As mentioned in my last post, I’ve been on a fair few Bank Holiday-adjacent adventures this year. The latest was a trip to Córdoba in southern Spain. After visiting major cities in the region like Granada, Sevilla and Málaga, it seemed right to add Córdoba to the list. I’ve also always wanted to visit the Mezquita.

In this post, I’ll dive in to how I spent my four days in Córdoba itself as well as a few things I did in addition during the entire six days I spent in Spain!

Where I stayed

Except for my first night in Spain where I stayed with a friend in Granada, I stayed in Córdoba in the historic centre right by San Lorenzo church. This is not sponsored in any way, but here is the place I stayed. I was really satisfied with the apartment which honestly felt ready to move into, as well as the location and the quiet of the complex. If I returned to Córdoba, I’d be inclined to stay here again to be honest!

What I did

My original plan was to fly into Málaga, drop in briefly on a friend in Granada then head to Córdoba for a couple of days, but it turned out my friend had never been to Córdoba and he wanted to join me, so I ended up changing up things a little.

After picking me up from the airport, my friend and I headed to Torremolinos, a popular spot for Spanish families to have beach holidays. We only stopped for lunch, which consisted, amongst other things, of espeto. I’ll get more into food and places to eat later in the post, but wanted to mention this as I notoriously hate seafood but my friend convinced me to try a little of the fish after he peeled away the skin haha. It wasn’t as bad as I anticipated!

Our main mission was to head into Sierra Nevada to visit one of the many villages up in the mountains. We were a little pressed for time but we just about squeezed in a visit to Soportújar which is located in the Alpujarras in the south of the mountain range. My friend had seen many social media posts showcasing a network of small waterways throughout the village producing a charming effect. We arrived around 7pm so it was very empty and quiet. I would emphasise at this point that is practically impossible to reach a place like Soportújar without a car and I’m eternally grateful my friend was willing to drive us about those first couple of days. If you have visited Andalucia before, you might already be well aware of how to get around, but for those who are less acquainted, I will say that the biggest issue I usually face is transport. Rail links are tenuous, expensive and not very regular. Most folks get around by long distance buses or car sharing (more on that later).

Anyway, I’m getting a little off topic. Soportújar was a really fascinating place – even if those waterways we wanted to see were all dried up. Allegedly, this village was resettled with mostly Galicians after the Reconquest and these people had many pagan beliefs. Therefore, present day Soportújar has adopted a number of magical and witchy myths and stories to attract tourists to visit. You’ll find witch fountains, a very NSFW dragon fountain, a model snake breaking out of somebody’s home and even a replica of what seems to be the Witch’s House from Hansel and Gretel. Truly I’ve never seen a place like this before! We headed back down the windy roads of the mountain about half an hour before sunset which was perfect timing. I would not have wanted to be driving down those crazy roads in the dark.

After staying the night in Granada, we drove to Córdoba which takes about two and half hours. The day we arrived was very busy as it was the festival of las Cruces de Mayo. During this festival, you will find huge crosses decorated in flowers accompanied by loud music, singing, dancing and drinking. Apart from Córdoba, Granada is another place to enjoy this festival. According to my friend, some things are celebrated differently in Granada. For example, the festival lasts less time and there’s a tradition of eating broad-beans. In addition to the festival, there was also a wedding at the church next to the apartment so finding parking was a total nightmare. In the end, my friend had to park about 15 minutes away from the apartment in a residential neighbourhood.

After dropping off our things, we decided to check out one of the Cruces celebrations in the neighbourhood. The music was a tad too loud and we struggled to speak to one another so after a tortilla and a drink we left and headed to the Mezquita. We saw many, many celebrations on the way and all throughout the night so I’m sure we could have found a bit of a nicer celebration to attend if we wanted to. What’s nice is that anyone can join the celebrations. You can literally just turn up, grab food and drinks, dance, or just hang out. Very different to something like feria in Sevilla, for example.

We arrived at the Mezquita around 4pm so the organized tour groups were gone and it was quite empty which made for a nice experience walking around. I was surprised about the lack of security in comparison to something like the Alhambra, but this meant entry was swift and easy. Depending on how much time you spend looking at the objects on display and the building itself, your visit here could take anywhere between 20 minutes and an hour. I was surprised how big the Mezquita was and found it very impressive, but I was also a bit disappointed by the exhibition labelling. Everything was in white text on a white background. I have a visual disability which made it hard to read but I highly doubt anyone could have read that! That made it a bit harder to appreciate the objects.

Along the way and on our way back, we saw other places of interest like the Roman Bridge and the Jewish Quarter. It’s really nice just to walk around places like the Jewish Quarter and Historic Centre as the streets are all narrow and winding, with many examples of traditional Córdoban patios and flowers galore. We managed to snap a quick photo of the Instagram-worthy Calleja de las Flores before having dinner than heading back for the night.

On day two in Córdoba, we took things a little easier. After breakfast at the apartment, we headed out with the plan to see the patios and possibly visit Medina Azahara, an archaeological site just outside the city. At this time of year, a number of local residents open their patios to the public to show off the floral displays. They enter a competition and their gardens are judged. The patios festival was supposed to start on the day we tried to visit but as it was a Bank Holiday I think the dates got switched and they were actually starting the day after. My friend was leaving later this day to go back to Granada as he needed to work, so I was a little sad we wouldn’t be able to see the patios. Fortunately, as we turned into the main street of San Basilio in the neighbourhood of the same name, we found a few patios already open and free of charge. To access the patios usually you need a ticket which you pay for. If the patio is open for free, it’s common to throw in a small donation as you leave. I was so glad we got to see a couple of the patios! Be aware though that there can be queues for the patios, whether entering a free or paid one. Visiting the patios is a very popular activity particularly during the competition and San Basilio is one of the main places to find these patios.

We stopped for lunch shortly after this then I realised that Medina Azahara was closed as it was a Monday, so we scrapped that idea in the end (I visited by myself another day). We took a long walk back to where the car was parked, stopped in a local bar for some very hot but delicious coffee then I bid my friend adieu as he returned to Granada. I headed back to recuperate after a morning of walking, ventured back out for dinner then got some rest.

Before heading out on this trip, I was anxiously watching the forecast for Córdoba. It was flip-flopping between a thunderstorm the whole weak and blazing sunshine. In the end it was a bit of both. Those first couple of days in Córdoba were so, so hot. It was about 30 degrees and even the slight breeze was hot. Córdoba and Sevilla are both notorious for their high and intense heat. It’s said that the reason there are patios in Córdoba is in fact because it allows for a place to cool down from the city’s heat. On day three however the thunderstorm arrived. I took a look at the weather in Sevilla – gorgeous sunshine! With that I decided I was going to run from the storm and revisit one of my favourite cities.

Remember I told you how hard it is to get around in Andalucia? Well, after making this snap decision the evening before I then had to figure out how exactly I would get to Sevilla. Train? Hm, quite expensive and not many departure options on the train timetable. Bus? Nope, could only find like one bus going to Sevilla. I don’t drive and my friend was gone. What could I do? Many of my Spanish friends have recommended the use of BlaBla Car to me before now. It’s a popular car sharing app across much of Europe. As a solo, female traveller I’ve always been hesitant to try, but this really was the only option left if I was gonna get to Sevilla. At 6 euros for the journey, it seemed too good to turn down. I made my request to a driver, met him the next morning and shared my location live with my friend in Granada, making plans for what to do if he didn’t hear from me when I arrived.

In the end, everything was fine. I was a bit surprised to open the car door and find three other people already inside. The BlaBla Car app lets you know how many other people are riding with you but on my ride it said it was just me! This meant it was a bit cramped and I felt a bit awkward as two people were travelling together and having a conversation while the driver chatted with the person in the front seat. I spent the short one and half hours reading a book. I probably could have struck up a conversation but honestly the people sat in the back with me did not seem very open to that. We arrived a little ahead of schedule and were dropped off at the train station, Santa Justa. I’ll probably do a separate post on BlaBla Car in the future.

Despite the fact it was feria in Sevilla, my main objective was actually to hunt down street art in the city. I’ve mentioned before that this is something I really enjoy when travelling. I asked an acquaintance from Sevilla and he directed me to the neighbourhood of Polígono de San Pablo, where I found many murals and pieces. I had lunch at the vegan spot, Milk Away, in the up and coming hipster neighbourhood of Soho Benita which was absolutely delicious. I opted for a sandwich of vegetables and replica goat’s cheese as well as a matcha smoothie bowl which was so good. I then headed over to one of my favourite places, the Plaza de España and the surrounding huge park of Maria Luisa, via a riverside walk of the Guadalquivir.

Though I was by no means dressed to party, I did want to see the feria. I saw so many locals dressed up and riding in carriages. One of my favourite things I saw was an older lady playing castanets in the street as she waited to cross the road. It was not meant to be however. By now, you might have realised two things about me 1) I’m terrible at navigating 2) I often get myself into bad or weird situations when travelling. In this case, I was trying to find the site of the feria via Google Maps, naively believing that the feria on the map was the one I wanted. My friends, please do not make the same mistake as me and in fact follow directions to the neighbourhood of Feria – they are not the same thing. The feria in fact takes place not far from the Maria Luisa park in the neighbourhood of los Remedios. Can you believe I was so close and then went walking into the suburbs for no reason? By the time I realized it was too late; I needed to head back for my ride back to Córdoba and my phone battery was dangerously low. Another reason to head back to beautiful Sevilla again I suppose!

My ride back was with just one other person and I couldn’t share my location this time due to my low battery. I made plans again with my friend to touch base once I got back safely to Córdoba. As we left Sevilla, the thunderstorm arrived there and it was rain all the way back. I felt sorry for the driver who was clearly anxious of the heavy rain on the highway, but he did an excellent job of getting us back and even dropped me off right at the end of my street!

That brings us to my last full day in Córdoba. I wish I could say after the mishap in Sevilla that all was smooth sailing but alas it was not. On this day I headed to Medina Azahara. This site is a mere 8km from Córdoba and transport there is monopolised by a tourist bus that leaves twice a day, requires you to be back on the bus in about 2 and half hours, and requires booking 24 hours in advance. Given I was leaving the next day and hadn’t booked already, this option was off the table for me, but unless you have access to a car yourself, I would strongly suggest taking this option. You could do what I did, but also pay attention to the issues I had and avoid the same mistakes!

I did a little sleuthing and found out that at least one public bus route stopped at a stop called Cruce Medina Azahara at the foot of the road to the museum / site. If you want to take this bus too, it is the 01 service and you can catch it on Avenida Republica Argentina. Depending on where you are staying in the city, this might be a good 20-30 minute walk to reach. I got on the bus and reached my destination with no problems. My problems began once I entered the museum.

Now, as it was my last day (technically) I was running low on actual cash and just using my card, which is fine in the city. I figured just having the bus fare there and back would be fine, but here’s where you should take note if you’re gonna try to do the same thing. 1) public buses only allow cash payments. It costs about 1 Euro 30 for any journey, which is pretty good to be honest. 2) you can only pay by cash at both the museum and on the shuttle bus you need to take at Medina Azahara. I (stupidly) gave away my last bit of cash at the museum to pay my entry. The museum is quite small but informative. There were quite a few objects away for study or cleaning which was a shame, but I did appreciate that you can see into the storerooms and see just how any objects are not on display. I’ve never seen any other museum do this. The dig at Medina Azahara is relatively recent and so there are new finds all the time.

To reach the actual ruins, you are advised to take the shuttle bus as it’s a bit of a walk. I was prepared to do the walk, however, once the bus driver told me I couldn’t pay by card and I had no cash, but then, a very kind stranger behind me insisted on paying my fare. I declined her multiple times but she had made up her mind. I was so touched and grateful for this beautiful gesture. At the site, you need to show your ticket from the museum to get in, so if you decided to skip the museum for any reason, at least make sure you bought the ticket (by the way, EU citizens go free!)

The site does take a little while to walk around and with the museum on top I can see why visitors might feel pressed by the time limit imposed by the tour buses. I think I calculated that my visit took just under three hours, so had I been on the tour, I would have missed that bus back haha. I especially enjoyed the ruins of the prime minister’s residence where there are large intricate archways and some of the foundations of rooms in the house. I visited on a Wednesday morning and it was quite busy with both tourists and a couple of school groups. Once I’d soaked up the history it was time to figure out how the heck to get back to Córdoba.

So, when I got off the bus at Medina Azahara there was no bus stop to be seen. I just pinged the bell as we reached the bus stop marked on the map as I was dutifully following on the journey. This route also runs almost entirely down a highway. I figured the returning bus would just show up on the other side of the road. I saw a little hut that looked like a bus stop and was labelled as the bus stop on the map, but had no signage to indicate it was in fact a bus stop. I had the bus schedule pulled up on my phone and as several departure times passed with no bus in sight, I figured I’d walk to the next bus stop to make a little progress as it was beginning to rain. I didn’t fancy standing there in the storm, even with an umbrella.

Fortunately, the highway did have a small path on the side, which is actually intended for cyclists. At some point, a pavement does appear as well and gets wider as you get closer to the city. How do I know this? Well, after telling myself ‘just go to the next stop’ one too many times, I had already walked 45 minutes of the almost 2 hour journey it takes by foot to reach central Córdoba (remember I told you this place is best visited by car or bus). A bus finally appeared, but yep, you guessed it, no card payments accepted. I didn’t know this as I’d seen people tapping a reader on the previous trip, but I guess these were travel passes or something. There was nothing for it. Feeling very sorry for myself, I started on the long walk back. It was a bit nerve-wracking walking all that way along the highway, but at least I knew I was going in the right direction! Anyway, I have gone and made these mistakes so that you can learn. If you want to go by public bus, please feel free but do bring cash with you and also prepare to maybe wait a while or even have to walk a little before the return bus shows up.

After a quick pitstop at McDonald’s (the only eatery on the way) I had just enough energy to visit Palacio de Viana, a manor house in the Historic Centre which is built around 12 different patios. Usually the entry fee is around 5 Euros, but for some reason everyone was entering for free at that time. I grabbed something easy from the supermarket to eat at the apartment (shoutout to Mercadona haha) then headed home.

My final day was spent travelling. I had to take a 4 hour bus from Córdoba to Málaga Airport, then waited a couple of hours for my flight and then the flight back was 3 hours. Needless to say I was exhausted when I got back, but this was a really amazing trip!

What I ate

Ok, first I have to give an honourable mention to some snacks I had in Granada. I have never tried either maritoñis or palmera de chocolate before. The former is native to Granada whereas you might find the latter elsewhere in Andalucia. If I’m ever back in Granada or find maritoñis elsewhere, I’m bringing home a huge pack. This delicious snack is a sweet cake with a jam-like filling made from pumpkin called cabello de angel. You will also find the same filling in a pastel de Córdoba. I also tried a snack called Mister Corn which is essentially just fried sweetcorn in different spices. Simple, but so good!

So, breakfast was always an at home thing. On my first day I was my friends place and then at the apartment in Córdoba the host actually left things like coffee, tea, some bread, jam, butter, etc. so it was easy to have something simple to start the day. For lunch and dinner, I usually just went somewhere random. Most of these places were ok, but the one I will recommend is Qurtubah, a wonderful Moroccan restaurant very close to the Calleja de las Flores. We had some of the best falafel I’ve ever eaten, as well as a hummus I’ve never tried called hummus alhambra (because it has pomegranate which is the symbol of Granada) and a mixed rice dish called kabsa. We also loved the dessert, kunafah. I’ve trieid this before at a Palestinian restaurant and was on the fence, but this one with pistachio was phenomenal.

Things to consider / questions you might have

Is Córdoba safe?

Yes. I felt very safe. Even during las Cruces when people were drinking and out in the streets, I felt totally safe even when walking alone at night. Of course, you should always be sensible and pay attention, but overall, it felt like a safe city to me.

Where is best to buy souvenirs?

Though many of the shops are the usual tourist-attracting rubbish, you’ll probably find the best stuff in the same place as these tacky shops. Check out the areas around the Jewish Quarter, the Mezquita and the Historic Centre. I was very happy to stumble across a local painter’s shop where I got some bookmarks and a postcard, but he also sells magnets and other pieces. You can find out more information on his site.

How many days should I spend in Cordoba?

It depends if you just want to hit the main sites or take some time to appreciate the city. I feel like a day trip is doing a bit of a disservice and would say to spend two days minimum in the city – particularly if you wanna see extra things like Medina Azahara.

Can I do a day trip somewhere to somewhere else?

Of course, but remember, travelling by car is best – either privately or car sharing. The second best option is meticulous travel plans for bus or train 😀 I would argue that if you want to travel around to other places – unless they are specifically close to Córdoba – you’re better off basing yourself somewhere like Sevilla to visit other places.

That’s all! If you have any questions about Córdoba or would like to share your experience visiting, please leave me a comment.