What to see in Cordoba in two days

Córdoba The city, in the heart of Andalusia, is a city that captures the essence of Spain with its impressive historical heritage and welcoming atmosphere. It is a city that can be perfectly visited in a day week-end We will take you on a tour of the most emblematic spots, such as the imposing Mosque-Cathedral and the charming courtyards of the Jewish quarter without losing the opportunity to wander around and discover those corners that can only be found when you allow yourself to get a little lost.

In addition to the must-visits, we will tell you which are the best places to try typical dishes such as the salmorejo and the flamenquín We will give you tips to visit the city like a local. We are not from there but it is a city that we like a lot and we have been there several times, so we will try to advise you with our favorites of the city. Join us in this quick but intense trip around Cordoba!

Tips for visiting Cordoba in two days

First of all, here are some things to keep in mind when planning a visit to Cordova: what is for us the best date to go, where you can stay and something that is sometimes difficult, where to park for free.

What is the best time to visit Córdoba

May is the month par excellence to visit this beautiful city. Not only because the good weather is not too hot, but also because during the month of May there are several very famous festivals in the city: the "las crosses the courtyard festival Cordovan and the Cordoba fair.

Practically a month of celebrations in a row, who doesn't want to live that? What we personally like the most are the crosses, where the city is filled with flowers and bars with rebujito. Some of the patios can also be visited all year round, so you can do two for one.

Where to stay in Córdoba

The best area to sleep in Cordoba is without a doubt its historical center. No matter what time of the year you decide to visit the city, staying in the old part is always a good idea as you will be close to the best restaurants, the best tapas bars and most of the monuments. Besides, as the center of Cordoba is not too big, you will be able to walk wherever you want.

What we do recommend, especially if you are going in May, is to book in advance to ensure the best prices. Here are some hotels in the best areas to stay in Cordoba:

• Eurostars Conquistador. For a full luxury 4 star option but at the same time quite affordable in line with city prices.
• Tendillas Apartments. Located near the Tendillas square and with a very good price-quality ratio.
• Soho Boutique Atalia. Right next to the Mosque-Cathedral, for those who do not want to waste a minute.

Where to park in Córdoba

If your idea is to stay in the historic center as we have just recommended, the only inconvenience you may have is to find a place to stay in the city center parking. There are some white areas relatively close to the historic center where you can leave your car but many people know them and especially on weekends there is usually a problem to park.

For this reason, the most advisable option is to leave the car at a nearby parking. Do not go to the parking of the wall because they will charge you a price above the market. We found another one nearby that was quite cheap. We leave you the location on the map of our must-see places in Cordoba, below.

Day 1: What to see in the Historic Center of Cordoba

The first day of your visit you can take the opportunity to see some of the most typical things of the city. As all the monuments are quite close to each other you can move on foot without any problem and on the way take the opportunity to regain strength in some of the most famous restaurants in the city. Another option that we like a lot is to do a free tour the first day, to get to know the key points of the city without having to do a lot of research.

We decided to stay in a hotel in the Jewish quarter of the city. apartment right next to the city wall from where it took us two minutes to our first destination. Here are all the points marked on the map in the travel guide as always a little further down.

Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba

The most famous area in all of Cordoba is the area surrounding its Mosque-cathedral. And it is not for less, it is an imposing monument in the middle of the historical center of the city that has passed through many of the cultures that have been populating the peninsula. It is divided into: 

• About courtyards of free access behind the doors of the photo that we have put to you.
• The building mosque-cathedral.
• The cathedral tower (which can also be climbed).

It was declared a World Heritage Site as part of the historic center and is one of the most visited cultural sites in Spain. It began to be built as a mosque in the eighth century to become a cathedral in the thirteenth century after the Christian reconquest.

The general admission ticket can be purchased on the official website of the mosque or you can opt for a guided visit. We went without a guided tour because we took the free tour that explained from the gardens the history of the building and its many extensions and changes over the centuries.

If you want to save the entrance fee and you don't mind getting up early, you should know that it is possible to visit in free Monday to Saturday from 8:30 am to 9:30 am.

Where to eat in Córdoba

We've left our favorite sites marked on the map below but we have a article with photos where you will find some reviews of the best restaurants of the city where you can taste the most typical dishes.

One thing is clear. You can't leave town without at least trying it:

• Salmorejo.
• Eggplants fried with cane honey.
• Tortilla of potatoes from some of its most famous sites.
• Meat of churrasco.

Calleja de las flores

This is one of the most Instagrammable places in the city. It is, as its name suggests, one of the most very narrow alley located in the historic center. It is characterized by having a lot of typical Cordovan flowerpots placed on the sides of the street that accompany us to a small square where the street ends.

In the plazuela There is a fountain from which you can take some very cool pictures of the tower of the cathedral mosque peeking between the white houses that form the alley.

Roman Bridge of Cordoba

Located over the Guadalquivir River that crosses the city of Cordoba, this arched bridge is a must-see in the city where you can enjoy beautiful views of the city sunsets like the one in the photo.

Plan for May 🌺
If you go during the May crosses, there are crosses on both sides of the bridge. We recommend the one on the side of the mosque as it has an incredible atmosphere and spectacular views of the bridge and the river.

This bridge is also known as OLD BRIDGE It was the only bridge in the city for a long time. In addition, being part of the historic center of Cordoba, it has been declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco.

Day 2: Visit to the courtyards and the Alcazar

Alcazar of the Christian Kings

The visit to this ancient fortress and palace is another of the things not to be missed during your visit. Located right next to the Guadalquivir River, it was originally a andalusí citadel The gardens and patios maintain a Mudejar inspiration. The last inhabitants of the Alcazar were the Catholic Monarchs.

It is open every day except Mondays and the entrance fee is 5€ for adults (2,5€ if you are a student <26). We really liked the visitHowever, we recommend you to go when it is not too hot because otherwise the walk along the walls becomes hard. There is combined visits which include both the Mosque and the Alcazar.

Did you know that in addition to being the residence of monarchs, it was also the seat of the Spanish Inquisition and later a municipal jail?

Patios of Cordoba

The courtyard festival is an event in the city, declared as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is celebrated every year in May after the crosses. In this festival the owners of the courtyards, most of them located along the San Basilio neighborhood They decorate them with thousands of flowers, and open them to the public for visits. You can buy a entry which includes 5 of the most iconic patios of Cordoba. If you have already been to the city more than once and know it well, they also make some free tours focused on the patiosvery interesting.

🌼 Visiting the patios of Cordoba without crowds?
There are some patios that are open all year round. We went just the weekend before the festival and had them practically to ourselves. The ones we saw are on San Basilio street. Numbers 15, 40 and 44. There are usually a few more open in the area as well.

Municipal handicraft souk

Another area worth seeing, especially when you are strolling through the center and entering the city center Jewish is the Zoco of Cordoba. It is an old market where there are still some local craft stalls where they sell pieces of silver and costume jewelry. If you can not go to the courtyards is a good option to at least see a similar place.

Extra day: What to see around Cordoba

As we have been several times in Cordoba, we have had time to see more places that are a little out of the historic center or even the city and we also think they deserve a special mention.

Viana Palace

One of the most touristic areas of Cordoba is this manor house which has 12 Cordovan patios the largest concentration of patios in the city! In the season of May, its network of courtyards is beautiful and full of the colors that give its flowers.

It is another of the places in Cordoba that triumphs on Instagram. The palace is open from Tuesday to Sunday and there are 2 types of tickets: the full ticket, to visit the palace and courtyards, and the entrance only to the courtyards.

We only saw the patios and we really liked the ones on San Basilio street better, but we heard people coming out of the guided visit Did you know that inside there is the first documented patio of neighbors in Cordoba?

Plaza de la corredera

The square of the corredera is one of the favorite places of the Cordovan people for have a few beers any day of good weather. If you go, you will find a modern square, quite large, full of bars and huge terraces.

It is not very far from the center so you can easily get close by walking around.

Medina Azahara

To get to Medina Azahara you need to take the car or move by public transport because it is an area that is about eight kilometers from the capital.

If you like history, we recommend you to visit it, as it is one of the most important cities old in ruins more large of the country. You can buy the ticket online before you go and you will have options of both guided tours as single entries.

Map with the must-see places in Cordoba in 2 days

We leave here the map with the essential places to see in Cordoba and the best restaurants and tapas places.

If you want to read other articles ideal for your trip that complement What to see in Cordoba in two days you can visit our posts about Cordoba.