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From Gaudi’s sights to the towering Sagrada Familia and the vibrant palm-lined promenade stretching across an azure sea, there are many reasons why Americans would put Barcelona at the top of their Spain bucket list, and there are many reasons why Americans would put Barcelona at the top of their wish list for Spain. why them wouldn’t.
Between the increased tourist phobia and rising room prices, the Catalan center no longer feels like the welcoming city it once was.
Happy for the culture-hungry, sun-loving touristit is far from the only place in the country that you must see.
Located in the heart of Spain’s warmest region, this alternative destination has a beautiful old town, no deep-seated anti-American sentiment, and offers affordable eats:
Get to know Spain’s hidden cultural treasure
Cordoba is a city in inland Andalusia, a region in southwestern Spain known for its scorching hot summers and very mild autumn weather.
It features a rich ancient heritage going back to the Roman Empire.
Born as a Roman colony, and at one point a trading center in its successor, the Visigothic kingdom, the city would only gain prominence after being conquered by the Umayyads, Muslims from North Africa, in the 8th century AD.
They founded the Caliphate of Cordoba, making the city of the same name their capital, from which they ruled the entirety of al-Andalus and the many provinces, which many centuries later would become Andalusia – needless to say, Cordoba was the capital of Cordoba was. historical relevance cannot be so easily underestimated.
At one point it was even the second largest city in Europe.
It would eventually be reconquered by the Spanish, who expelled the Muslim rulers from Spain from the 13th century, but a majority of Cordoba’s population most remarkable architectural ensembles are attributed to the North African colonists.
What is Cordoba famous for?
These include the Mosque-Cathedral – as the name suggests, originally built as a mosque before being converted into a Christian temple after the Spanish Reconquest – and the Moorish-style Old Town, looks like a North African medina.
Instead of Barcelona’s stately Art Nouveau facades, imagine a maze of pedestrianized, winding alleys, lined with low, whitewashed houses, and instead of paella and fried fish, it is Andaluz salmorejo and couscous can be found on local menus.
Cordoba may be irrevocably Spanish these days, but it is African influences are still visible, in architecture, cuisine or even in the landscape, with lush gardens characterized by their geometric plantings, long ponds and curved walkways.
Other notable monuments include Cordoba’s Roman Bridge, although much of what you see today is an Arab reconstruction. Alcazar de los Reyes CristianosA luxurious medieval fortress on the banks of the Guadalquivir River, and the ruins of the Madinat al-Zahra citadel.
The whole from the historic center of Cordoba is one UNESCO World Heritage Siteso it’s hardly a surprise to tourists, and Americans mainly visit en masse:
Why are tourists going to Cordoba now?
According to Daniel Garcia-Ibarrola, Councilor for Tourism of the City of Cordoba, the cultural gem has seen a 14 percent growth in the number of visitors this year compared to the previous one, 136,267 so far.
This may not sound like much when you compare it to hugely popular leisure destinations such as Barcelona or even Andalusia’s own Malaga, but compared to these coastal towns, Cordoba is much smaller cityhome to 325,708 residents, it’s typically not on the average tourist’s radar.
Of the 100,000 visitors in 2024, more than half were Spaniards.
This shows that Cordoba, despite its obvious historical appeal, is still a hidden national treasure most foreigners sleep through the night.
Be that as it may, Americans are showing increasing interest in Cordoba: according to Garcia-Ibarrola, this is a market that is up 24 percent year-on-year, and it may have something to do with the fact that American travelers are looking for quieter places.
Spain is one of the most visited countries in Europe, to the point that locals themselves are joining forces to openly discourage more tourists from coming: recently in Barcelona even non-locals were attacked with water guns while eating out went, amid disparaging chants of ‘Go home!‘
Not in Cordoba: there have been only 6,950 American visitors in the first semester, and when it comes to Europeans, that number much more numerouswith 115,986 arrivals from the European Union, but tourism in general remains within acceptable levels.
All this to say: Cordoba’s historic center is Certainly not as busy and packed with tour groups as Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter.
Cordoba is also much cheaper than Barcelona
Local prices are also significantly cheaper:
A lamb tagine dinner at Bocaito Andalusi Halal, a tribute to Cordoba’s Arabic heritage, and one of the top-rated cheap eats in the city. will cost you $14 tops, while a generous bowl of presa iberica and spicy panadera Potatoes will set you back $21.14 at an informal riverside tavern.
That’s usually the most expensive thing on the menu, mind you.
On average tourists spend an acceptable $37 worth of meals per day in Cordoba, and they won’t break the bank when it comes to booking accommodation either:
Located in the center, Hotel Macia Alfaros has single rooms from just $72.36 per night, within a 15-minute walk of the Mosque-Cathedral, and the beautiful pool certainly makes up for Cordoba’s lack of beaches.
Hotel Oasis also has swimming pools even cheaper to book$54.10 a night, and if you don’t mind a little treat, the monument Eurostars Conquistadora Moroccan inspired one riad proudly brandishing its 4-star rating, it will cost you $188 a night this fall.
Even luxury accommodations are reasonably priced on this side of Spain.
Summer-like temperatures in October
Last but certainly not least, Cordoba may not have beaches, but it does enjoy them:or it suffers, depending on who you ask–one of the highest temperatures not only in Spain, but also in Europe.
The average high temperature in summer is 99°F, and in the fall it is not uncommon for temperatures to remain above 90°F during the day and drop to lows of 60°F at night.
In other words, we wouldn’t pack that extra sweater if we were you.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
