The first thing you notice about Cordoba in spring is the smell. When the orange trees that line the streets and the jasmines that climb the walls blossom, the whole city fills with their sultry fragrance.
The historic centre of Cordoba is a Unesco world heritage site that bears memories of its Roman, Moorish and Catholic past. It’s too much of a cliche to say a place is like another world, but there aren’t many places just three hours from London where you can trace thousands of years and three civilisations’ worth of history in one place.
Seville may be the capital of Andalusia, but Cordoba fights its corner with all the energy you’d expect from Southern Spain.
What to see in Cordoba
Half-mosque, half-cathedral, Cordoba’s Mezquita is an architectural chimera that’s all the more beautiful for its mixed inheritance. It combines extravagant Islamic mosaics and calligraphy, a soaring Renaissance nave and a citrus-scented courtyard. Book ahead to avoid queues.
The Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos is a palace that belonged to Ferdinand and Isabella, the first catholic monarchs of Spain and parents of Henry VIII’s first wife Catherine of Aragon. It’s like a junior sibling of the far more spectacular Ahlambra in neighbouring Granada, with all the fountains and flowers but far fewer tourists.
To really take in this cultural mishmash, it’s worth walking over the Roman bridge and looking back at the cityscape. Then explore the Juderia, the old Jewish quarter with windy streets, buzzy restaurants and intriguing shops.
What to eat in Cordoba
It’s hard to go wrong in southern Spain. Afterall, this is the country that produced Ferran Adria, whose El Bulli was regarded as the world’s best restaurant and who introduced a generation to properly adventurous eating.
If that’s your thing, try the chickpeas and trotters at La Cuchara de San Lorenzo. Los Berengueles’ pretty, foliage-filled courtyard is a great place to try Cordovan classics like salmorejo, a thick, cold tomato and garlic soup. For tapas, try vibey Bar Santos just outside the walls of the Mezquita, which is famous for its giant tortilla.
When to visit Cordoba
The Iberian peninsula is one of the hottest places in Europe, so go in spring when it’s warm enough to swim outside but not stifling. In May the city’s private houses open their gardens for the festival of Los Patios.
If you want to experience a Seville-style Easter week – with costumed, candlelit processions and holy statues paraded through the streets accompanied by incense and marching bands then Cordoba is a great, less-crowded alternative.
Where to stay in Cordoba
Palacio de Bailio is a converted palace that sits on top of the remains of a Roman villa. The restaurant, which does breakfast in the morning and fine dining in the evening, has a glass floor through which you can see ancient columns and mosaics. Stay in the frescoed junior suite if you want to feel like a catholic monarch for the night.
It’s just a 15-minute walk to the centre, but you may find it difficult to tear yourself away from the dreamy pool. With its copper-coloured tiles and lush garden surroundings, it’s an idyllic place to drink a glass of local wine, distilled by a method similar to sherry and almost as strong. A pair of ducks bobbed on the water during our stay – they must have been as reluctant to fly away as we were.
• Rooms at Palacio de Bailio start from £143.25 via Mr & Mrs Smith