FREE Places to Explore in Córdoba
It pays to be old...
Last Wednesday we drove from our home in VRSA to Córdoba1, a city of 325,000, one hour east of Sevilla. We weren’t sure what to expect…we don’t do hours of research before getting in the car. But we came away thinking, it was a great getaway offering several FREE attractions.
How We Like to Travel
Three things are likely when we travel to a new city. The first is staying in an Airbnb in the center of town. We aren’t the sterile hotel room type of people. We like living “like the locals” (or at least thinking we are). Also, I am not a big fan of old city roads built for horses that now transport cars. So once we find a parking space we don’t intend to move the car until the moment we leave.2
We arrived in Córdoba at about noon. (Remember, Spain is one hour ahead of Portugal.) Our Airbnb host met us on a narrow street and led us to his underground parking space. Whew…glad that is over. He then led us to a traditional Spanish home with, a courtyard in the center with two floors of rooms on every side. This home has been in his family for over 300 years. The baby on the woman’s lap above was his grandfather. He had converted the house into a four-unit home. He and other family members occupied three of the units, and the door in the middle above was the entrance to our unit. Complete with a sitting room, small bedroom, and large bath…the kitchen was out to the patio and through the farthest door to the right.
Thirdly, as is our custom, we headed out to meet our free walking tour that started at 13:00. Our guide Ángel was a Córdoba native who learned English while completing his university studies at Oxford. His two-hour tour was complete with historical details, recommendations, and fun facts. Three of the four free stops we made over the next two days were because of his recommendations.
Mosque-Cathedral of Córdaba
We had purchased night tour tickets to the Mesquita-Cathedral de Córdaba before our visit. We participated in the tour at 21:30 the evening we arrived. When I mentioned this to Ángel he commented that the tour came with audio guides which helped one understand the history of the building.3 While scholars disagree on the origins of the site (some suggest that Christian Visigoths and Muslims once shared the space) the first phase of the mosque began construction in 785. Over the next 200 years, four additions were made, allowing approximately 15,000 to pray among its 856 columns. Córdaba was the capital of Muslim Spain.
That is until 1236, the Reconquista, i.e. when King Ferdinand III of Castile4 conquered the city. Immediately, the mosque became a Catholic church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. While, fortunately, the mosque was not destroyed, over time a large crucifix was placed in the center of the building, and alters, choirs, etc. were situated throughout.
We certainly enjoyed the evening tour and light show but were not allowed to take photographs during this visit. All of the photos above were taken the next morning. You see Ángel had told us that the mosque-cathedral was free from 8:30-9:30 each day. So the next morning we arrived at the site at 8:28. Clearly, others knew about this as a crowd had already arrived. But promptly at 8:30, the doors opened. We were free to move about and snap photos until our heart’s content. While we did leave after 60 minutes or so, I am certain there would not be any way for a guard to identify you and escort you out of the building as tours began at 9:30.
Another Alcázar
If you were with us last December, you may recall our visit to the Alcázar in Sevilla. Built upon Roman and Visigoth ruins, this Alćazar (Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos) sits side by side with Arabic remains. This building has served many purposes including a castle, headquarters of the Inquisition, and prison in the first half of the 20th century. Today one can visit magnificent gardens outside, and inside one can view incredible mosaic murals that have been painstakingly recovered beneath the plaster walls.
We first happened upon this building when looking for a luncheon spot along the river. But put off by the length of the line we decided to return later. After lunch, the line was still long but I remembered something Ángel had mentioned…a kiosk around the corner from the front entrance. We found the kiosk and plugged in our ages to find that the tickets were free. We selected a time and date, and the tickets were dispensed.
Other Free Museums
Just 2 blocks from the Alcázar we happened upon the Caliphal Baths, another free stop if you are over 65. Three Arabic baths were originally discovered by accident in 1903. However, unaware of their significance they were covered back over. Later, in the early 1960s, a group of researchers again unearthed this hammam … a place for cleansing before prayers and an important social meeting place.5
Finally, Ángel recommended another free (not just for seniors) museum to tour during our visit…the Archaeological Museum of Córdoba. Opened in 1965 in the former palace of the Páez de Castillojo family, the museum expanded in 2011 to include a modern building built above a Roman theatre. Somehow the new and the old perfectly complement one another, providing a relaxing environment to view its many displays.
Bom Ano Novo, até à próxima semana,
Nanc
Total drive time 3 hours.
So why you may ask, don’t we take public transportation? Unfortunately, Portugal is not as well connected by rail to other European countries. Yes, we could get there. We could take a train to Tavira or Faro, then board a bus to Sevilla, then take a train to Córdoba. Total trip time 5+ hours.
Several guards ensure that everyone moves as a group from place to place within the facility as areas are lit and then dimmed. Photographs are not allowed, or frankly possible, as the crowd moves through.
I’ll write more about this in a future post.
This should not be confused with commercial bathing establishments in the city. During our visit, Denise enjoyed the baths and a deep tissue massage at Hammam Al Andalus.
I love reading about your travels! Now I want to go here too!
traveling virtually in your footsteps. happy new year!