Most of what you want to see in Córdoba is in the old town, and one big sight, Medina Azahara, lies 8 km outside it. Here is what to see, starting with the Mosque-Cathedral.
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Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba: Guided Tour in 4 Languages
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Book tickets and tours →The Mosque-Cathedral: start here
Go in the morning, and cross the Patio de los Naranjos first. Inside, the forest of about 850 columns and two-tier arches comes before everything else. Then look up at the Renaissance nave that was built in the middle of the prayer hall, and find the mihrab, finished in 971. If you have the energy, climb the Bell Tower: the tower of today was built around the old minaret.
A visit with a guide takes about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. The Mosque-Cathedral page has the tickets, the hours and the free early visit.
The Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos
The Alcázar is next door, and it is a very different place. It is a fortress with four towers, courtyards, the Royal Baths, a hall of Roman mosaics and large gardens. It was the base of Isabella and Ferdinand during the war on Granada, and Columbus came here to ask for their support. Allow about an hour for a guided visit. See the Alcázar page for the hours, which change a lot between winter and summer.
The Jewish Quarter and the Calleja de las Flores
The Jewish Quarter is the web of old streets close to the Mosque-Cathedral. Walk through it after your visit, or join a guided tour that covers it. Look for the Calleja de las Flores, one of its narrow lanes, and take your time: this is the part of Córdoba to explore on foot.
The Roman Bridge
Cross the Roman Bridge over the Guadalquivir and turn around: from the bridge you see the Mosque-Cathedral rising above the river and the old town.
Patios and the Palacio de Viana
Each May, residents of the historic quarter open their patios for twelve days. It is the Fiesta de los Patios, inscribed by UNESCO as intangible heritage in 2012. In 2026 it ran from 4 to 17 May, and the dates of 2027 are not confirmed.
The rest of the year, see patios at the Palacio de Viana. It is a lived-in family house with 12 patios and a garden, full of the furniture and art that the families who lived there left behind between 1425 and 1980. From September to December it is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 19:00 and on Sundays and holidays from 10:00 to 15:00. In July and August it is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 15:00. Monday is closed, and we could not confirm the hours from January to June. You find guided tours of the palace and of the patios on the Mosque-Cathedral tickets page, in the nearby section.
Medina Azahara
Eight kilometres west of the city, Medina Azahara is what remains of the palace-city that Abd al-Rahman III began in 936. Only about a tenth of it has been excavated, but you can walk through the area of the reception hall, the terraces and the remains of the palace rooms. You start at the museum and go up by shuttle bus, and the whole visit takes 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours. See the Medina Azahara page for tickets, hours and directions.
One day, two days
With one day, start at the Mosque-Cathedral in the morning, walk through the Jewish Quarter, and then enter the Alcázar. Check the day first: the Alcázar closes at 14:15 on Sundays and holidays and at 17:30 on Saturdays, while from Tuesday to Friday it stays open until 20:15 in winter. A combined guided tour of about four hours covers all three.
With two days, give the second one to Medina Azahara in the morning, since it closes at 18:00 from Tuesday to Saturday and at 15:00 on Sundays in winter, and add the Palacio de Viana in the afternoon if it is open. On a Monday, the Alcázar, Medina Azahara and the Palacio de Viana are closed, so keep the Mosque-Cathedral and the old streets for that day.
