If you come to Cordoba, you have to live in Juderia, in my opinion. There are many hotels here and…read moreif you come to Cordoba, you will be spending much of your visit in Juderia anyways (the old historical district w/ pastel colored buildings, shopping, patios, cafes, and scenic photos)
There's a central part with more touristy shopping and food options. There is also the mercado de zoco artisans- where you can see artisans at work (careful, they have unusual hours, so you should inquire their hours if you see something you're interested in but want to come back to). The prices even for some of the handmade stuff in the touristy area are still pretty good and the quality is authentic. Avoid the ones that sell too many baubles, but any leather goods place is fair game.
Food option: I recommend Salon de Te- great moroccan Andalusian food. Must try snack: caramelized sunflower seeds- we make pralines and caramelized nuts in the US, but no one does sunflower seeds. Must thing to do: watch flamenco dances in smaller restaurants (Patio de Juderia is 12 euros minimum and a show at 8:45 p.m.). Places to walk to within this include the Roman Bridge and the Mezquita (the red and white arch Moorish cathedral).
