36 Hours
36 Hours in Córdoba, Spain
The winds of innovation are again rustling the orange trees shading the postcard-perfect lanes and plazas in Córdoba, the city in Spain’s southern Andalusia region. Visitors can trace Córdoba’s history from its Roman ruins, to the Moorish architecture left by five centuries of Muslim rule (when the city was one of Europe’s largest, most cosmopolitan capitals), to its later churches and Christian palaces. While many daytrippers move on before nightfall, today’s Córdoba rewards a few days’ exploration: not only to enjoy its monuments (the city has four UNESCO designations), but to see how young artists and chefs are mining the city’s rich multicultural past. Winter sees fewer crowds and milder temperatures, and Córdoba is even easier (and cheaper) to get to, with a new high-speed rail operator, Iryo, competing for fares with the existing Renfe.
Recommendations
- La Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is an 8th-century mosque turned cathedral that is one of the world's grandest examples of Moorish architecture.
- Noor, a restaurant that just earned its third Michelin star, serves inventive dishes inspired by Córdoban history.
- Museo Julio Romero de Torres is a museum that highlights the works of the acclaimed painter whose vision of Spain in the early 20th-century was both bound by tradition and yearning for modernity.
- Palacio de Viana, a 15th-century noble palace, is emblematic of the city’s distinctive patio houses: meandering homes encasing multiple outdoor spaces.
- The Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos is a fortified palace and garden complex along the northern bank of the Guadalquivir River.
- The Roman Bridge, though rebuilt many times, has for millenniums been a nexus of Córdoban life.
- Torre de la Calahorra, a fortified tower, houses a museum that celebrates medieval Córdoba’s blend of cultures.
- Centro de Creación Contemporánea de Andalucía, or C3A, is a multidisciplinary contemporary arts center.
- Córdoba Synagogue, built in the 14th century, was repurposed after the expulsion of Jews in 1492, but preserved its Mudéjar décor, a style that fuses Islamic and Christian design.
- Chapel of San Bartolomé is a 14th-century Christian temple adorned with Mudéjar-style tiles and plasterwork.
- Museo de Bellas Artes is the city’s fine arts museum with painting, sculpture and other artworks from the last six centuries.
- The Archaeological Museum of Córdoba is among the best places to understand the city’s full history, from the Romans to the present day.
- The Caliphal Baths is an underground museum about the ancient bathing traditions of high-ranking members of the Caliphate, the Muslim state that ruled Córdoba in the 10th and 11th centuries.
- Hammam Al Ándalus offers a modern-day bathhouse experience in the tradition of former Muslim rulers.
- Medina Azahara, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is the remains of the 10th-century palace complex that was briefly the political center of the Caliphate.
- Restaurante Almudaina, a tavern favored by locals, has a two-story atrium dripping with greenery that feels like an indoor garden.
- Terra Olea turns out elevated modern dishes with traditional Córdoban ingredients from a tiny open kitchen.
- Bar Santos is a classic line-up-and-know-what-to-order tapas bar that attracts crowds for its Spanish tortilla, a thick potato omelet.
- El Churrasco is an old-school grill with several small dining rooms and a cozy, fireside bar.
- Casa Pepe de la Judería is a popular and traditional restaurant and bar where you can choose a table in a warren of pretty rooms or on the patio.
- La Bohême is a dimly lit bar that feels like someone’s living room and offers tea and coffee as well as cocktails.
- El Último Tango is an easygoing bar with various cozy nooks for post-prandial conversation.
- Automático is a club favored by the city’s artistic set.
- Casa Cuba is a casual Cuban spot with cheap mojitos and a predilection for partying.
- Taberna La Cuarta is a stylish all-day cafe and bar with traditional Spanish fare and views of a Roman temple.
- Ana Martina is a family-run silversmith in the Jewish quarter known for its delicate filigree work.
- Zoco Municipal de Artesanía is a city-run market for artisans specializing in leather and silver in a lush courtyard.
- Balcon de Córdoba features 10 cozy but cosseting rooms spread around three small patios just steps away from the mosque-cathedral with a rooftop terrace and restaurant with staggering views of city monuments. In winter, rooms start at 195 euros, or about $213.
- Hospes Palacio de Bailío, Córdoba’s first five-star hotel, features 53 rooms in part of a restored palace with pretty gardens and a pool far from the hubbub of the Judería and the mosque-cathedral. Rooms in winter start at about €150.
- Hotel Viento 10 is a charming three-star hotel with eight modern rooms built around a 16th-century colonnaded patio where breakfast is served each morning; there’s also a spa with a sauna and hot tub and a selection of massages on offer. Rooms start at €70; closed Jan. 7 to 31.
- For short-term rentals, the Centro neighborhood between Plaza de San Miguel and Palacio de Viana offers ready access to many sites, without being in the thick of the tourists.
- Córdoba is a delightfully walkable city, with many of its best-known monuments practically next door to each other. The city’s public taxis are clean and safe with friendly drivers who’ll often speak a fair amount of English. Ride-hailing apps like Uber and Bolt are also available.
Itinerary
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