We hired a private guide to take us through this amazing palace, used by the "Catholic Kings" aka…read moreFerdinand and Isabella, for planning the final stages of the Reconquest to drive the Moors (Muslims) out of Spain after 700 years. The palace is a mixture of Christian and moorish styles and contains many beautiful sites including the gardens, spa, throne room, and castle walls. They are also adding more archeological items including ancient Roman mosaics and other artifacts to the building. We spent a little more than an hour touring with our guide but you could easily spend hours here roaming around marveling at the amazing architecture. A must visit location.

Castle of the Christian monarchs was a castle and a fortress, but you can see that while still…read moreoutside the tall thick walls. Our visit was during Covid summer of 2021, right when the Spain was opening, so we didn't get to see the inside, but outside was beautiful, clean..and pretty empty. If I ever return to Cordoba, I would love to visit Alcazar de Los Reyes Christianos.

The place where this square is located today is believed to have once occupied part of the Roman…read moreCircus. Archaeological interventions have rescued, from this period, some fabulous mosaics, exhibited in the Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs. It was formerly used as a bullring, and still preserves an alley called Toril today....Toril comes from the Spanish root Toro, which means bull. Besides the historical nature of the Plaza, today you can enjoy a wide range of cafes and cocktail bars, a lively market and some cute shops.

The sheer number of culinary options available in Córdoba's own plaza mayor is enough to have you…read morecome by, sit down at a table of your choosing and enjoy an afternoon or evening with friends over beers and various tapas. Aside from the obvious beauty of Corredera, the broad expanse of space that can be filled with locals starting from the early evenings up until midnight and beyond (you know how Spaniards work their schedule) is telling of this area's popularity. When in Córdoba, make sure to come here; it's likely you'll pass by the Roman Temple's remains, encounter some neat bars touting themes from jazz to casual, and feel like rewarding yourself for making it to a historically rich, gorgeous city like Córdoba with some touristy sangria. Hey, let's be real: Sangria is rarely consumed by the average Spaniard! It's more of a tourist/foreigner beverage, sorry to break it to you. But I'm sure the Spaniards are proud of their sangria - but nowhere near how proud they are of their more fundamental delicacies, like jamón. Make sure to take opportunities to sample as many different tapas as possible; Spanish cuisine has much more to offer than what first meets the eye.

I bought our tickets the night before and got the first available time slot which was right at…read moreopening. We also queued up on the left side of the entrance for online ticket holders. We were the first ones in the door and for a short time able to take photos without anyone else around us. Honestly even after spending more than an hour exploring we never experienced any crowds that weekday in January. Overall impression was blown away with the way in which the mosque was integrated into a Catholic Church. Much of the moorish features (especially the very recognizable red and white arches everywhere) and the Mihrab were retained. Beautiful. A variety of western styles (Gothic or Renaissance) were used to build out the church choir, chapel, etc. The minaret, now bell tower, was a separate admission but we decided to skip the climb. I recall there was a limited number of tickets at each time slot so buy it in advance if you want to climb up. Definitely one of the highlights while visiting Cordoba.

Beautiful UNESCO World Heritage site. The mosque was built fist and then a cathedral was built…read moreinside of it. The only place in the world where a mosque and a cathedral are coexisting with architecture of both open to any visitor. In the 13th century, under Ferdinand III, the Saint, Cordoba's Great Mosque was turned into a cathedral and new defensive structures, particularly the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos and the Torre Fortaleza de la Calahorra, were erected. There's a ticket fee to get in, but from Monday-Saturdays, you can get in for FREE between 8:30a-9:20am. A great way to see this marvel for free.

If you love wandering, exploring, and feeling like you are in another world, then Palacio Viana…read morewill make a great visit. Their courtyards, each different, are like venturing through different secret gardens. Some have pools, orange trees, fountains... Get lost in each one. Smell the flowers, appreciate the architecture, walk through the garden mazes. Its endless beauty.

I was really looking forward to seeing the Alhambra - it's a palace and fortress complex perching…read moreatop the steep hils of Granada, with construction first starting in the 1200s. It's one of the most famous architectural wonders of Islamic architecture and is one of the best preserved places in the world of islamic origin (mixed with Spanish Renaissance architecture). Our ticket included access to all visitable places of the complex (a lot free to the public), Nasrid palace (timed entrance), the gardens and the Generalife (former country estate). We did an unguided tour, so I felt like we missed out on the history a bit as we walked through the palace - it reminded us of the Real Alcazar from Seville, but bigger and more grand in scale. I'm glad our ticket was for 10AM because the grounds only got busier throughout the morning.

The highlight of Moorish architecture in Grenada was found here at this sprawling hilltop location…read more Remember you need your passport to buy tickets and gain entrance so don't forget it. It was the only item checked by security when entering the palaces, Alcazabs and Generalife. We took bus C32 from the center and while most people got off at the Alhambra main entrance we exited the bus at Puerta de la Justicia which was a lot closer to the Nasrid Palaces plus avoided some of the uphill slog. We also visited the Palace of Charles V (quick but surprising acoustics) and Alcazaba (old fort with a tower climb) before ending at Generalife. I forgot that all the museums on site were closed on Mondays. I purchased our tickets online and secured a 9am entrance to the Nasrid Palaces which wasn't as crowded at that hour. The was some renovations happening but for the most part we were able to enjoy the stunning architecture and views. The Partal Palace was our favorite along with the Hall of Ambassadors and Court of the Lions. Walking through the gardens and then downhill to the Generalife we went against the flow of visitors. The Generalife was a much smaller palace that served as the summer retreat. Here water was a highlight showcasing the prowess in the engineering that went into supplying water to these gardens and palaces - Escalera del Agua. The Royal Chamber was a must see inside with richly detailed ceiling, arches and walls. If your legs are still strong after visiting everything then I suggest walking back to town via Cuesta Del Rey Chico. It was a path that ran below the walls of the Alhambra and gave a different perspective and much less crowds.

the puerta del puente translates to the "gate of the bridge." this renaissance-era gate stands at…read morethe foot of the roman bridge in cordoba. it has a square passageway for visitors to walk through, with dual columns on either side of the central walkway. this magnificent landmark bears historical significance as it united to the city to the roman bridge. included in our bus and walking tours, we felt that this was a great place to take photos that would allow us to remember our visit to cordoba for years to come.

Wonderful air b&b view down centro city de granada and we are looking forward to our 13 minute walk…read moreto mirador de san nicolas

Great views of Alhambra. Pack full of people at night with…read morelive performers. Walk there through colorful moorish quarters and take a taxi back to your hotel. (Written by husband)