When we planned our trip to the South of Spain, there were a few things we absolutely wanted to see - the Alhambra in Granada; the Royal Alcazar in Seville and the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba. On our third day in the region, it was time to visit the Mosque-Cathedral. We took the train from Seville central to Cordoba. The train ride was just under an hour.

Cordoba has a very unique history (similar to other cities in the Andalusia region). It has both Roman and Islamic (Moorish) influences. One of the main sites in Cordoba - the mosque-cathedral was initially constructed as a mosque and later became a cathedral. More on the mosque-cathedral later.

From the Cordoba train station, we got a taxi to the mosque-cathedral to get our time in the city started. Although our main draw to the city was the mosque-cathedral, we were pleasantly surprised by how much more the city had to offer. If you are already in Seville, then you should make an effort to get to Cordoba - you will not be dissapointed. One tip for you, if you are interested in visiting the mosque-cathedral (and why wouldn’t you; it is an architectural masterpiece and a UNESCO world heritage site), I recommend not visiting on Sunday. Mass is held at various times of the day which means access is limited and you will get kicked out. I have also heard you can access the cathedral for free between 8:30 and 9:30 while preparations for mass are underway. This is a must see in Cordoba; the interior and ceiling work is one of the most spectacular and intricate designs I have ever seen. Just take a look. Keep an eye out for the master organ - it takes up an entire wall.

As we made our exit from the mosque-cathedral, we met locals heading in for mass. They were dressed in regal overcoats; the men with top hats and canes - it was great to see this authentic part of life in Cordoba.

After our time in the mosque-cathedral, we explored the area around the structure which is lined with souvenir shops; restaurants; spice and tea shops and wine shops carrying a variety of local wine. Next, we stopped by Guadalquivir - the Roman bridge; although it is known today for its appearance in season 5 of game of thrones (I am told); the bridge dates back to the 1st century. A walk across it comes highly recommended when planning a Cordoba itinerary - it offers a panoramic view of the city from old town to the mosque-cathedral. I hear it is absolutely stunning at sunset - unfortunately we could not stay in the city that late.

We spent some time in Old town - Cordoba has one of the oldest old towns in Europe which has earned the old town a UNESCO designation. Although similar to many European old towns in a lot of ways; it is different in many others - you have the twisting alleys you will find in most European cities; but buildings in Cordoba (especially in old town) are known for having patios and interior courtyard that are spectacularly decorated. We were lucky to find a few courtyards open to quickly peek in to see rows of orange trees and elaborate floral arrangements. We were visiting in early November so a lot of the flowers were not in bloom. I imagine visiting and seeing these courtyards in Spring time will be absolutely stunning.

We spent some time in the La Ribera area. If we were staying overnight - this would have been the destination for coffee; meals and entertainment. If you are keen, I hear some of the clubs in this part of town open till 6 am.

We still had some time left before our train back to Seville and on the recommendation of locals we met at a wine shop by the mosque-cathedral, we walked towards the Jewish quarter and Sinagoga de Cordoba. This part of town is known as the sophisticated part of town and home to the last remaining synagogues in the region and the Calleja de las flores (aka little street of flower). The synagoue is open to the public and a spot I will recommend you visit in Cordoba.

Because there were three of us - we got around the different part of town via taxis. Split three way, it was about the same price as public transportation. We made a stop in city centre for the Sunday market. This is a stop that can be missed, there was not much happening here (at least when we visited). Our final stop before heading back to Seville was in the Santa Maria district to visit the Palacio de Viana - the palace museum built in the 14th century is best known for its beautiful garden courtyard (sense a theme here ?). I think there are twelve in total. The facade of the palace is exquisite and telling of what lies within the palace.

One stop that came highly recommended but we could not fit into our time in the city - the Alcazar de los reyes christanos.