Cordoba: Travel Notes

A modern city is hidden amongst the narrow streets of this World Heritage Site. Just follow this simple guide to immerse yourself in the once thriving capital of the Caliphate of Cordoba with its flavour of Moorish history.

By:  Rosa Gallardo y María de las Nieves García  Send to a friend Close X  Spread the word! A link to this article will be included in your message.   *Recipient's email address:   *Your name:   Personal message (optional): 250 characters max.   We do not save or reuse your email address for any other purpose than to send this article to your friend.   EventsFind out what’s on! Check out our events guide for Andalusia.

Walk, walk, walk… The perfect way to get to know this city is most definitely on foot. Breathe in the atmosphere and talk to people as they go about their day. A good place to start a stroll through Cordoba is on the Banks of the Guadalquivir, by the Tower of Calahorra at the southern end of the Roman Bridge. Nearby, the Mezquita is unforgettable, even more so when the gates are open to the Patio de los Naranjos (patio of the orange trees). The narrow streets of the Jewish Quarter (or to tell the truth, most of the old town) are enchanting at any time of day. The historic old town, the largest in Europe, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Gitac organizes a great tour of the Jewish Quarter (957491165, cordobagitac.com).

The Gardens of the Alcázar of Cordoba are worth visiting, especially in springtime. Close by the barrio de San Basilio is a neighbourhood filled with the famous patios of Cordoba, filled to the brim with flowers of every colour. To get to grips with the city, you can ramble around four distinctive plazas: Plaza de Las Tendillas, Plaza del Cristo de los Faroles, Plaza del Potro and Plaza de la Corredera. The latter is filled with life: old and young, people share plates of aubergine with honey, salmorejo, flamenquines and rabo de toro.
I cannot find the gallery's xml file: wp-content/photos/cordoba/gallery.xml
Please check that the gallery's files have been created on the admin pages!

There are also gazillions of places to eat throughout the streets of the city. Try and taste some of the wine from the area, the Montilla - Moriles and the sweet Pedro Ximénez. Our recommendation: at least once in your life you must eat in the labyrinthine patios of Bodegas Campos (C/ Los Lineros, 32, 957497500, bodegascampos.com). Spectacular food and service.

In the area, the shops and street vendors show off gifts, clothes and intricate silver jewellery and cordobanes (leatherwork). If you want to give in to temptation and indulge fantasies of romantic Moorish history, there are many teahouses near the Mezquita. On the other hand, if you are a cinema lover, or simply need a rest from the tourist trail, its good to know that Cordoba is home to the Andalusian Film Library, a chance to watch great films on the big screen (C/ Medina y Corella, 5, 957355655, filmotecadeandalucia.com). Another important site you should see, though you’ll need alternative transport, is the archaeological site Medina Azahara (also the name of an Andalusian rock band, in case you’re interested!). Located 8km from the centre it is under constant expansion thanks to the continued excavation throughout the city (Carretera de Palma del Río, km. 5,5, 957355507, juntadeandalucia.es).

 Eat

---

Treat yourself
Bodegas Campos, 40 € (por persona)
C/ Los Lineros, 32
957497500, bodegascampos.com

Quick lunch
Bar Santos
C/ Magistral González Francés, 3
957479360

Cheap and cheerful
Taberna San Miguel
Plaza de San Miguel, 1

Classic tapas
Pepe de la Judería
C/ Romero, 1
957200744

Local cuisine
Restaurante Puerta Sevilla, 35 €
C/ Postrera, 51
957297380, puertasevilla.com

Need to impress
Restaurante El Alma
C/ Teruel, 23
957282798, elalmacordoba.com

Seafood
Bajo de Guía
C/ Conchita Cintrón, 2
957278965

A trip to Italy
Pizzaiolo
C/ San Felipe, 9
Avda. del Brillante, 97
957486433, pizzaiolo.com

Everyone is talking about it
La Boca
Paseo de la Ribera, 24
695961862, restaurantelaboca.com

Everyone is talking about it
El Astronauta
C/ Diario de Córdoba, 18
957491123, elastronauta.es

Everyone is talking about it
Restaurante Choco
C/ Compositor Serrano Lucena, 14
957264863

Everyone is talking about it
Soul Food
C/ San Fernando, 39
957471404

Tea houses
Tetería Hammam
C/ Corregidor Luis de la Cerda, 51
957484746

 Drink

---

A few pints
La Buhardilla
C/ Córdoba de Veracruz

Tertuliar
La Pérgola
Jardines del Duque de Rivas

Everyone is talking about it
MOMA
Via Norte esquina Miguel Gila

Something different
La Amapola
Paseo de la Ribera, 9

Something different
Soul
C/ Alfonso XIII, 3
957491580

Nightclub
Underground
C/ Conde de Robledo, 1
undergroundcordoba.com

 Live music

---

Jazz
Jazz Café
C/ Rodríguez Marín
957481473

Great live music
Sala Metrópolis
Polígono Chinales
Profesor Arnold J. Toymbee
659472440, salametropolis.com

Electronic
Automático Muzik Bar
C/ Alfaros, 4
609104309 ‎

Rock
LongRock
C/ Teniente Braulio Laportilla, 6
longrock.es

 Sleep

---

Business trip
Hotel Córdoba Center, 200 €
Avda. de la Libertad, 4
957758000, hotelescenter.es

Dependable Chain
NH Califa, 129 €
C/ Lope de Hoces, 14
957299400, nh-hoteles.es

Dependable Chain
NH Amistad Córdoba, 79 €
Plaza de Maimónides, 3
957420335, nh-hoteles.es

Cosy and central
AC Hotel Córdoba, 115 €
Avda. de la Libertad
957768383, ac-hotels.com

Great atmosphere
Hotel Lola, 82 € a 120 €
C/ Romero, 3
957200305, hotelconencantolola.com

Historic
Hotel Casa de los Azulejos, 110 €
C/ Fernando Colón, 5
957470000

Luxury
Palacio del Bailío, 175 €
C/ Ramírez de las Casas Deza, 10-12
902254255, 957498993, hospes.es

Design-hotel
Hotel AC Córdoba Palacio, 115 €
Paseo de la Victoria, s/n
957760452, hotelaccordobapalacio.com

Cheap and cheerful
The Terrace Backpackers , 52 €
C/ Lucano, 12
957492966, HOSTELWORLD.COM

Hidden away
Parador de la Arruzafa, 80 €
Avda. de la Arruzafa, s/n
957275900, parador.es

Youth Hostel
Albergue juvenil
Albergue Juvenil de Córdoba, 25 €
Plaza de Judá Leví
957421428

Camping
Camping El Brillante 23 € a 25 €
Avda. del Brillante, 50
957403836

 Shop

---

Music store
Fuentes Guerra Discos
C/ Caño, 11
957475727, fuentesguerra.es

Bookstore
Universitas
C/ Rodríguez Sánchez, 14
957473304, libreriauniversitascordoba.es

Bookstore
Crash Cómics
C/ Duque de Fernán Núñez, 2
957481395

Wedding dresses
Basi del Río
C/ Eduardo Lucena, 3
957488251, basidelrio.com

Getting ready for feria
Trinitrán
Plaza de San Andrés, 5
957480387, trinitran.com

Ecological
Ideas del Mundo
C/ Claudio Marcelo, 7
957474880, ideas.coop

 Skyline

---

Mezquita de Córdoba
The third largest mosque in the world, declared a World Heritage Site, and astoundingly beautiful
C/ Cardenal Herrero, 1
958225226, mezquitadecordoba.org

Jewish Quarter
Travel into the past through the centre of the city

Gardens of the Alcázar of Cordoba
Gardens set on the banks of the Guadalquivir River
Campo Santo de los Mártires, s/n
957 420 151

Molino de Martos
With its Museum of Water this water mill is a great way to discover the ancient uses of the river
Paseo de la Ribera, s/n

Sinagoga
A temple in the centre of the Jewish Quarter which stands out for its Mudejar plasterwork

 Sports and spas

---

Getting sweaty
Centro Deportivo Aquazul
C/ Santa Victoria, s/n
957102628, centrodeportivoaquazul.com

Relax
Medina Califal
C/ Corregidor Luis de la Cerda, 51
957484746, hammamspain.com

Be adventurous
Centro Ecuestre La Loma
Escuela de equitación
Ctra. de Trassierra, km 2
957329120

Team sports
Palacio Municipal de Deportes Vista Alegre
Avenida Aeropuerto, s/n
957453200

Sports center
Polideportivo Guadalquivir‎
C/ Libertador Joaquín José Da Silva y Xavier, s/n
957760037‎

Golf
Club de Campo y Deportivo de Córdoba
Ctra. Córdoba-Obejo, km 9,2
957350208

 Museums and galleries

---

Contemporary
Arte 21
C/ Manuel María de Arjona, 4
957484741

Classical
Museo Bellas Artes
Plaza del Potro, 1
957473345, juntadeandalucia.es

New talent
Sala Aires
C/ Arguiñán, 2
957486328

New talent
Sala Cajasur-Reyes Católicos
C/ Reyes Católicos, 6
957482047

Julio Romero de Torres
Museo Julio Romero de Torres
Plaza del Potro, 1
957491909, museojulioromero.org

Customs and crafts
Museo Taurino
Plaza de Maimónides, 1
957201056

Customs and crafts
Museo Casa de Serafad
C/ Judíos (Esquina calle Averroes)
957421404

 Theatre and dance

---

Classic
Gran Teatro de Córdoba
Avda. Gran Capitán, 3
teatrocordoba.com

Independent
Teatro Avanti
C/ María Auxiliadora, s/n
957491166, teatroavanti.com

A little of everything
Teatro de la Axerquía
Av. del Conde de Vallellano
957760945

 Cinema

---

Mainstream
Multicines El Arcángel
Centro Comercial El Arcángel
Avda. El Arcángel, s/n
957750479

Mainstream
Guadalquivir Cinemas
C/ Libertador Matías Delgado, s/n
957421326

Mainstream
Cinesur El Tablero
Centro de Ocio El Tablero
C/ Juan Ramón Jiménez, s/n
957405259

In the center
Cines Finesar Alcázar
C/ Reyes Católicos, 15
957478992

Original version
The Film Archive of Andalusia
C/ Medina y Corella, 5
957355655, filmotecadeandalucia.com

Outdoor cinema
Coliseo San Andrés
C/ Fernan Perez de Oliva, 6

Outdoor cinema
Delicias
C/ Frailes, 10

Outdoor cinema
Olimpia
C/ Zarco, 14

 Transport

---

Eco
Blobject
Avda. Doctor Fleming, s/n
957760033, blobject.es

Car rental
Europcar
Glorieta de las Tres Culturas, s/n - Estación AVE-Renfe
957403480, europcar.es

Taxi
957764444

Bus
957764676

 Green zones

---

Meeting point of Conde de Vallellano with Paseo de la Victoria
The gardens known as Jardines de la Victoria, or "los Patos" (the ducks)

 Wireless

---

Universidad de Córdoba
Request password
957218200, uco.es

Centro Cívico de la Corredera
Request password
Plaza de la Corredera, s/n
957496882

Town Hall
C/ Capitulares, s/n
957499900, ayuncordoba.es

Córdoba University
C/ Alfonso XIII, 13
957218200, uco.es

Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía
Avda. Menéndez Pidal, s/n.
957010001

Emergency Medical Attention
061

Fire
957514080

Post office
C/ José Cruz Conde, 15
957496342

Local police
957520319

Ecologists in Action
957492359

24-hour pharmacy
Avda. América, 3
957472095

Video

By air
Ctra. Aeropuerto s/n. A 6 kilómetros
957214100, aena.es
Unfortunately there is as yet not a regular service, and the airport is used mostly for agricultural products and transporting organs for emergency operations.

By train
Glorieta de las Tres Culturas, s/n.
902240202, renfe.es

By bus
Estación de autobuses de Córdoba
Glorieta de las Tres Culturas, s/n
957404383