Like the Seville region, the province of Cordoba is landlocked, though that should not be a justification for the more adventurous traveller to not visit either for they both are entrancing. The region of Cordoba is split by the mighty Rio Guadalquivir on which lies the traditional city of Cordoba, set up by the Romans, though it flourished under the Moorish occupation and this is evident in the architecture found all over the city.
Built on a sharp bend of the stream which is crossed by the Roman bridge, the El Puente Romano, the city used to be a port. When the Moors were replaced by the Christians, the town’s beauty was left untouched and the Christian cathedral was built in the mosque, the Mezquita. The Mezquita goes back to the 12 century and symbolises the power of the Moorish Islamic influence on this area of Andalucia. Built in 785AD by Abd al Rahman, the mosque has been added to over the generations by both Christian and Islamic religions as they each controlled this area.
At the centre of Cordoba is the old Jewish quarter where tiny has changed in centuries, narrow streets and garden plazas, tapas bars and restaurants, a perfect area to explore and relax in the Spanish way. The bull fighting museum and the cool and refreshing fountains and gardens of the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos are definitely worth a visit both being open from Tues. to Sunday.
Move outside the city into the area of Cordoba, and you will find it quite unoccupied, most of the population live in the town itself while the remainder are spread out in this huge unexploited area. Summers here are dry and hot, so the best time of the year to go to is during the cooler spring and autumn months, where you may find villages that still hold on to their Spanish values, something that has virtually all but disappeared from the Costas to the south.
For more information about travel and useful tips for tourists, visit famouswonders.com and check out El Escorial.
