Córdoba - Day 1
I’m so glad the rainy weather ended in time for our brief (overnight) visit to Córdoba.
Note, the correct way to say it is COR-doba, with the accent on the first ‘o.’ As a kid who grew up in the United States in the 1970’s, I had learned to pronounce the name wrong, thanks to those Chrysler ads starring Ricardo Montalban. The car was named after the city in Spain, but Chrysler wanted it pronounced Cor-DO-ba. (And how about that Corinthian leather? Montalban shares the amusing story HERE.)
Since it was just a 40 minute train ride from Seville, we arrived in Córdoba with plenty of time for a leisurely walk. The hotel was right near the train station, and from there, we strolled through lovely Victoria Park, stopping for a tasty lunch at Victoria Market.
We entered the gates to the historic center and walked through the Jewish Quarter, where the narrow cobblestone streets were lined with restaurants and souvenir shops. Our destination was the famous Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, an imposing structure that occupied an entire city block.
We toured the Mosque-Cathedral, which was phenomenal! (I wrote a separate post for it HERE.) Afterwards, we walked across the nearby Puente Romano (Roman Bridge), which spans the same Guadalquivir River that passes through Seville. The bridge was first built by Romans in the 1st century BCE, and reconstructed by Muslims in the 8th century. It was Córdoba’s only bridge across the river for two thousand years. From the far side of the river, we looked back at the “Historic Centre of Cordoba,” which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
After exploring the Mosque-Cathedral, we walked back through Victoria Park to our hotel for a rest. Later that evening, we walked back to the historic center and enjoyed an outstanding dinner at Restaurante Regadera. It was the perfect combination of ambiance, food, and service, and we fell in love with the place!
We had tickets for the night tour at the Mosque-Cathedral, so we didn’t stay for dessert. It was an informative tour, and we enjoyed experiencing that remarkable place a second time, walking through the various spaces as they were illuminated one by one. (Photos were not allowed.) We walked back to the hotel, our eyes, minds, and bellies full, feeling satisfaction and appreciation for a day well-spent in Córdoba.
