CORDOBA

I visited Cordoba for the first time with my dad and it was an incredible city break from Madrid. We took the train out - a mere two hour ride - and were there before we knew it. I had no idea what to expect except that it was like a mini Seville. I had never visited Seville either so I really had no bearing on what this trip would be like but hey, I was keen to explore.

As expected, Cordoba was a million times slower than Madrid which was very much welcomed. We stayed a block away from Cordoba Station at AC Cordoba which proved to be a really great location! We were only there for less than 20 hours and wanted something close to the station. It was perfect. Modern, small rooms, but hey, location is everything! We were around a 15-minute walk to town and all the major attractions which was more than manageable.

I can understand why many people choose Cordoba as a day trip destination from Madrid.

It’s only a mere two hour train ride away.
It’s a small city and everything is concentrated in the center of town.

Although small, Cordoba definitely has its own personality. A part of Andalusia, southern Spain is known for flamenco, bull-fighting, comfort food and abundance in Moorish architecture. It is also the most populated region in Spain as well. Cordoba, specifically, is most known for the Mezquita Mosque-Cathedral in the center of town and is an absolutely must-see. It may not look like much on the outside but once inside, you will be blown away from the Moorish design, dating back to the 12th century. An absolutely incredible sight that is not to be missed.

Besides the architecture, I believe the best part of the city is its food. The food here is so different than the other parts of Spain. There are lot more vegetables (which is great!) and many traditional foods are deep-fried. There are a lot of different savoury stews which remind me so much of home. The best dish, out of all, would be the rabo de toro - a rich oxtail stew that is so reminiscent of the Italian’s coda alla vaccinara.

Getting around Cordoba:

Walking - This town is small and walking is the way to go! Most of the attractions are concentrated in the center of town so being situated in a great hotel location would be key as you can literally walk everywhere! I can’t recommend anything else as I only roamed around the city by foot!

What to see in Cordoba:

Mezquita Mosque-Cathedral - This should absolutely be the number one thing to see in Cordoba. Even if you are sick of churches (like I am), you should still make an effort to see this masterpiece based on the architecture alone. There is an option to climb up the tower for 2 euros but since I came at closing, I didn’t quite have time for this! I’m sure the views at the top would be magnificent. Pro tip: visiting the church is free daily in the morning from 8:30 - 9:20am before mass. I had intended to do this but since I was already in the area the evening prior, just went ahead and visited while I was there.
Puente Romano - This old, Roman bridge is a beautiful site to see when in Cordoba. Look familiar? If you are a fan of Game of Thrones, you might recognize this structure from Season 5 as the Long Bridge of Volantis. You can walk on the bridge to the other side - the pictures are lovely from there as you can capture the walled city perfectly in your shot.
Mercado Victoria - This delicious food hall and market isn’t located right downtown, but it is certainly worth the five extra minutes out! An airy market featuring sun-drenched patios and a selection of various food vendors and stalls, it is a great way to sample Andalusian cuisine and wines.
The Walled City - Downtown Cordoba features beautiful walled structures that houses some of the oldest parts of the city. There are a plethora of restaurant, souvenir shops and more within the walls. I wandered on both days getting lost in the narrow alleys and streets.
Puerta de Almodar - This entrance to the city features a few cascading pools just outside of the walls of the city. It’s a great photo-op and gives you a great glimpse of what the city used to be like in medieval times. They did a great job of preserving this aspect of the city!
Patio de los Naranjos - The courtyard that sits just outside of the Mezuita Mosque-Cathedral is absolutely stunning. It is filled with an abundance of orange trees which isn’t only aesthetically-pleasing but cooling in the hot Cordoban heat! The courtyard is free to enter and is great place to take a break after visiting the cathedral.
Plaza de las Tendillas - The main square of Cordoba! Fountains, shops, restaurants and more! There is so much energy here and it reminded me of other European cities outside of Spain. Loved people watching here.

What to eat in Cordoba:

Rabo de toro - The oxtail stew I was telling you about earlier! This is a very popular Andalusian dish and can be found on most menus in the city. Tender pieces oxtail simmered in a tomato-based sauce. Don’t forget some bread so sop up all that flavourful sauce!
Berenjenas con miel - Thin pieces of eggplant that have been battered and deep-fried until crispy and drizzled with Andalusian honey. It may sound odd but I absolutely loved this dish! It was a perfect balance of salty and sweet.
Alcachofas con jamon - Loved this dish that I found at the Mercado Victoria. Stewed artichokes cooked in sherry and topped with jamon. Make sure you have a piece of crusty bread to dunk in that wine-drenched sauce!
Flamenquin - More deep-fried? You bet. Flamenquin is another traditional Andalusian dish consisting of pork rolled in jamon, breaded and fried until crispy. My dad and I loved this dish - so addicting and very flavourful! It’s not for the faint heart but it comes highly recommended!
Manitas - Pig trotters! My dad just had to order this dish and honestly, it was one of our favourites! Much like other Andalusian stews, this was encompassed in a flavourful tomato sauce. This was on-par with the rabo de toro, perhaps even better?! Loved the one at Taberna Gongora.
Jabali con tomate - They sure love their tomatoes here! Veal simmered in yet another savoury tomato sauce. Delicious and tender, it would really be hard to be vegetarian here in Cordoba!
Cogollas al ajillo - Need a break from meat? Try these grilled romaine hearts topped with fried garlic. It makes for a freshing salad or palate cleanser before your heavier meat-based tapas comes out.
Montilla-Moriles wines - Cordoba has their own selection of wines. Keep in mind that they only produce white and rose wines - no reds. They are wonderfully crisp and err on the dry side - a perfect accompaniment to all the heavy deep-fried dishes!. I tried a nice selection at Mercado Victoria.

Cordoba was well worth the visit. It is quite small so you can certainly manage to see all attractions in a day without being too tired. Heck, I even had time to shop and sip on a beautifully-made cortado the morning of my departure and watched local Cordobans go about their day. I especially loved the food here and can’t wait to recreate some of the dishes I had here! Thank you for the inspiration, Cordoba!

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