How to visit the most beautiful Patios of Córdoba: dates, map, schedules

One of the great attractions of travel to Córdoba is to walk through the alleys of its historic center… and access to see beautiful patios decorated with flowers.

Precisely one of the most visited corners of said historic center is known as Flower Alley, one of the best examples of the famous Patios of Córdoba.

It is a very narrow alley always decorated with flowering plants, which leads you to a small square from where you have a beautiful perspective of the bell tower of the cathedral, the old minaret of the andalusian mosque.

But this scene of whitewashed walls covered with pots of flowering plants is found in dozens of patios that are distributed throughout much of the historic center.

To the point that making a route visiting Cordoba patios becomes one of the attractions of a tourist day in this city of Andalusia.

This activity reaches its culmination during the annual celebration of the Feast of the Patios of Córdoba,

At this party you can visit dozens of patios who dress up especially to participate in this traditional contest that takes place during a couple of weeks of the year. Month of May.

Tradition and history of the patios in Córdoba

The patios of Cordoba and other Andalusian towns follow the tradition established in Roman houses, and then in Muslim ones, whereby in the center of a house there is a patio with a paved floor, a garden area and the presence of a fountain or a well.

This tradition is common in hot regions such as Andalusia, so that the patio is a refreshing corner in which water is of great importance.

The original patios of Córdoba They opened in houses where only one owner lived.

Patios of neighbors' houses in Córdoba

But from the Industrial Revolution, with the arrival of people from the countryside to the city, the patios of neighboring houses.

Surrounded by two-story houses, the patio became a meeting place where it was common to see continuous balconies and stairs, as well as a fountain or laundry room for common use.

The charm of these Cordoba patios has led to the aforementioned Party of the Patios has been declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity awarded by the Unesco.

One more reason to visit the patios of Cordoba during your trip to Córdoba.

Although most of these beautiful patios are private property or owned by a community of neighbors, so they are closed to public access, you have several options to see patios with flowers in Córdoba.

Interpretation Center of the Festival of the Patios of Córdoba

So you have a good example in the Patios Festival Interpretation Center, In the 4 Barter Street, which is located next to a 20th century Cordoba patio.

Also during your walk you can find some patios that correspond to buildings that house restaurants or various types of establishments, such as craft centers. stores souvenirs, tea shops…

How to take a route through the patios of Córdoba

But if you are interested in delving deeper into the cultural fact of life around a patio, and learning about traditions and anecdotes, the ideal thing to do is to sign up for a guided tour of Cordoba patios like the one carried out by some tourist companies in the city.

For example, in this guided tour of the Courtyards of Córdoba, for two hours you will visit six of the most significant Cordovan patios that are in the San Basilio neighborhood. where you will learn about the lifestyle and numerous anecdotes.

Also known as the Alcázar Viejo neighborhood, this neighborhood extends next to the Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs and royal stables.

Courtyards in Viana Palace

You also have the possibility to see patios with flowers during the visit the Viana Palace, a manor house from the end of the 15th century.

This visit has two stages, the tour of the aforementioned manor house and the walk around it. twelve patios, which show different decoration styles.

Festival of the Patios of Córdoba 2023 in May

And of course the best time of year to see the Cordoba patios is in may, during the celebration of the aforementioned contest, since they are open to the public and with the maximum splendor of flowers.

This contest dates back to 1921, when the first edition of it was held, although it was from 1933 when it began to become more popular with the participation of up to 16 patios.

Dates of the Patios of Córdoba Festival 2023

This year 2023 the dates of the Festival of the Patios of Córdoba They are from May 2 to 14, a period during which you can freely visit the patios participating in the contest for free.

The schedules to visit the Cordoba patios They are, in the morning, from 11 a.m. to 14 p.m., and in the afternoon, from 18 p.m. to 22 p.m., except on the last day, Sunday the 14th, when they will close at 20,30:XNUMX p.m.

In this edition, up to 30 patios that are distributed throughout various neighborhoods of the area participate. historic center of Córdoba, specifically, in Regina-Realejo, Santa Marina-San Agustín, San Lorenzo, Jewry, Santiago-San Lorenzo and Old Alcazar.

Map of patios of Córdoba

You can consult the map of the Cordoba patios what can you visit free during the two weeks in may in which the contest is held.