Cordoba

diego_cue, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Córdoba's Mezquita (Great Mosque) with it's nested cathedral is reason enough to come here on its own, but there's plenty else to see and do in this ancient Andalusian city.

The fortified palace of Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos is a sumptuous glimpse into the world of the Christian (re)conquerors and their reuse of the what was left behind by their Moorish and Roman predecessors. While exploring the UNESCO listed historic centre , why not visit the Synagogue , which was probably built just for a single family or other small group, but contains intricate stucco work. A wander to the Roman bridge also fills in more clues to the layered history of the town.

An 8km bus ride away is the Medina Azahara which is Spain’s largest archaeological site on what had (briefly) been a huge palace complex and its story is retold well on site (in English).

Córdoba gets very hot in summer, so spring is an ideal time to come when it is cooler and the jasmine and orange trees are in full bloom. May is also fiesta time with May Crosses , the 'Battle of Flowers' street parade, ' Railings and Balconies ' competition, Fiesta of Patios and ending with the Feria de Córdoba .

If your looking for tapas, the historic quarter and the neighbourhoods of San Lorenzo, San Andrés and Santa Marina are good places to try. You might want to try salmorejo (cold tomato soup), flamenquín (pork roll fried in breadcrumbs), aubergines with honey and mazamorra (cold almond soup).

Highlights

Mezquita - vast mosque dating from 784 AD which envelops the Remaissance Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption
Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos - palace with Roman mosaics and delightful terraced water gardens
Patios (or courtyards) - during the patio festival many houses in the historic centre open their private patios to the public, however, you can visit a number of courtyards all year round (when it is much less busy)
Medina Azahara - remains of a 10th century palace complex 8km from Córdoba which can be reached by bus or electric bike (speak to the tourist information office)

Station stroll ideas

Tourist info have provided a series of recommended walks in an interactive map here and also some downloads which are available here , but the map of the town unfortunately cuts off the railway and bus station. However, you can get a different scale map here (the bus and train station is in the top left hand corner), which also includes the top sites.

Guided tours

Tourist info have provided a list of guided tour operators here.

Luggage

If you want to stroll without a care in the world, including your luggage, you could try using the nannybag app to find a place that will take your bags.