Five Reasons to Visit Cordoba

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1. Cordoba's Remarkable History

Cordoba was once the capital of Al-Andalus, the Moslem-occupied territories in the Iberian Peninsula during the period referred to in Northern Europe as the Dark Ages. In the 10th and early 11th centuries, it was the most powerful and influential city in Europe . Cordoba's historic centre, declared a Universal Heritage Site by UNESCO, still reflects those Moorish times and its earlier Roman heritage.

2. La Mezquita

The  Mosque of Cordoba  (la Mezquita),  Cordoba's Cathedral  since 1236, is one of Spain's most visited attractions and the foremost example of Islamic architecture in Spain. In 1984 it became the first Spanish monument to be declared a  UNESCO Universal Heritage Site. Within Spain it is considered a national treasure. On New Year's Eve 2007, after a national survey with a series of special programs, Antena 3 TV announced that Spanish viewers had ranked it Spain's most important monument in a list called  Los 12 tesoros de España  (the 12 treasures of Spain).

3. Off the beaten track and into authentic Andalusia

But there's more to Cordoba than the Mosque and other monuments. This elegant city is large enough to offer travelers the variety of amenities they expect, yet small enough to walk everywhere. Declared a  UNESCO World Heritage Site  in 1994 (expanding on the Mezquita's '84 designation), it's a city which has not lost its soul to modernity or to mass tourism ; a place where you can both relax and get the most out of your vacation in an authentic setting. In its extensive historic district and picturesque neighborhoods, you'll emerge from the crowds into the essence of today's Andalusia. Here you'll find the traditions of southern Spain are tastefully combined with modernity.

4. European Cultural Capital 2016?

Cordoba is a finalist to be the European Capital of Culture 2016, a decision which will be made in mid-June of 2011. In recent years Cordoba's candidacy has been a major impulse for 21st-century European projects and a renewed cultural life. This means that Cordobans are making even more of an effort to welcome and impress visitors.

5. Cordoba's Convenient Location

Cordoba, Spain is located in the center of southern Spain (Andalusia) and has always been a strategic crossroads--today is no different for travelers who are short on time. Less than 2 hours from Madrid, Cordoba lies in the heart of Andalucía. Together with Granada and Seville, Cordoba is a must-see for tourists visiting Spain.

Trains: the  Madrid-Cordoba-Seville high-speed AVE  train line means short travel times between Cordoba-Seville (40 min) and Cordoba-Madrid (1 hr 40 min). If your flight is to Madrid or Seville, you can be at your hotel in Cordoba within a few hours. For those of you on budget flights from northern Europe, you can fly into Seville, travel to Cordoba and end your Andalusian trip in Granada, with another flight from there. Some flights from the US, and many from the UK, fly to Malaga , and there are now fast and cheap  Malaga-Cordoba train  connections. With the new motorway, it's about a 2-hour drive from Malaga (and 1-1/4 hour from Seville). There are train and bus connections to other major cities from Cordoba.

Infocordoba invites you to browse its pages to help plan your holiday in Spain. You'll find that it is the only English website fully-dedicated to Cordoba, and I hope the information I have gathered will help make your visit a memorable one .