Touring Southern Spain
Before I decided to embark on my tour of Southern Spanish cities I spent a considerable amount of time on Google maps trying to determine which would be the best route to take as I didn’t really relish the idea of having to travel for too long with the children. Car journeys with my brood can be hard work as they love to bicker. The closest city to Seville that I wanted to visit was Cordoba which was over an hour and a half drive away so that is where we went next.
I booked us a lovely 3 bedroom apartment from Booking.com. It is my go to website as I find it easy to navigate and always choose accommodation which has been rated highly by other guests. It also allows you to see which attractions are nearby on a map, which is always useful as I prefer to stay quite close to the sites I need to visit, especially as I have to think about the needs of my special needs child. I also made sure all locations we stayed in offered parking as we were travelling in a van. The apartment was centrally placed and had a supermarket and shopping centre nearby. The host was also very friendly and gave us information on where to find halal food.
The first place we visited was the Madinat al Zahra, the ruins of a vast fortified Andalus palace city built by Abd-ar-Rahman III. It took 25 years to build but existed for a mere 65 years. After that it lay for nine centuries, forgotten. Following 80 years of excavation work, a tenth of the Medina has been excavated.
It is a window into the world of how the Muslims lived and ruled in Andalusia and situated on the outskirts of Cordoba it is definitely worth paying it a visit. It is closed on Mondays and the car park is situated quite a distance away, at the bottom of the hill. We travelled in our own car but there are regular shuttle buses that take you from the carpark to the Medina. It is free to visit the Medina for EU citizens but you must pay 2-3 Euros per person for the shuttle bus. It is quite difficult to get to by public transport but you can book guided tours or there is a dedicated bus service that leaves from Cordoba city centre.
The Great Mosque Cathedral of Cordoba
No visit to Cordoba would be complete without visiting the grand mosque/cathedral of Cordoba. I booked the tickets in advance as we were travelling in July and I knew it would be busy. I wasn’t able to book the tickets from the official website as it did not allow that option at the time, so I decided to use Getyourguide.com and we had a lovely tour guide meet us at the mosque who explained all about its history which was fascinating. You can also buy tickets on the day from the kiosks at the Mosque/cathedral. If you love Moorish architecture then this mosque is a great example of it.
Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos
Just an 8 minute walk from the Great mosque lies The Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs. This impressive fortress was the residence of the Roman governors and Moorish caliphs, and in 1328 it became the home of the Spanish kings when they were in Cordoba.
The gardens of the Alcazar are absolutely beautiful and a sight not to be missed. We loved wandering through the gardens and I would highly recommend visiting. We bought tickets on the day but they can easily be booked in advance via Getyourguide.com or Trip advisor, with the option of having a guided tour. Tickets on the day cost 5 Euros for adults and there is the option to buy an audio guide to learn more about the history of the fortress. It does not take too long to explore the inside but it does house several ancient artefacts and Roman mosaics. The views from the tower are excellent but the gardens are the real jewel of this place and you could easily while away a few hours there.
Halal food
There are also several halal takeaways and restaurants in Cordoba which serve Pakistani, Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisine. We found a little Pakistani takeaway which was very reasonably priced and served good food.
Baths of the Caliphate
The next morning we visited the Baths of the Caliphate. They are situated a 5 minute walk away from the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos and a 6 minute walk away from the Mosque/cathedral of Cordoba. They are all based in the historic centre of the city which was declared a World heritage site in 1994. Parking is limited in the area and cars are not allowed to drive through the historic centre so we made sure we researched where the closest carpark was and used Google maps to find our way there. There is a website Elparking.com which shows you carparks in the area where you can park, how far it is to walk and how much it costs. You also have the option of booking in advance. Unfortunately parking in Cordoba is not free and you do have to pay.
As you enter the Caliph’s baths you are escorted to a seating area where a video is played to explain about the history of the baths, what they looked like and what each room was for. The baths were constructed in the 10th century under the Caliphate of Hakam II for the enjoyment of the Caliph and his court. Cleanliness plays an important role in Islam and so the baths were used for cleanliness but also as a place where men could relax and socialise. They provide a fascinating insight into the way the Muslim Emirs lived and also show the architectural genius of a bygone era.
The Roman Bridge
As the day went by we took a walk across The Roman Bridge, it was only a short 5 minute walk from the Caliphal baths and the grand mosque. Every visitor who visits Cordoba must take a walk across the bridge. It is especially nice to walk across it in the evening when the lights are lit up.
We spent 1 night and 2 days in Cordoba and managed to see all the sites we wanted to see. Our next stop was Granada.
Noreen Roams 