Day Trip: Cordoba

The city of Cordoba is a 45-minute train ride or 90-minute drive northeast of Seville and makes for an excellent day trip. The city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is typical of southern Spain filled with courtyards, private homes, narrow alleyways and tapas bars beloved by locals. What makes Cordoba such a special destination is La Mezquita, the 8^th-century mosque that is also home to the 16^th-century Roman Catholic cathedral. One of the most beautiful examples of Moorish architecture, the mosque features iconic red marble columns and arches. Visitors enter through the Patio de los Naranjos, an idyllic Muslim court filled with orange trees where devotees performed ablutions before entering. The historic old city surrounds the Mosque, which contains the Jewish Quarter, Roman Bridge and Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos, all of which are worth exploring.