Orange you glad to be in Cordoba? Feb 2023

February may be the shortest month of the year, but it's also cold and dark. Sometimes you just want to go somewhere a bit warmer, somewhere where oranges grow on trees year round (please note that these oranges aren't particularly good to eat, but they do add a certain ambience. Enter: Cordoba.

We were intrigued by the Ottoman influences and the patio flower culture, and Cordoba turned out to be an exceptionally cute little city. We arrived late on a Friday, and took a walk through the winding Jewish quarter, even stumbling into a protected cat area before finding a tapas joint for some food and wine.

The next morning, we tracked down a bakery, and enjoyed our sugary haul whilst sitting in a small park. Next stop was the mosque / cathedral - with its rows of hypnotizing striped arches, we were quickly mesmerized and spent the rest of the morning wandering around. When we emerged, the locals were singing along to a live band. Afternoon highlights included Puente Romano, a beautiful Roman bridge, Calleja de las Floras, a cute alleyway lined with potted plants, many additional patios where people show off their gardening skills, and a tasty paella meal. We proceeded to find a lovely spot by the old Roman wall where we could enjoy an outdoor (!) drink. Once the sun went down, we retired to the hotel honor bar, where we met some fun fellow tourists. We capped the evening off with a slice of pizza and a lovely flamenco show.

Ready to tackle the day, we tried in vain to find a nice bite to eat before our guided tour the following morning, but ended up having to settle for Starbucks. No matter, though, we still very much enjoyed our tour, which included a (faux) Roman temple, a recipe for Cordoba's fave cold soup, a synagogue, many statues, and a city hall clock that plays flamenco on the hour. We even got a stellar lunch recommendation for a tapas place known for its sherry. After another lovely day of wandering the streets and enjoying some outdoor cafe vibes, we stopped for a delicious dinner at Casa Pepe de La Juderia. The food was delicious, but the service was what made it particularly memorable. They even created a caramel drawing for us, which they presented with dessert. After one last visit to my favorite protected cat area, our trip was complete.