Cordoba

Córdoba was the most opulent of the Moorish cities in Spain and is today a vast vibrant city. Córdoba is such a popular destination that it sometimes seems that every person who comes to Spain stops here. Park by the river and walk into historic heart of Córdoba, the old Barrio de la Judería or Jewish quarter. The old city boasted a university to which scholars from all over Europe came to study in the 11th and 12th centuries, when it was the largest city in Europe. Just a small portion of the historic metropolis remains as a virtual maze of twisting streets, modern and ancient shops, and colorful bars and cafés. Even on foot, it is very easy to lose your sense of direction in the tiny streets as each one begins to look like the rest. This is especially true if you allow darkness to catch you—which you should let happen if possible, since the area takes on a very different, magical aspect when lit by its quaint lanterns. Bounded by the Barrio de la Juderia, the Mosque (Mezquita) is the highlight of a visit to Córdoba. Begun in 785 and added onto over the centuries, it appears as a vast square of apparently endless red-and-white-striped arches, with a second level above the first to providing a feeling of openness. Hakam II added the elaborate prayer niche (mihrab) and the lavish caliph’s enclosure (maqsura). In the 16th-century part of the mosque was destroyed and a cathedral was built. Even though the Emperor Charles V had approved the idea, he is said to have lamented “the destruction of something unique to build something commonplace” when he saw the result. Hire an audio guide in the courtyard—adjacent to where you purchase your admission tickets.Search out the Alcãzar de los Reyes Cristianos, just a couple of blocks from the mosque. Its gardens with their water terraces built in the 14^th century are a sight to behold.