Once the capital of Muslim Spain: the Mezquita, an 8th-century mosque with a forest of red-and-white arches and a cathedral built in its middle, the old Jewish quarter and its synagogue, the Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs and the Roman bridge over the Guadalquivir. In May the patio festival opens flower-filled courtyards to visitors. 45 minutes from Seville and under 2 hours from Madrid by high-speed train, so often a day trip, but a night lets you see the lanes empty. One of Spain's hottest cities in summer. Salmorejo, the cold tomato cream, is the local dish (ask for it without the ham topping).
Highlights
- The Mezquita's arches and mihrab
- Bell-tower climb
- Jewish quarter and the Synagogue
- Alcázar gardens
- Roman bridge at dusk
- Flower-filled patios (May festival)
- Medina Azahara caliphal city
Things to do
- Mosque-Cathedral (go at opening)Morning · 2h
- Jewish quarter, the Synagogue and the Flower LaneMorning · 2h
- Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs and gardensAfternoon · 2h
- Roman bridge and Calahorra tower at sunsetEvening · 1h 30m
- Medina Azahara caliphal cityMorning · 3h 30m
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: March – May, October – November
Worth knowing
Summer Heat in Andalusia and Castile
July and August inland are fiercely hot: 38-42 °C is normal in Seville and Córdoba and heatwaves pass 45 °C; Madrid, Toledo and Granada reach the high 30s. Sightsee from opening time until about 13:00 and again after 19:00, rest in the afternoon as the Spanish do, carry water, and book rooms with air-conditioning. Many sights open early and late in summer; the coast is cooler. June and September are hot too.
- Holy Week (Semana Santa) — In Andalusia the week before Easter is a week of processions: brotherhoods in hooded robes carry great floats of Christ and the Virgin through the streets, day and night, to drums and trumpets. Seville's and Málaga's are the most famous. The old towns are packed and some streets impassable, rooms cost double and sell out months ahead, and many sights change their hours.
- Córdoba Patios Festival — For about two weeks in early May, Córdoba's families open their flower-filled courtyards to visitors, free, in a competition for the best patio. Queues form at the famous ones: go early or late in the day. Rooms fill, especially at weekends.