3 DAYS

Cordoba
City Break

Mezquita, Jewish Quarter & Roman Bridge – Alcázar, Palacio de Viana & Flamenco – Madinat Al-Zahra

Day 1. Mezquita, Jewish Quarter & Roman Bridge

On arrival at Cordoba Airport, you will be welcomed by our chauffer and then transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day you will be free to explore this historic city in Andalusia, southern Spain, famous for its rich Moorish heritage and medieval streets. One of the city's main landmarks is the iconic Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba (La Mezquita), a breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage site featuring a vast prayer hall with a forest of red-and-white striped arches, initially established as a mosque in 785, later ordained as a catholic church in 1236. Following on from La Mezquita is a visit to La Judería, old Jewish quarter which sits next to the Mezquita (Mosque-Cathedral), full of narrow stone streets and white houses. After lunch at a local restaurant, your exploration should continue to the Calleja de las Flores, the famous flower-filled alley and the Roman Bridge, built in the first century BC to straddle the Guadalquivir River, it was seen In Season Five of the Game of Thrones TV series as The Long Bridge of Volantis. Evening should see you sampling the excellent local cuisine at one of the city's traditional restaurants.

Day 2. Alcázar, Palacio de Viana & Flamenco Show

After a buffet breakfast at the hotel, your morning will be taken up by a visit to the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, a fortress-palace with stunning Mudéjar gardens, located in the centre of the historic city it is part of the 'Historic Centre of Córdoba' that was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994. After lunch at a traditional Cordoba restaurant, your tour will continue to the Palacio de Viana, a renaissance palace famous for its twelve distinct courtyard patios, which seem especially magical in spring, its gardens and art and antiques collections. In the evening, you will enjoy Tablao Flamenco Arte y Sabores de Cordoba (The Art of Flamenco & Flavours of Cordoba), a show that combines live flamenco performances with a meal rooted in Córdobaan gastronomy, pairing the iconic art form with the region's culinary identity.

Day 3. Madinat Al-Zahra & Departure

After a buffet breakfast at the hotel, you take a tour of Madinat al-Zahra, which was a fortified palace-city on the western outskirts of Córdoba built in the 10th century by Abd ar-Rahman III, a member of the Umayyad dynasty and the first caliph of Al-Andalus, serving as the capital of the Caliphate of Córdoba and its center of government. It is a major archaeological site with only 10% of the site currently excavated. A dedicated museum was opened on-site in 2009. On completion of the Madinat al-Zahra tour, you will return to the centre of Cordoba for a wander round the local craft shops for last minute gits and souvenirs before taking a private transfer to the Cordoba airport for onward travel.

Must see

ATTRACTIONS

Tablao Flamenco Arte y Sabores de Cordoba

Options

ACCOMMODATIONS

Cordoba

★★★★★

Hospes Palacio del Bailio
Eurostars Palace Córdoba
Hotel Conquistador

★★★★

Macia Alfaros
Hotel Córdoba Center
Balcón de Córdoba

★★★

Hotel Seneca
Hotel Mestre
Hotel Maestro

Must try

FOOD

Salmorejo

Originating from Cordoba and sometimes known as ardoria or ardorio, this dish is a traditional soup, made of tomato, bread, extra virgin olive oil and garlic; the soup is served cold and may be garnished with diced Spanish ibérico ham and diced hard-boiled eggs.

Rabo de Toro

Originating in Córdoba, this rich comfort food, which dates back to Roman times and traditionally followed bullfights, this delicious stew is made by slow-braising oxtail in red wine, vegetables and aromatics until the meat falls off the bone.

Pastel Cordobés

A sweet puff pastry stuffed with angel hair (a type of pumpkin jam or sweetened spaghetti squash) and topped with sugar; the delicate, flaky layers of the pastry perfectly encapsulate the sweet, smooth filling; it can be enjoyed warm or chilled and it is typically served with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Options