Did we enjoy our weekend last week in Cádiz, Ronda etc.? Yes !

Are there even more beautiful things in Andalusia to visit? Yes !

There is the Cathedral/Mosque of Cordoba (or Cordoba for Hispanics). This time, we are accompanied by a friend, who came to share a bit of world tour with us in Seville (yééé).

Part 1: Travel Diary
Part 2: Practical Tips

Part 1: Travel Diary

How to get there?

From Seville? By train. 33€ round trip in the day. 45mn trip.

The Cathedral/Mosque of Cordoba

Located in the heart of the historic center of the city, the Mosque of Cordoba is one of the most beautiful monuments of Muslim art in Spain. The mosque was erected by the Muslim Amir Abd al-Rahman I in^the year 785, on the remains of an old Visigothic church, the Church of San Vicente. The mosque was enlarged several times in the following centuries.

It is an old mosque converted into a cathedral. It is best known for its 800++ double-arched columns. There are always a lot of people inside so patience is needed to take a picture without a tourist.


I liked the columns but I liked even more the central part, where the cathedral is, erected within the mosque. Note: my pictures are all ugly, be indulgent! It’s 1000000 times more beautiful in real life.



Let’s turn around and see it! I stayed a good ten minutes to contemplate the details so much it seemed surreal to me.





Second surprise: the mihrab (which is used to show the direction of Mecca) is sparkling with color and gold. One understands better why it is a symbolic door to paradise.



This part is very dark, but we still manage to stay open-mouthed.



We visit other chapels (there are about fifty of them), we get lost easily… everything is beautiful beautiful, and very well preserved.



From the outside, you can see this:



The street in front of the cathedral is very lively and leads to other lively and touristic streets of the city. I really like the atmosphere and exploring the corners of a new city on foot.







We have lunch at the Tabernade la Tapa, where the menu (starter/main course/bread/drink) is 10€ (as in all local restaurants in Andalusia). We get our money’s worth because it’s not only delicious but also very consistent.

Alcázar of Cordoba

We then move on to the Palace (Alcazar) of Cordoba, where we have an impressive view of the city and the magnificent gardens of the Alcazar. It is very crowded but we only need 20mn of queue to enter (4,5€/person).



We then walk in the city, without goal or destination… the weather is very nice (but a little cold). It is already necessary to return to Seville!



 

Part 2: Practical Tips

Budget

58,7€ per person for one day (return within the day from Seville)

• Return train from Seville: 33€/person
• Bus Cordoba train station => city center : 1,2€/person (but you can walk too)
• Lunch : 10€/person
• Entrance to the cathedral: 10€/person
• Entrance to the Alcazar: 4,5€/person

Tips

• You can climb to the top of the cathedral tower, for 2€/person
• It’s better to take cash to pay the entrance to the cathedral, there are machines for that – otherwise you might have to wait in line to pay by credit card (only 20mn, but good).
• The city can be visited very well on foot and in one day.