of its inhabitants, Arabs faces and Spanish attitudes . On this page we suggest the 10 things to do and see during a weekend or a holiday in Córdoba.

If you are looking for a hotel in Córdoba, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 120 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

1

Mezquita in Córdoba is one of the most stunning mosques in Europe, erected on the Church of St. Vincent.

The huge structure is located within the city, and the high walls seem to touch the sky. The interior of the Mezquita, is the greatest tribute to Gothic-Renaissance architecture and Islamic art. Mezquita also has an important historical and religious meaning : after the occupation of Córdoba by the Muslims in 711, the church was used both by Christians and Muslims at the same time

2

Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos is the structure in which the faithful kings were received.

The Arabic style of the building, surrounded by terraced gardens, full of fish ponds, fountains and pools, will leave you astonished. The Arab past of this place can be seen at every corner street, especially in Alcázar de Los Reyes Cristianos, where the rooms still have, thanks to the mosaics and to ornaments, the typical Middle East atmosphere.

3

Madinat al-Zahrais is the town that Abderraman III built eight kilometres far from Córdoba.

For the construction of Medina Azahara 4.300 columns were used, and the beauty of the city still shines today, although only a few ruins remain. The city was almost completely destroyed by the Berbers, who attacked Madinat al-Zahrais during a bloody battle. Abderraman III wanted to build a beautiful city to devote to his wife, the beloved az-Zahara. Although there is no confirmation of this version of the facts, it is the charm of the story and the beauty that still shines through the ruins.

4

The Guadalquivir is the only navigable river in Spain and its name in Arabic means “Great River”.

During Romans time, the Guadalquivir was navigable up to Córdoba, where it was erected the 240 meters long bridge.
Its construction was begun by Augustus, and was part of the long road with his name. The bridge over the Guadalquivir has been the scenery of many battles, during which the original structure has been slowly destroyed. The 16 arches that supported the bridge, however, are still present in today’s version. Despite the weather, the battles and the antiquity of the project, the bridge is the only way to reach Córdoba.

5

Sinagoga (Synagogue) in Córdoba was built into the Jewish quarter around the fourteenth century, and is the only Jewish religious structure present in Andalusia.

The grandeur of this synagogue is seen in the beautiful decorations in Mudejar style, which has Christian characteristics combined with Arabic elements. With the term Mudejar, which means something like “who has been allowed to remain,” they indicated the Muslims living in Andalusia even after the advent of Christians: they created the painting style you see on walls of the Synagogue of Córdoba.

6

In Andalusia there are many Jewish neighbourhoods in their city, but the Juderia (Jewish district) in Córdoba is one of the most important of Europe.

The characteristic of this district is similar to others but Juderia has a very special charm.
White houses with small gardens and narrow streets, where you can walk peacefully in the sunshine. Although the district has been renovated in ‘700, the original structure of the Juderia is still the same and is one of the most picturesque places in the whole Spain.

7

Famous for its 12 patios, the Palacio de Viana was built at first as a small house, but gradually started to begin to incorporate the surrounding homes, becoming a spectacular and unique architectural element.

It is a building of 6,500 square meters with courtyards and gardens, plants and fountains, in the best Arab and Roman tradition. A way to embellish the houses but also to afford the hot weather of Córdoba summer. The result is a house inhabited by nobles until 1900 but deeply traditional and popular. Beautiful interiors with paintings (also by Goya), antique furniture, a library with 7,000 volumes and an extraordinary panelled ceiling.

8

If you are looking for discos, nightlife and crazy parties maybe you are in the wrong city. The only thing you can do during the night, is having a nice walk and enjoy the city without the hot weather that you can find in the middle of summer. You can explore the narrow streets which are located near Mezquita, or take a walk on the ancient Roman bridge to watch the moon reflected into the river Guadalquivir. You can visit the Judería, which is very special in the evening: If you go, try to avoid the little crowded streets.

9

The Córdoba cuisine has the Arabic traditional elements, just like the customs of this city. The result is a cuisine of strong flavours, with the mix of meat, fish and spices. Try to be brave and try to taste the really typical dishes of Córdoba: the stew oxtail. Although the idea may disgust you, you will change your mind after tasted it. If you really cannot do it, try to delight you with a tasty salmorejo, a gazpacho (cold soup) with ham, fried eggs and rabbit. It is not a fat free dish, but it’s worth getting fat this way!

10

Finding a place to sleep in Córdoba is quite simple. In the city there are many hotels, small apartments, hostal,B&B’s, all with good prices.

The accommodation very often has the oriental style of the city, with colourful decorations and whites and blacks mosaics; some have outdoor garden in which to have breakfast. The center of Córdoba is the area with the greatest number of places to sleep in the city. Prices are generally low and you can find good accommodation even at 20 euro per night. 50 € is a room in a 3 star hotel and 100€ in an ultra-luxury.
If you are looking for a hotel in Córdoba, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 120 hotels with prices, pictures and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com