The Patios of Cordoba are a multi-coloured bonanza of pots and plants. Tucked down alleyways and backstreets they offer a beautiful escape from the sun on those hot Spanish afternoons.
LAST UPDATE: 21 Nov 2023
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We have the Romans to thank for the patios of Córdoba. Founded by General Claudius Marcellus between 169 BCE and 152 BCE, Córdoba was – in its early years – the favoured conquest of a Roman empire expanding into Spain. But, after picking the wrong side in the civil war, Córdoba was sacked by Caesar to pay for the allegiance it formed with Pompey.
What was a bruised town thanks to vengeful Caesar, later became a building site for the new emperor Augustus. He made it a Colonia Patricia, built the walled perimeter and dished out generous land to war veterans. A housing boom was underway in Roman Córdoba.
MUSLIM INFLUENCE ON THE PATIOS OF CÓRDOBA
Due to the hot dry climate, the Roman style was imitated. Houses were built around a central courtyard with a well or fountain in the middle to collect rainwater.
When the Muslims captured Córdoba in 711 CE, they continued the tradition of the patio, adding an entrance from the street and filling the patios of Córdoba with plants to add an element of lush coolness.
This Roman/Muslim fusion lives on today with the courtyard (patio in Spanish) being the central feature of both house and palace. Never to be outdone by predecessors, the Christians added their own flair to the city by constructing the ostentatious Castle of the Christian Monarchs shortly after they conquered Córdoba in 1236.
No visit would be complete without seeing the influence of Roman, Muslim and Christian heritage through their gorgeous patios and gardens – one of the many interesting things to do in Córdoba.
With the scent of jasmine and orange blossom wafting in the air, strolling around the colourful streets and popping into the patios of Córdoba is the perfect way to earn that late afternoon glass of fino.
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LAST UPDATE:
21 Nov 2023
IN THIS GUIDE
THE PATIOS OF CÓRDOBA
01 – PALACIO DE VIANA
02 – LA CASA ANDALUSÍ
03 – SAN BASILIO
04 – ALCÁZAR
1 – PALACIO DE VIANA
Of all the patios of Córdoba, Palacio de Viana is probably the finest. Built in the 15th century, Palacio de Viana originally stuck to the Roman rules with a single courtyard in the centre of the house.
But, after 5 centuries of expansion by the previous 18 owners, Palacio de Viana is now a sprawling palace that has slowly engulfed its neighbours. With a whopping 12 courtyards and a garden, it’s a great place to start a tour of the patios of Córdoba.
The patios at Palacio de Viana range from formal hedged symmetrically pleasing designs, to pot-filled colourful nooks. Thanks to the Arabic-Hispanic roots, water plays a key role in the look and feel of many of the gardens.
Orange trees create a sense of Moroccan allure, while sculptured cypresses provide that dignified regal atmosphere you get after 5 centuries of entertaining royalty. Intricate mosaics, inviting blue doors, and interesting features all combine to create a beautiful atmosphere.
If you have some flexibility in your Córdoba itinerary, Palacio de Viana is free Wednesday afternoons. More information is in our guide on the best things to do in Córdoba.
2 – LA CASA ANDALUSÍ
Located in the Jewish Quarter, La Casa Andalusí is a step back in time, reflecting the glory days of the Caliphate.
It’s a beautiful house/museum which contains one of the smallest patios of Córdoba, complete with water features and beautiful mosaics. Inside the house, there is a scale model of one of the first paper factories.
This Chinese invention moved to Baghdad then across the Islamic Empire and entered Europe via the caliphate in Spain. This mix of cultural influences is one of the many reasons a summer holiday in Spain is so rewarding.
The house is full of Moroccan trinkets, books and exhibits that are interesting to inspect. A number of corners are covered in intricate Visigothic bas-relief, left over from the Germanic tribes who sacked old Imperial Roman cities.
The basement has remnants of the tunnels that ran under the houses in the Jewish Quarter and out under the city walls.
3 – SAN BASILIO
The patios in the San Basilio area are all part of privately owned houses with their garden oases on show for public pleasure. A ticket for €5 provides access to 5 great patios of Córdoba. Your ticket is often personally stamped by the owner on the way in, nobly standing proud as punch at the entrance to his realm.
On our visit, number 5 was locked for some reason, but we made a bit of a racket out the front and the owner let us in. This worked beautifully for us because we were the only people in his little courtyard; no busloads of tourists to get in the way of our shots.
There are a number of free patios in the area you can pop your head into as well.
The walls of the patios are covered with small plant pots which look like they require some diligent watering from dedicated owners. And they’re happy to do it.
Each year patio owners compete in the coveted Courtyards and Crosses competition which takes place during the Patio Festival in the first week of May.
All the patios are free during the festival and best enjoyed with a glass of fino from the nearby Montilla-Moriles region.
4 – ALCÁZAR OF THE CHRISTIAN MONARCHS
After conquering Córdoba, the Christian Monarchs set about building an impressive palace to house themselves. The Alcázar was built in 1328 on top of previous Roman, Islamic and Visigoth Ruins. Acting as both fortress and palace, it was the favoured home of many Christian Kings. It is also infamous for serving as the headquarters of the Spanish Inquisition in 1482.
The interior doesn’t have much to see, except for a few mosaics and a weird chapel. A climb up to the tower, however, is well worth it for the great views of the Alcázar’s showpiece: the stunning gardens.
While it may be a push to call these gardens on of the patios ofCórdoba, the expansive grounds consist of large ponds framed by extremely well-maintained trees. With the water features, excessive use of marble and beautiful mosaics, the whole compound has a spectacular grandeur. Most probably just what the Christian kings were going for.
Like Palacio de Viana, the Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs also has a free period. See all the details in our Córdoba guide.
POPULAR TOURS IN CÓRDOBA
There’s a host of fantastic things to do in Córdoba. Here are some great tours to help you get acquainted with this Andalucían gem. For more information read our guide to Córdoba.
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ANDALUCÍA
Wow, I wish I’d read this before I’d visited Cordoba 10yrs ago!
Well, it sounds like it’s time for another visit!
This is a fantastic site , it makes our overseas holiday planning so much easier with all the detailed information. Thanks so much anywhereweroam.com .
Thanks Simon, glad you found it useful. Good luck with the planning!
Thanks for this. The patios look incredible. Can the ones you’ve highlighted be done in a day (say as part of a walking tour). If the answer is yes, then, most importantly, where should I have lunch?
My pleasure. Yes, you can do them all in a day fairly easily. We’ll have an itinerary coming out in the next couple of days, so stay tuned for that. You should have lunch at Puerta Sevilla (puertasevilla.com); they have a lovely outdoor patio by the old wall, cheap food, very cheap fino, and slightly gruff service. Perfect!
Cordoba looks incredible!!!! Looks like another destination for my bucket list!!!!
It is well worth a trip. Great value and great sites.
I’m a keen gardener and find this very inspirational. I’ve never been to Cordoba but have always wanted to, to see the cathedral, but I didn’t know about these gardens. I’m also very interested in garden history and how Roman, Muslim and modern western gardens have so much in common in terms of their origins and development. So I hope you can bring this to a wider audience so more people can learn about an experience this. Keep up the good work!
Thanks a lot for that. Cordoba is indeed a great place to visit. Not only are the patios and courtyards great (best visited in April/May) but the Mezquita and Medina Azahara tell a story of when there was an enlightened Islamic Caliphate ruling from the city. We will have a post on this coming out tomorrow. Also the city is pretty cheap, like much of inland Andalucia, and the food great value for money. It is a great destination.
I had never thought about going to Cordoba but it looks amazing!! I must add it to my ever increasing list of places to visit How many days would you suggest spending here?
You should add it to your list if you get the chance, it’s a very interesting place. We’d suggest 2 full days to see everything. We’re about to put out our 48-hour itinerary so stay tuned for that.
Fascinating write-up. I’m definitely adding it to my list.
I love the fresh and distinctive perspectives you guys have. So much history underlying the natural beauty.
Thanks a lot. It’s a great destination for the list, so many interesting historical periods to explore.
Like others who have commented I never thought of visiting Córdoba . . . Until now! It looks so beautiful and peaceful. Your writing is so evocative that it really brings your experiences alive.
Just a thought . . . I have a week off in July and I’m planning to spend some time with my Mum. Do you think July would be too hot to do the 48 hour itinerary in Córdoba that you mention?
It will be pretty warm! Depends how you and your Mum handle the heat. The best time to go is generally April/May or October/November. But you could always do your sightseeing early in the morning, have a siesta, then start again in the early evening!
Like the others I’ve never thought of (or sadly heard of) Córdoba. Thanks for unlocking a wonderful looking new adventure. Unfortunately most of my travel these days involves the added complication of children. Apart from ruining g the serenity, is Córdoba a good place to take kids?
There’s plenty of places they could ruin the serenity in Córdoba. The palace has fantastic gardens and sure they’ll love running around in, plus there are Flamenco shows they’d probably get a kick out of. They have finely dressed horses to cart tourists around in, however, the poor things are sitting around in the sun all day so probably not something you’d want to support.
A part of Spain I would love to explore. A photographers dream too! Beautiful pics. #farawayfiles
Thank you. Yes, it’s a beautiful place to explore.
Wow, this looks like an amazing place to visit. Your photos are absolutely stunning. I’m embarrassed to admit I’d never heard of it before either. Definitely one for the bucket list now, my camera would never forgive me if I didn’t go 🙂 #farawayfiles
Yes – get that camera to Córdoba ASAP! It’s a great little spot, but not that well known outside Spain.
I can see that a trip around some of these would be a very welcome respite from the heat of the midday sun. These patios look beautiful and I like the mix you’ve chosen, of private homes and public places. Thanks for sharing on #FarawayFiles
Thanks, Clare – it’s a great fun day strolling around the courtyards. We were particularly happy to see the owners standing proud as punch showing off their craftsmanship.
I had not heard of Córdoba.what a wonderful place, and the post is amazing and such beautiful photos. I have added it on my bucket list. Such wonderful patios . Thank you so much for your post.#farawayfiles
You’ll love it!
Wonderful photos! I’m Spanish but I’ve only been to Cordoba once and it was winter so the Patios are still on my bucket list.
Nice. You’ll have to make sure you collect them next time, well worth doing.
We missed out on visiting Córdoba during out last visit to Spain and I really regret that. I love this type of architecture and spaces like this, especially when they’re hidden. Your photos are so lovely I think they’d make a wonderful book. #farawayfiles
Thank you. The old Roman style courtyards much such great patios.
These are my patios of dreams. Love the tiling
#farawayfiles
Yes, I love those Moorish details as well.
Thank you so m much for in producing me to these gorgeous patios, absolutely spectacular and I love the history behind the different styles and influences. Well done for sharing the love on #farawayfioles
Thank you very much for your nice comments, Carolyn. It’s a beautiful little part of Spain.
So beautiful, but I sure wouldn’t want to be the one watering all those pots! Which looks like it would require a stepladder. Enjoyed the variety of styles and the historical info. Your delightful post has increased my desire to visit Spain, pronto!
I don’t think I’d want to be watering all those pots either, but I’m glad someone is because they look so cute. Glad we helped entice you to visit Spain, it’s a fantastic country.
Good post – It reminds me of my trip to Spain where I visited Madrid and the palaces of Aranjuez and Escorial. Amazing places !!!
Always good to be taken back to fond memories. Enjoy.
Having just returned from Córdoba it amazes me that some people commenting here say they have never heard of it! It ranks up there with the cities of Seville & Granada & all 3 have UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
It is worth mentioning that there is a hop on-hop off bus tour that stops off at all the major sites of interest. Earphones & a map are included in the ticket price & the commentary is available in many different languages. You can get on or off the bus as often as you like. I would suggest staying on the bus for the entire circuit & make a note of the places you wish to visit… there are around 17 stops on the tour. There is also a smaller bus that takes a different route as it can navigate the narrower old town streets that the larger double decker bus can not. The app associated with the bus is a useful tool as it allows you to see where the buses are in real time in order that you can plan your journey effectively. The 24 hour & 48 hour ticket covers both buses. There are also free walking tours included in the ticket price & a (free) very interesting visit to the Medina Azahara, which is an archeological site & museum approx. 8 kilometres from Córdoba city.
I hope you manage to visit Córdoba & enjoy it’s many plazas, museums, bars, restaurants & world class historic monuments, it really is a cultural delight.
Are the courtyard gardens in bloom in January?
Hi Amy – Yes the patios are open year-round. The best time of year is around May when the festival takes place, but there will still be some colour in January. Enjoy your visit.