A Weekend in Cordoba Spain
By Anna Lynn Sibal
There are some visitors to Spain who skip Cordoba on their tour of the country because they seem to have this notion that Cordoba is too provincial. Nothing, however, is farther than the truth than this idea. Cordoba may not be as vibrant or as cosmopolitan as Madrid or Barcelona, but it is nonetheless a city in Spain that has a character truly its own. A weekend spent in Cordoba can be made into something truly memorable.
How best can you spend a weekend in Cordoba?
Here is a suggested itinerary.
Wander about the city. Cordoba is a moderately sized city which can be easily explored by walking. It has many streets and squares that are tucked away in unexpected corners but are definitely worth seeing.
One such street is the Calleja de las Flores, or the Alley of Flowers. It is said to be the most lovely and picturesque of all the streets of Cordoba, with its whitewashed walls and its profusion of flowers seeming to come from a scene straight from a postcard.
The Tendillas Square is another such discovery that you may make when wandering about the city. It is a good place to relax, especially if you have been exploring the Jewish Quarter. The calm quiet of the place, as well as the many fountains in the area, can help the mind rest and the body cool down.
Visit places of religious significance. Spain may be a Roman Catholic country, but Cordoba is a place where Catholic influences share space with the Jewish and the Arabic remnants of the city’s past.
The Mezquita is one such example. Famous for being the largest place of worship in the entire world and praised for its gigantic yet beautiful red-and-white arches, the Mezquita was once a mosque. It was commissioned by Abd al-Rahman I, and it took 200 years to complete. When Cordoba was conquered by the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Mezquita was then converted into a Christian cathedral. A Renaissance cathedral that was built later actually stands in the middle of the Mezquita complex.
Another example is the synagogue in the center of the Jewish Quarter. It is one of the three remaining ancient synagogues in Spain out of what used to be a dozen. Though this building is small, it is remarkably beautiful, decorated in the Mudejar style and engraved with inscriptions in Hebrew.
Relax in the gardens. The gardens of Cordoba are among the major attractions of the city. Foremost of these gardens are those found in the Alcazar de los Reyes Catolicos, where the arrangement of the plants, trees and flowers, as well as the fountains and the basins, are all picturesque and whimsical. One can spend hours here just soaking in the beauty of nature in this garden.
Another garden worth visiting is the Cordoba Botanical Gardens. It is a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city center, with its tree groves, its rose gardens and the sections dedicated to plants native to the Mediterranean region and to the Canary plants. The Botanical Garden is also home to the ethnobotanical museum, the only one of its kind in Spain that is devoted to illustrating the relationship between humans and plants.
And before you go back home, make sure that you sample an Arabic bath in Cordoba. It is a delightful and refreshing experience.
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