Córdoba is located in the south of Spain in Andalucía. As we can see in the picture below Córdoba is an inland city which means that it does not have a beach.
The climate is mild during the winters however, in summer the temperatures can easily reach 40 degrees and this makes it difficult to do outdoor activities during daytime.
Córdoba is located in the south of Spain in Andalucía. As we can see in the picture below Córdoba is an inland city right by the river of Guadalquivir and strategically situated 200 km from both the Mediterranean and Atlantic Sea.
The climate is mild during the winters however, in summer the temperatures can easily reach 40 degrees and this makes it difficult to do outdoor activities during daytime.
Cordoba is a city with more than 5,000 years of history,
Its origin dates back to the Calcolithic period (III/II millennium B.C.), reaching great moments of splendor as capital of the Roman Baetica province and the caliphate of al- Andalus.
Its location along the Guadalquivir River, next to Sierra Morena, made it a strategic settlement and a communication bridge between the South and the North of the Iberian Peninsula.
Cordoba is steeped in history – the Romans, the Visigoths, the Jews, the Muslim and the Spanish all left their distinct imprint on Cordoba, making it one of the most mesmerizing and interesting cities in Spain.
World Heritages sites
- Mosque and Cathedral
The legendary Mezquita became part of the world cultural heritage in 1984, its beauty is breathtaking from a the outside and also from the inside and it is absolutely unique because it incorporates architectural styles from seven centuries.
- The Cordoba Patios
Since 2012, the famous Cordoba Patios have been part of the intangible world cultural heritage, as well. The Patios, including the annual Patio Festival, is not simply a tradition or about its beautifully decorated gardens but is a celebration of the arriving of the spring and the month of May
- Palace Town of Medina Azahara
Finally, the ruins of ancient palace town of Medina Azahara, which is located in the outskirts of the city of Cordoba have been added to the world heritage list in 2018. Visiting this site is a unique experience as these ruins belong to an ancient city representing how life was here before.
- Historic City Center of Cordoba
In 1994, Unesco awarded the whole historic city center of Cordoba, surrounding the Mezquita, as world cultural heritage. This area is magical and cannot be compared to any other places because of the beauty and harmony offered by its small alleys, squares and architectural treasures.
Positives aspects of Córdoba
Generally speaking, that the quality of life in Andalusia is excellent due to the fact that the temperature from October to May is mild and there are many sunny days through these months which makes Cordoba a fantastic place to spend big part of the day outdoors doing exercise, having lunch on a lovely terrace or simply go for a long walk.
For that reason, it is quite normal to see that people of the city of Cordoba enjoy spending their free time in the streets
The only time to really avoid visiting the city is in August when Córdoba lives up to its reputation as the hottest city in Spain. This makes the inhabitants of Cordoba to leave the city in search of the beach.
Once in the city the cleverest thing to do is to park your car and visit all sites on foot. Cordoba is a small town and it is forbidden to enter its old town and the city center by car.
You will enjoy going anywhere on foot as this way you can discover its hidden streets, bars and small shops in the different neighborhoods.
The gastronomy of Cordoba:
It is almost imposible not to mention the delicious food of Cordoba when talking about the city. The gastronomy here in this region is based on the Mediterranean kitchen however, it offers its very own traditional dishes that you can only try when in Cordoba.
- Among these typical dishes we can find:
- Flamenquín de jamón which is a meat roll stuffed with ham and cheese and then fried in oil.
- Salmorejo which is one of the most traditional dishes, it is really similar to Gazpacho but its texture is thicker as Salmorejo has crumbs of bread in it.
- Potato Omelet which is quite well-known all-over Spain but very differently made in every region
Traditions and festivals of Córdoba
And last but not least we have to mention that there is a very strong sense of identity towards traditions and customs. This means that young people of Cordoba are very familiar with these customs and they all love to participate in the traditional events.
The fair of Córdoba is one of our most iconic celebrations in Córdoba. Imagine a huge out door space with many stands and huts where you can listen and dance to traditional folklore music, have drinks and eat typical Spanish food. This event brings together the province of Córdoba including people from the villages and their entire families.
Another brilliant festivity is Cruces de Mayo. This celebration takes place in the streets of Cordoba. There are several crosses made out of fresh flowers set up in the different spots of the city and obviously it is accompanied with a bar offering food, drinks and music.
Negative aspects of Cordoba
First of all, most buildings are built on a Roman layout which provides the basis for the current city. This means that there are archaeological remains everywhere and it is almost impossible to construct new building without coming across these remains.
On the other hand, it has to be mentioned that the most beautiful part of the city is the old town. Here the mobility is a little complicated. Due to the fact that streets are really old and narrow. On top of that some buildings and private houses need to be refurbished but because of the fact that the original structure of these buildings cannot be modified and should be conserved. They need big financial investment to solve this situation.
Another negative aspect is that Cordoba as a tourist destination is sold by the tour operators as a city of “one day visit” for that reason tourist do not spend the night here which is a great drawback for hotel owners.
In May however, Cordoba experiences mass tourism due to the fact that during this month there are several traditional events, the weather is excellent, not too cold neither too hot and there is a lot to do and see.
Local Strategies
In order to find a solution to all these problems the city hall is continuously working on different strategies. There are several of them but the most important ones are the following.
Discussion and debate seminar about the festival of Patios:
Last year a seminar was organized with the participation of the owners of the Patios and the Instituto Andaluz de Patrimonio Histórico (IAPH) discussing and debating about the importance of this unique festival.
As it was mentioned before the Festival of Patios is one of our most important intangible heritages, which means that it is not a site or a monument, it is a tradition, a festive event celebrated every year in May. Its importance is really big as this tradition gives identity to the inhabitants of Córdoba and represents how life was in the past in the typical old houses of Andalucía.
The aim of this meeting was to strengthen the and make this heritage better known among the tourists who visit the city.
Management Plan for the Historic District:
Another important local strategy is the management plan in order to harmonize the Old Quarter of the city. This part of Córdoba is another World Heritage Site but as it was detailed before it needs extra care and constant improvements to maintain its original and natural beauty. This is an extremely hard and complicated work since the city is based on a Roman layout and because of the archeological remains it is totally forbidden to modify the structures of the buildings or the surrounding streets. Shop and restaurant owners are not allowed to make changes on the fronts of their businesses in order not to ruin the harmony and colors of the historical center which should always remain an unforgettable experience to the eye.
Sustainable Tourism Plan:
Sustainability should always be priority when talking about tourism. The idea is to transform Cordoba into an excellent and sustainable tourist destination offering products that not only include cultural plans in the city but also plans in the outskirts of the city such as visiting the countryside and the villages of Córdoba. The province of Córdoba has much more to offer apart from its capital. Its small villages are basically the hidden treasures of the authentic Andalusian culture, history and gastronomy. If you really want to know about unique traditions, dishes and get an insight into how people live in the inner part of the South of Spain these are the places to be visited.
Recommendation
I would highly recommend visiting Cordoba for numerous reasons but specially because here you can dive in culture, enjoy the sunny weather, go out, eat out or simply get lost in the streets of the old town which take us to a totally different period of time.
Bibliography:
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