Córdoba

The city of flowers

Córdoba

Max 15ºC / Min 4ºC

/ Andalusia

Córdoba is famous around the world for its Great Mosque. Its historic old town is a World Heritage site, full of little streets to be explored, courtyards full of flowers, inviting squares and lively taverns where you can enjoy a good flamenco performance or try the local cuisine.

It is at its best in spring, when the fragrance of jasmine and orange blossom is ever-present, especially in May, the month of many of Córdoba’s traditional fiestas.

Four cultures and plenty of life

The Great Mosque, the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, the Synagogue and the Roman bridge are the prime examples of Córdoba’s old quarter. The city reflects its Roman past and the coexistence of Christian, Islamic and Jewish cultures throughout its history. Recommended sights include the Jewish quarter, the Calahorra tower, the Roman theatre, Caballerizas Reales, Plaza de la Corredera… A good way to explore the city is to take a guided tour of the sights, or follow one of the themed routes suggested in the Tourist Offices, including Roman Cordoba, the Caliphate route, or the Fernandine route of medieval churches. Just 10 kilometres from the city, with direct bus routes to it, is Spain’s largest archaeological site, Medina Azahara, the ruins of the former capital of the Caliphate, a World Heritage site since 2018.The charms of the city are not limited to its major monuments. Take a stroll to discover a tangle of narrow streets (be sure to see Callejón de la Luna and Calleja de las Flores), squares, fountains and courtyards decorated with flowers. Indeed, Córdoba’s main fiestas centre on these spaces. The Courtyards Festival, a World Heritage event, is famous, but in May the town also celebrates the May Crosses, the Battle of Flowers, and the Railings and Balconies competition. This is when the city is full of flowers, there are outdoor flamenco shows, and a festive atmosphere in the street. The month ends with the Feria de Córdoba.

Pleasures made in Córdoba

Going out for tapas, trying the traditional dishes of the local cuisine, discovering the equestrian arts, enjoying a flamenco show in a tablao or relaxing in an Arab bath are all special experiences in Córdoba.The best-known areas for tapas are the historic quarter and the neighbourhoods of San Lorenzo, San Andrés and Santa Marina. Be sure to try local specialities like salmorejo (cold tomato soup), flamenquín (pork roll fried in breadcrumbs), aubergines with honey, mazamorra (cold almond soup), Iberian ham from Los Pedroches, cheese from Zuheros and wine from Montilla-Moriles.You can enjoy the equestrian arts and the culture of the Andalusian horse all year round with shows in the Caballerizas Reales. Meanwhile, in the old town centre there are many tablaos with regular performances of flamenco music and dance.Finally, you can relax in a modern hammam in the Arab baths in the Jewish quarter or when you book the “Andalusí Experience” in the Cordoba Tourist Office.

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Practical information

How to get there - transport information

Select the means of transport to see how to get there or how to get around at your destination.

How to get to aeroplane

The closest international airports are: Seville Airport, 125 kilometres. More informationMalaga Airport, 175 kilometres. More informationMadrid Airport, 400 kilometres. More information

How to get to train

Approximate journey times by high-speed train: Madrid-Córdoba: 1 hour 50 minutes.Seville-Córdoba: 40 minutes.Málaga-Córdoba: 50 minutes. Granada-Córdoba: 1 hour 30 minutes.Valencia-Córdoba: 3 hours and 25 minutes.Alicante-Cordoba: 5 hours.Barcelona-Córdoba: 4 hours 50 minutes.
The Córdoba railway station is very close to the old town and less than two kilometres from the Mezquita-Cathedral (just over a 20-minute walk). There are also several bus routes que you can take to the city centre.
Ticket booking

How to get to bus

The Córdoba bus station, located practically next to the train station, is close to the historic centre, two kilometres from the Mosque-Cathedral. The journey on foot is around 25 minutes, or there are several city bus routes.
You can check the bus routes to Córdoba on the bus station website.

How to get there by road

From Madrid, via the A-4 motorway (about 400 kilometres).
From Seville, via the A-4 motorway (about 140 kilometres).
From the Costa del Sol, via the A-45 motorway (about 160 kilometres from the capital of Malaga).
From Valencia, along the A-3 highway and connection with A-4 through the A-43 (about 520 kilometres).
you can check where to park your car on the Córdoba Tourist Board website.

Practical information

The city is easy to explore on foot.

How to get around in bus

Córdoba’s city buses usually run between 6 am and 11.00 pm. On Saturdays and Sundays, most lines start half an hour earlier and end 30 to 60 minutes later than their regular schedule. More information
There is a bus from Córdoba to Medina Azahara, with daily departures from Tuesday to Sunday at 10:00 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Additional services are usually organised on weekends and holidays. More information
There is also a tourist bus running through the centre of Córdoba from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. More information

How to get around in other means of transport

Córdoba taxis are white with their official number marked on the door. More information
An original way to see Cordoba is from a horse-drawn carriage. You can find these opposite the Mosque-Cathedral, next to the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, and at the Glorieta de la Cruz Roja (Red Cross roundabout). More information