Francesco Di Gregorio

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Cordova and the roots of al-Andalus

Hacienda Posada De Vallina

During the 10th century Cordova became the vibrant heart of Europe, a place of spiritual convergence and intercultural dialogue where peace, science, and learning thrived.
Córdoba’s Mosque-Cathedral is a stunning monument to the two religions and cultures that have shaped Andalusia: Islam and Christianity. A Renaissance church squats right on top of what was once the most important mosque in the Islamic kingdom, making this building a must-see for anyone visiting Córdoba.




The Mezquita is an amazing place and was the hi-light of our trip. It has some stunning Islamic architecture and corridors with light. Well preserved ceilings and pillars.
It is a bit dark and has a number of extensions. In its current day it is not an active mosque.
The courtyard is quite nice as well and thoroughly enjoyable.
I would definitely visit it again.

The Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba is an absolutely wonderful building, unique in its combination of both Islamic and European religious architecture. The atmosphere stirs deep emotions, and the light streaming through the high windows is magical. On our tour of Andalusia, my friend was looking forward to seeing the Alhambra Palace in Granada most of all, but as it turned out her favourite site was this one.

A truly spectacular place and a mandatory place to visit when you visit Cordoba. The mosque is a very unique place and has a lot of history behind it. High recommend getting the audio guide as well as it will explain everything inside and also give you a sense of the different occupants over the centuries. You can easily spend half a day in there, just admiring the place. With the audio guide and spending time at each part of the mosque, will take about 2-3 hours in total. Highly recommend coming here for a tour.

Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba

Local cuisine is simple but delicious and this was a perfect place to enjoy an al fresco meal on a hot day! 

We were in Cordoba for two nights and ate here our first night in town.  They had excellent salads, amazing steak and pork, it won my kids award for best meal in Spain so far... Such that they BEGGED to go back again a second night!  Excellent service, very quaint atmosphere, amazing!!

I have just had dinner here tonight after seeing other reviews. Excellent ambiance, service fantastic and the prices are amazing. Not over the top at all. Delicious starter, main, dessert and two beers all for under 25 euros. They even gave me a shot of the local sweet wine at the end for free. Lots of places in Cordoba to choose but glad I chose this one. Seating inside and outside, I went for early dinner at 7.30pm and it starts to get busier from 8.30pm. Try it!

I think I never gave 5 stars to a restaurant, but here everything was perfect! The food was delicious, excellent service and very nice location. Really the best we had in Spain until now!

Dining al fresco with great local food

We decided to visit this archeological since it was close to Cordova, about 10K away from the city. 
Wandering through the site did provide us a glimpse on what life was like at the Madinat

One of the wonders of the world in terms of its historical significance. Much of modern Spain owes a great debt to the creator of this moorish Palace.

We did the walk first around the ruins which is easy as you follow the well signed green arrows. The security guard Pepe and entrance guard Antonio were really helpful in answering questions about its history.

Then you visit the Interpretation Centre to learn more about its construction, history and subsequent pillage and ruin. There's a bus link between the two which runs frequently. Good ti escape the hustle and bustle of Córdoba if not the heat!

Visited this about 20 years ago and it was amazing.   This time I had read that they had uncovered more of the site.  A new museum has been constructed  further downhill from the site.  EU Citizens can have free entry to the museum but visitors from outside the EU pay €1.50.  The surprise, was that the shuttle bus was €2.50 return.  The museum advised that there was no parking available at the entrance to the site and the only option was to take the shuttle bus.   Other posts have suggested that you can drive to the site and park (about 30 spaces) but there is a barrier at the entrance.   I was disappointed that there was no board by the shuttle bus stop which advised of these charges.  I also echo the thoughts of a previous post regarding over zealous staff regarding rucksacks.  Most of the exhibits are behind glass or have markers on the floor asking you to keep your distance.

It is a bit of drive away from all the other sites in this area. It gives a true scale of accomplishments during the Umayyad rule and what it was meant to be.
Sadly it was not looked well after till some time but one can imagine how administrative and government systems worked with different people who were involved. The complexity is quite similar to modern working systems.
I do wish this place had more left of it or is built back up to its glory.

Hacienda Posada De Vallina

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