Cordoba

Mezquita - the Great Mosque

We drove from Seville to Cordoba on a Saturday morning for the second stage of our Andalucian tour.  The exit from Seville was no easier than the arrival had been and we did a lap of the city before hitting the Urbana Norte and road to Cordoba. By perchance we were able to pass the amazing bridges and modern architecture that are the legacy of Expo 1992. It made us realise that public transport is definitely the way to travel to and from Seville. 

We stopped at the sleepy town of Almodovar during the journey, which allowed us to see a Moorish fort and have a drink in a local cafe where serious dominoes were being played. Cordoba was not far and we were there in the early afternoon, finding accommodation in a small family-run hotel near the city centre. We dropped our bags and took to the streets and we were instantly captivated by the narrow pedestrianised area of Juderia.

Tapas and sherry in a small wine bar seemed a good way to start the excursion and for the next three hours, we walked around fascinating areas around the Mezquita. We returned to the city centre which was dominated by chain stores and lacked the charm of Seville. An evening meal in a rooftop restaurant in Juderia was a perfect end to the day and the only downside was the arrival of rain and head cold which meant a restless night. The next morning looked like any Sunday morning in the UK, with wet streets and people staying indoors.  We had the place to ourselves and after breakfast, we went to the equestrian show in the Royal Stables.  It was surprisingly entertaining but as we left the heavens opened and for the first time since arriving in Andalusia we retired to the hotel to read.

Despite being a World Heritage Site and contender for the European City of Culture, Cordoba lacked the vitality and edge that was so evident in Seville but an evening meal in a bar near the university confirmed the impression that this was a safe and pleasant place to live or to study.  We visited a Moroccan tea house late in the evening and walked back at midnight through the empty rainswept streets.  The next morning we visited the Mezquita first thing and were amongst the first visitors, it was a strange experience to find a cathedral erected in the middle of the massive impressive Mosque.  This was our lasting impression of Cordoba before we headed south through the impressive countryside before the Sierra Nevada and then Grenada hove into view.

Cathedral in the Mosque

Juderia

Ole

Andalusian Equestrian Show in the Royal Stables