Cordoba (city)

From World travel guide

Cordoba is a city in the province of Cordoba in the region of Andalucia in Spain.

Contents 1 Get in 1.1 By train 1.2 By bus 2 Get around 3 See 4 Do 5 Buy 6 Eat 7 Drink 8 Sleep 9 Get out

Get in

By train

Hourly very fast (but expensive) AVE trains from Madrid (1 hour 45 minutes) and Seville (45 minutes). Also a few slower (and cheaper) ones from both and to Granada and Malaga.

By bus

Regular buses from almost every city in Andalucia. Also regular bus services from Madrid departing from "Estación Sur" (around 5 buses per day).

Get around

The area with the most to see is around the Old City. every thing is in walking distance, (train station, bus station, shopping area, tourist sites, restaurants, bars, etc). The typical tourist can do with the standard tourist map that can be obtained from the tourist offices. (one on the east side of the Mezquita-Cathedral and the other between the Alcázar and the city walls). Orientation is provided by the river, Plaza de las Tendillas and Passeo de la Victoria. The area around the Mezquita-Cathedral is crammed with places to stay, eat and buy souvenirs but its a bit too touristy, more interesting things are to be found wandering to the east of the Mezquita-Cathedral.

See

• The Mezquita - a beautiful cavernous Moorish Mosque with a Cathedral built inside. Andalucia.com - Mezquita A must see.(8 Euro, free from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m.)
• Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos - Castle of the Christian Monarchs with beautiful gardens
• Puente Romano - Old Roman bridge over the Guadalquivir, 'Torre de la Calahora' at the opposite end
• Medina Azahara - Ruins of the capital of the Western Caliphate, built beginning in 940. Approximately 5km west of town. (The tourism office currently runs a bus at 11:00 a.m. for 5 Euro.)

Do

• Semana Santa (The Week Before Easter) - Processions throughout town involving scenes from the life of Christ, bands, and penitents. Approximately six processions each night from 6 p.m. to midnight.
• Vision Walking Tours - An excellent walking tour of the old city, Alcázar, Synagogue, and Mezquita. steep at €27 (no reductions) but worth it. (includes entry to buildings).
• Cordoba Feria - Last week in May, a huge fair of drinking, eating, and not working. Flamenco music. Highly recommended for fun.
• Hammam - Arabic baths - Just 5 minutes walking distance west of the mosque there is a modern Arabic bath, recreating the antique ones. During the golden times of the western caliphate Cordoba was said to have more than 400 hundreds baths. The atmosphere in this one is delicious and a session of two hours (including a massage) can be a relaxing experience. - Hammam (only in Spanish)

Buy

The main shopping area is around the Plaza de las Tendillas. More interesting shops can be found to the east.

• Sukia - cocktail shop, Cuesta Luján 4. (between Plaza de las Tendillas and San Fernado), 95749051, Really cool shop. Its sells Kitch, be it in clothes, music, decorations form, if its Kitch from the 50's 60's or 70's its here.

Eat

• La Gusa, C/ Diario de Córdoba, 18 (Near ruins of the Roman temple), 957491123 (amparo@restaurantelagusa.com), [1]. Every Day 2PM-1AM. A refreshing twist on traditional Spanish cooking. Relaxed cool atmosphere and unusual flavours.
• Bodegas Campos, Los Lineros, 32 San Pedro, 14002 Cordoba Website. Open traditional Spanish hours. Classic Cordoba place to eat. Historical building and famous for people who have visited. Food is fantastic. Can be $$.
• Amore Bona Pasta, C/ Reyes Catolicos, 17, 14001 Cordoba, +34 957484848 Website. Fantastic pizza and pasta at $-$$ prices. Try the Pasta Carbonara, very nice. Pizza was great as well.

Drink

• Casa El Mala Cara, C/. Esquita. Almodóvar/Judíos,2 (at the edge of the old Jewish Quarter beside the Pta. Almodóvor) 665 098 233 - 656 638 045 (casamalacara@hotmail.com). A tiny bar with some nice tapas. Reasonably priced.

Sleep

• Hotel Macia Alfaros Website. Great hotel with old town central location. Walking distance to central plaza, shopping, archeology sites, drinks. Reasonable rates, excellent for business travel.

Get out

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