The Top 10 Things To See And Do In Crdoba During Spring

It’s often too hot during summer to explore Córdoba properly, so take advantage of the cooler spring temperatures to visit this beautiful southern Spanish city. Spring is also the time of year when Córdoba holds its Feria de los Patios, one of the most charming festivals in all of Spain.

FERIA DE LOS PATIOS

A house in Córdoba during the patios festival

Every May, Córdoba holds its charming Feria de los Patios, which celebrates the beautiful courtyards of the city’s oldest houses. This is one of the best times to visit, as all the patios (there are usually around 50 open to the public) are free to visit for the whole month. Prizes for the prettiest spaces are awarded at the end of May.

1. Palacio de Viana

Building

The star of the patios feria is the 15th century Palacio de Viana. Although you can visit the grounds of this opulent palace all year round, its thirteen courtyards and patios are particularly beautiful in spring, when their plants, flowers and trees are in full bloom. The palace itself contains some exquisite period furniture.

2. Medina Azahara

Ruins

Spring is the ideal time to visit the site of Medina Azahara (The Shining City), once the administrative capital of Moorish Spain. It was built in the mid-10th century, looted in 1010 and left abandoned for hundreds of years, until its ruins – which represent about 10% of the total – were discovered in the early 20th century.

3. Roman Temple

Ruins

The warm spring temperatures in Córdoba are perfect for visiting the ruins of its Roman Temple. It was discovered when the town hall was being upgraded in the 1950s, and the quality of materials used in its construction have led archaeologists to believe that this was one of the Roman Empire’s most magnificent temples.

4. Roman Bridge

Bridge

Take a springtime stroll over Córdoba’s elegant Roman bridge, which dates from the 1st century B.C. Extensively rebuilt by the Moors in the 8th and 10th centuries, it is supported by 16 stone arches, one less than the amount possessed by the original Roman crossing. The views from the middle of the bridge are wonderful, especially in spring.

5. Botanical Gardens

Botanical Garden

Camino_del_Real_Jardín_Botánico_de_Córdoba

Spring is the perfect season in which to visit Córdoba’s lovely Botanical Gardens. Occupying 300,00 square metres along the northern banks of the Guadalquivir river, they consist of a hothouse, an arboretum and two museums, one of which takes a fascinating look at our use of plants throughout the ages.

SANTA MARINA

At the heart of old Córdoba is the barrio Santa Marina, also known as the bullfighting neighbourhood. Take advantage of spring – before it gets too hot to walk about much – to explore this typically Andalusian area and its main sights, which include the Santa Marina church and a statue of the famous Cordobese torero, Manolete (1917-47).

SAN BASILIO

A house in San asilio during the patios festival

Also referred to as Alcazar Viejo, San Basilio is the most well-known part of Córdoba’s old town and home to many of the houses that participate in May’s Feria de los Patios. It is ridiculously beautiful in spring, when the flowers that adorn the facades of its old houses show their full colours. This is also where you’ll find the magnificent Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos.

FERIA

If you’re planning a trip to Córdoba in spring, you have the option of coinciding your visit with its annual feria, which is usually held late May/early June. A week-long party held on a fairground on the city’s outskirts, it’s one of the biggest ferias in Andalusia. The drinking and dancing takes place in individual marquees (casetas), most of which are open to everyone.

CALLEJA DE LAS FLORES

There’s no shortage of pretty streets in the oldest parts of Córdoba, but Calleja de las Flores (The Alley of the Flowers) takes some beating. This charming, flower-filled alleyway is especially attractive in spring, when the geraniums hanging on the houses’ whitewashed walls are at their best.

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