Córdoba,Spain
One of my favorite cities in Spain, Córdoba, is definitely a place worth checking out. I had so much fun in this city I left my phone at a bar just so I would have to come back and pick it up at the end of the trip ;).
Córdoba has many interesting sights to see and the atmosphere of the town is calm in contrast to other cities I’ve visited. One of the most unique things to do in Cordoba is to visit the Mosque-Cathedral located near the old town city center. I won’t spoil too much for you, because I had no expectations when I walked in. It ended up being one of the most beautifully constructed cathedrals/mosques I’ve been to. I don’t always take the time to go visit historical sights when I am traveling, mainly because I don’t have the money to pay for all of the entry fees. However, this is definitely worth the small 12 Euro fee it costs to enter. If you are someone who likes to plan out your trips beforehand, I would set aside about 2 hours to experience every part of it. Not only is the inside of this cathedral breathtaking, but the outdoor courtyard is a perfect place to stop and enjoy a coffee.
Next up in Córdoba is walking through the historic old town. We spent about 5 hours going into olive oil shops, grabbing a drink at bars and getting souvenirs for friends and family. As you’re walking through the downtown, I would highly recommend peeking your head into some of the private courtyards. These beautiful homes and apartment complexes are all so unique and vast in their design styles. There are definitely components I would like to incorporate in some of my future designs. It’s also possible to spend a whole day just wandering the streets of Córdoba and admiring the city landscape. This city is flatter than most, so if you are in the metro area or a non pedestrian zone it’s a good time to rent an E-scooter. I enjoy renting E-scooters when I am visiting new cities because you can really cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. You also can stop off at any time to check out something that piques your interests.
Another fantastic sight to see is the Roman Bridge of Córdoba that crosses the Guadalquivir. This bridge was constructed in the early 1st century BCE, and is one of the top things to see in Córdoba. Most of the bridges current structure is from the Arabs’ reconstruction in the 8th century. On either side of the bridge many little cafes can be found, which are nice to sit and have a snack at.
When I visited Córdoba a couple of my friends from Seville met up with my boyfriend and me. We arrived on a weekday evening in the tourist off-season so the city was not too crowded. We explored a few bars Tuesday evening, and surprisingly there were still a lot of people out and about late at night. I don’t know if the city always closes at 2am, but after that we were unable to find any other bars, restaurants, or street vendors open. This is a little different from other Spanish cities I have been to, but I’d imagine it’s still possible to find some little hole in the wall night clubs. If you do end up finding some let me know!
As for getting to Córdoba, there are buses, trains, carpooling, or rental cars available. Once we got to Córdoba we parked our rental car and never used it again, so renting is certainly not a must unless you’re planning on traveling to other cities—then it is nice to hop from city to city on your own time schedule. However, this option is usually more expensive.
I hope you all get to visit Spain soon and love Córdoba as much as I did! While you are there be sure to try Tanqueray Gin Sevilla Orange with tonic, it is my new favorite drink! Below I will attach the links for my hotel in Córdoba as well as a couple of other things.
‘til the next trip
leez
