Planning a trip to Cordoba

Located in the center of Andalucía, Córdoba is a well-connected junction with high-speed rail links to several major cities, including Madrid, Sevilla, Granada, and Málaga. There are about 35 high-speed trains a day from Madrid, taking around 1 hour 45 minutes, operated by Renfe (tel. 91-232-03-20) and the private competitors Iryo and Ouigo. Tickets range from 22€ to 86€. Trains from Sevilla to Córdoba leave roughly every 20 minutes, taking 45–75 minutes, costing 14€–33€. From Granada, there are about 10 trains a day, taking around 1 hour 40 minutes, costing 30€–50€, and from Málaga about 18 a day, taking around an hour and costing 16€–35€.  The main train station is north of the old city at Glorieta de las Tres Culturas. Local buses 3, 4, and 5 run between the station and the historic center; a taxi will cost around 8€. Otherwise, it’s a 30-minute walk south, along Paseo de la Victoria.

Alsa (tel. 90-242-22-42) provides bus service to Córdoba from several cities, dropping passengers at the station on Glorieta de las Tres Culturas. There are seven buses a day between Sevilla and Córdoba, taking around 2 hours and costing 11€–15€ one-way, and six between Granada and Córdoba, taking 2 hours 45 minutes and costing 11€–18€.

Driving and parking in the old town is heavily restricted and it’s easy to pick up a fine. It’s best to avoid it altogether and find a parking lot outside the city walls. Parking la Mezquita, Calle Cairuan, 1, is a convenient option costing 18€ per day. Ask your hotel to stamp your ticket and you should get a discount when you pay.

Córdoba’s visitor center is an imposing modern block on Plaza del Triunfo (tel. 95-746-97-07), between the Mezquita and the river. It is open Monday to Saturday 9am to 6:45pm, and Sunday 9am to 2.15pm.

Cordoba's Layout

Córdoba is roughly divided into two different sectors, the Old City consisting of the Judería (Jewish Quarter) and the area around the Mezquita, plus the newer section with broad, tree-lined boulevards. The modern, commercial section of this thriving city extends from the railway station on Av. de América/Plaza de las Tres Culturas down to the Plaza de las Tendillas (more often called Plaza Tendillas), which is the heart of contemporary Córdoba.

Most of your time will be spent in the centro (historic center), which borders the Río Guadalquivir, the river that flows through Córdoba. From Tendillas square, a maze of narrow streets extends to the banks of the river.

Puente Romano, the Roman bridge, spans the Guadalquivir linking the "right bank" of Córdoba with the "left bank."

In the course of your visit to Córdoba, you'll inevitably come to a major city square called Plaza Campo Santo de los Mártires. Directly east of this square are Córdoba's primary attractions, the Mezquita and the cathedral. To the southwest of this square is the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos and the adjacent Jardines del Alcázar. These attractions are all many visitors ever see of Córdoba.

Barrio de la Judería is directly to the northwest of Campo Santo de los Mártires. Arabs and Jews once lived in harmony in this medieval quarter. About .5km (1/3 mile) of restored town wall runs beside a moat and gardens along Calle Cairuán at the ghetto's western edge. At the northern end of the wall you'll see a bronze statue of a former resident, the philosopher Seneca, standing beside the Puerta de Almodóvar, a gate that once protected the old quarter and that is even today the principal western entrance to the Judería.

From Puente Romano, you can walk along Ronda de Isasa, which becomes Paseo de la Rivera. This will take you to another cluster of attractions, including Iglesia de San Francisco, Museo de Bellas Artes, Posada del Potro, and Museo Julio Romero de Torres. These attractions center on another landmark square, Plaza del Potro.

Getting Around Cordoba

By Foot -- The historic core of Córdoba is relatively small, and the best way to get around it is to walk. In fact, many of its labyrinthine and cobblestone streets such as those around the Mezquita and in the Judería (the old Jewish Quarter) are pedestrian-only.

By Bus -- You can cover the relatively compact historic district on foot, but if you want to branch out to bordering areas, you can take a city bus. If you're staying on the outskirts, three main buses run into the historic core: bus nos. 1, 3, and 4. Most of our recommendations in the area north of the historic core can be reached by bus no. 4, 5, 11, or 12. For bus information, call tel. 95-740-40-40.

By Taxi -- A typical fare -- say, from the Mezquita to the train station -- can range from 4€ to 5€ ($6.40-$8) depending on traffic. Radio Taxi (tel. 95-776-44-44) has taxi stands at most busy intersections, including Avenida del Gran Capitán, Plaza Colón, Plaza Tendillas, Calle Cañero, Calle Ciudad Jardín, Calle Arcos de la Frontera, and Calle Agustín Moreno.

By Car -- Don't enter the complicated maze of streets in the Old Town with a car. You'll inevitably get lost and be unable to find parking. There are two small public parking lots outside the Old Town, one on Calle Robledo and the other on Calle Aeropuerto. Both are well positioned, well marked, and easy to find.

By Horse & Carriage -- Coches de caballo are for rent around the Mezquita and the Plaza de Alcázar, and this is the most romantic and old-fashioned way to see Córdoba. However, some of the alleyways in the Judería are so tiny that even carriages can't fit. You'll find specific stops at Calle Torrijos adjoining the Mezquita and Campo Santo de los Mártires next to the Alcázar. The actual price depends on a negotiation between you and the driver: Agree on terms before hopping aboard.