Cordoba in 2 Days: everything you need to know

If you are planning a weekend getaway to Cordoba or you are just passing through and have only 2 days to get to know the city, this article is for you. While Cordoba is a city with a huge variety of things to see and do, you will have enough time to see the main sights of the city and take the best of Cordoba with you.

You will get to know the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, the Alcazar of the Christian Kings, the Roman Bridge, the Calahorra Tower, the Viana Palace and much more. Here is an itinerary for you to organize your 2-day trip to Cordoba without missing anything.

You will only have to see the most iconic attractions on the first day of your stay in Cordoba to fall madly in love with the city and want to come back, but with the feeling of having known enough.

Visit the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba

The Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba is the first thing I recommend you to know about the city, as it could be defined as its main attraction.

It is one of the most visited monuments in Spain and when you get to know it you will understand why. Everything in it is amazing, the Patio de los Naranjos at the entrance, its imposing columns, the marked Umayyad art from the time of the Caliphate of Cordoba, along with elements of Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance style, make it a true work of art.

Considering that it is the most visited attraction in Cordoba and that you only have two days to tour the city, I advise you to avoid wasting time waiting in long lines to get in by purchasing your tickets in advance. I leave you with this article where you can learn more about this attraction and get your tickets for the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba.

Visit the Alcazar of the Christian Kings

After visiting the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, less than 10 minutes walking, you will arrive at the Alcazar of the Christian Kings which is the second most visited monument in Cordoba, after the Mosque and you should definitely include it in your itinerary.

It is a military building built by the monarch Alfonso XI of Castile in 1328 and as part of the historic center of Cordoba was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994. In its enclosure occurred several historical milestones such as the visit of Christopher Columbus to present his project that ended in the discovery of America.

It has an amazing architecture and is famous for its colorful and extensive gardens, fountains and ponds, but I also recommend you to visit the Moorish Patio and the Patio de las Mujeres and climb the Torre de los Leones, to have the best views.

Considering that it is one of the most visited sites, I recommend that you buy your tickets in advance to avoid the lines.

Take a walk through the Jewish Quarter

Once you finish your visit to the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, the Judería, an iconic neighborhood of Cordoba, originally inhabited by Jewish families between the 13th and 15th centuries and today one of the main attractions of the city, will be waiting for you a few meters away, which you will walk through in less than 10 minutes.

Every detail of this neighborhood is excellently preserved, its narrow cobblestone streets, its colorful courtyards decorated with a variety of flowers and all the history that permeates every corner is one of the things you will enjoy the most when walking around.

I recommend that you choose a guided tour to explore this neighborhood in depth, without missing anything and optimizing your time to the maximum. Here you can find all the information about the best tours of the Jewish Quarter to make your visit a success.

Lunch stop: recommendations

The Judería is a good place to grab a bite to eat and recharge your batteries before continuing with the day. There you will find a wide variety of restaurants serving typical Cordovan food and you can even enjoy some flamenco shows.

Personally, I recommend Casa Pepe De La Judería which is one of the best restaurants in Cordoba that offers a wide menu of typical food and is recognized for its excellence and quality, highlighted in the Michelin guide.

Another good option may be the Patio de la Judería which has a unique style. It is built on what was an 18th century manor house, all dishes are prepared with fresh, quality and local products and there are usually live flamenco shows.

Cross the Roman Bridge

After having something to eat in the Jewish Quarter, you will walk back a few streets towards the mythical Roman Bridge, which is located over the Guadalquivir River and currently connects the Cathedral neighborhood with the Campo de la Verdad neighborhood. It has a long history, since its construction dates back to the 1st century B.C. when Cordoba was under the rule of Augustus.

It is really admirable its good state of preservation and its exquisite Roman architecture. In addition, walking across this bridge you will be able to contemplate the best sunset you can imagine and you will have the most wonderful views of the river, the Mosque-Cathedral and the amazing flora and fauna that inhabits the natural reserve Sotos de la Albolafia.

Climbing the Calahorra Tower

Through the Roman Bridge, you will reach the Calahorra Tower which is another site that is part of the great historical heritage of Cordoba and is a must-see. It is a fortress of Islamic origin that since ancient times has been a symbol of control, defense and protection.

In the Calahorra Tower you can visit the Living Museum of Al-Andalus where you can take a journey through the culture of Cordoba in the Middle Ages and recognize the cooperation and coexistence of religions as diverse as Christianity, Judaism and Islam in one of the largest cities in Spain.

Keep in mind that touring the Museum will not take you more than 2 hours. And I leave you a special recommendation: take advantage of the unique panoramic view from the top floor of the Calahorra Tower. It will be a unique experience, since from there you will be able to appreciate another perspective of the Roman Bridge, the Mosque-Cathedral and the Alcazar of the Christian Kings.

To visit the Museo Vivo de Al-Andalus you must buy your ticket for about 4.5 euros and take into account the opening hours: Monday to Sunday, from 10 am to 7 pm throughout the year and in summer, from 10 am to 2 pm and from 4.30 to 8.30 pm.

To make the most of your second day in Cordoba, I recommend you start with a guided tour of Medina Azahara, have something to eat to recharge your batteries and in the afternoon visit the Palacio de Viana, the Roman Temple and finish at the Archaeological Museum.

Take a guided tour of Medina Azahara

On a trip to Cordoba, you can not miss a trip to Medina Azahara, one of the most recognized and important archaeological sites in Europe. It is an ideal complement to the tour of the Mosque-Cathedral, so you can understand what represented the splendor of Cordoba during the tenth century during the Caliphate.

It is located just 8 kilometers from Cordoba and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018. My recommendation is that to visit it you do some guided excursion from Cordoba, this way you can save time and get to know it in depth. Keep in mind that this site houses among its archaeological ruins a lot of history to tell and having the experience of an expert guide is a great advantage.

The excursions to Medina Azahara leave from Cordoba in the morning and will take about 3 hours. As for the price, it is about 17 euros per person approximately.

Visit the Viana Palace

After the tour of Medina Azahara I recommend you to continue your second day at the Palacio de Viana. It is located in the heart of the Santa Marina neighborhood and is one of the most beautiful and picturesque places in Cordoba.

It is a very luxurious 14th century residence that houses 12 Cordovan courtyards with a remarkable Islamic and Roman architecture that characterizes the entire city and its visit represents a great cultural, artistic and historical value.

Touring this palace is an incredible experience, you can relax while strolling through its courtyards, walk through the house and learn about its history, its museum, its renovations and the various owners it has had over the years.

If you plan to visit Cordoba in summer, you can visit the Palacio de Viana between 9 am and 3 pm from Tuesday to Sunday. The rest of the year, between 10 am and 7 pm. To save time and avoid queues, you can buy your tickets in advance on the official website for about 10 euros.

Traveller Tip

You can visit the 12 courtyards of the Palacio de Viana for free every Wednesday during the special opening hours from 2pm to 3pm in summer and from 2pm to 7pm the rest of the year.

Stop for lunch: recommendations

Near the Palacio de Viana you can take the opportunity to eat something to recharge your batteries for the rest of the day. You will have a good gastronomic offer of typical Cordovan food to enjoy.

I recommend some of the taverns in the area, such as Taberna Las Beatillas, one of the oldest in the city that preserves the spirit, art and culture of Cordoba in every corner.

Another option is to enjoy some Andalusian tapas at the Taberna San Miguel Casa El Pisto, which is located a little closer to the next stop which is the Roman Temple.

Visit the Roman Temple

After having something to eat, a few meters away from Palacio de Viana and about 10 minutes walking, you will arrive at the Roman Temple which will be the next stop in your tour around the city of Cordoba. It could be said that this temple was found by chance during an extension of the city hall in 1950 and it is a very imposing structure due to its enormous dimensions.

It is dedicated to the imperial cult and demonstrates the greatness of Cordoba in Roman times. It is made up of six main columns and two lateral ones and its state of conservation is really worthy of admiration. Some of its original pieces are exhibited in the Archaeological Museum of the city.

Strolling through the Corredera Square

A few meters from the Roman Temple you can find the Plaza de la Corredera and appreciate another of the classic sites of the city of Cordoba. It was created at the end of the 17th century and is considered the only rectangular main square in Andalusia.

Its history is very interesting, since over the years it had several uses, such as a prison, a stage for bullfights, a witness to the executions of the Inquisition and a market. It was also declared a historical and artistic monument.

Visit the Archaeological and Ethnological Museum

To conclude your visit to the city, you will walk about 7 streets from the Plaza de la Corredera and you will arrive at a site that can not miss, the Archaeological and Ethnological Museum of Cordoba, which is considered the second most important in Spain.

In this museum you will find a variety of pieces that correspond to the different civilizations that inhabited the city of Cordoba over the years and that makes it the ideal choice to review from beginning to end the history of the city.

You will find unique works of all kinds from the Roman, Visigothic and Islamic eras and you can learn a little more as you walk through the museum exhibits.

Please note that you will need to book your guided tour at least one day in advance on the museum's website and the approximate entrance fee is just over 1 euro.

I have excellent news for you: the tourist bus of Cordoba includes almost all the attractions I mentioned in this article and it will be your great ally to get to them. As you only have two days to tour the city, you will need to optimize your time and for that you will find this tourist bus with free stops.

With this option you will have 17 stops distributed in the main sites of the city and you will be able to move from one side to the other, using it as a means of transportation without spending too much.

In this way, all the attractions will be perfectly connected, you just have to pay attention to the stops and always have a map at your fingertips to guide you. You will be able to take advantage of it to tour the entire city, since you can get off at each of the attractions you want to know in depth and visit the main neighborhoods of Cordoba.

The ticket costs approximately 18 euros per person and you can book it for 24 or 48 hours, depending on your preference.