Blog One: Córdoba

Just before we left for our 8 days in Andalucia, a couple of folk mentioned to us that Córdoba was their favourite Spanish City. Could it really be better than Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Sevilla, Bilbao (the list goes on)?
A smooth and comfortable 50 minutes on the AVE Intercity train takes us from Málaga to Córdoba. We have to allow a little more time for each journey, as intercity trains require airport type security measures before boarding – suitcases, bags and anything else have to pass through the X-ray machines before you get onto the platform.
Our apartment is in a small but beautiful traditional Andalucian patio, with an attractive plant covered entrance courtyard. The interior of the flat is stylishly and imaginatively designed and decorated.
Location wise, it’s about 10 minutes’ walk to everywhere – the huge and famous Mesquida mosque/cathedral, the Royal Acazar Palace and the Arab Baths, the beautiful 12 courtyards of the Viana Palace, and only 5 minutes to a vast and buzzing square (Placa de la Corredera) full of bars and small restaurants.
For the first 5 days of our visit, the sun shines and temperatures are in the low to mid 20s. The Mesquida complex is vast and unusual, not least because its mihrab (the most holy Muslim shrine in the mosque) does not face Mecca – nobody seems to know why.
The Alcazar Palace has large formal gardens and boasts a long royal procession way, alongside its spectacular and cooling water sprays. So we are told anyway, on the day we visit the water is turned off and the water features have mostly been drained. Reminds us of the day 45 years ago when we visited the Palace of Versailles, only to find that the world-renowned Hall of Mirrors was covered in Windolene.
The water is turned on in the Viana Palace, which is just as well, as its proliferation of courtyards is festooned with potted and climbing plants. It seems to be a favourite place for local parents to bring their children to be professionally photographed in their Confirmation outfits.
As we are out and about in Córdoba, it becomes apparent that many tourists visit this historic and very walkable city, but that most of them are Spanish. This makes for a lovely atmosphere to go with the authentic and historic feel of Córdoba, which contrasts rather with Malaga (as we are to find out later).
It also means that restaurants tend to be good quality – the competition is fierce – and are manned by professional waiters who are smart and helpful. Fi’s dietary requirements are met without any difficulties and with a minimum of fuss.
On two of our five nights, we go to the restaurant Las Salinas, a traditional Spanish place which has been recommended by the lady who checked us in to the apartment.
For some reason, they take a shine to us and, on both nights, we are shown into a semi private room – Manolo’s Corner – which lies between the two larger dining salles. The Corner has some interesting artwork, including some soft nun porn, an antique clock and a small tv, in case you want to watch the football or the bull fight.
The food is huge and excellent – the biggest swordfish steaks we’ve ever seen – as is the wine, and both are very reasonable. About Euros 70 all in for an excellent meal in wonderful surroundings.
On the first night, Fiona spots a small replica of the Camp Nou and a ticket from the 2016 Champions League Final (Barcelona 3v1 Juventus) on the wall behind me. We spend some time preparing a sentence in Spanish to convey that I was formerly a Barca socio and that our family had witnessed Messi’s first goal in the Camp Nou.
Turns out the owner is a Real Madrid socio – can’t win ‘em all – but he remained the perfectly affable host afterwards!
We book a small flamenco show about 20 minutes walk away from our patio. Only 18 people are in the audience with tables grouped in front of a small stage. Naturally we are actually touching the stage, fulfilling Fiona’s constant desire to be as close to the action as possible.
At one point, it looks as though the female dancer might be about to plant her bum on Fi’s face, so close to the action is she sitting. I chivalrously offer to swap seats.
The male dancer is very unlike the almost stereotypically thin, wiry, moody and mean, dark and macho flamenco male. He is small, chubby, almost certainly gay, and flambouyant in a quite non-flamenco way, but he is a good dancer and the whole group are excellent.
They finish very abruptly, and we get talking to a couple of guys from Amsterdam, who agree that the show was brief (an hour including a 15 minute break) before our conversation turns to the effects of tourism on cities like Edinburgh and Amsterdam and other popular European spots. We all head off into the night feeling slightly short-changed time wise, but at 50 Euros all in for 2 people, including entry and drinks, we can hardly complain!
The threatened rain has finally arrived and it’s time to head off to the station for the AVE back to Málaga.

My dozen favourite images from our stay in Córdoba are included in the gallery below. Click on a thumbnail to see a bigger image. If you’re using a mobile phone, turn your screen sideways to see the bigger image to best effect.

Image Gallery