Patios de Cordoba: The Enchanting Spanish Flower Festival You Won’t Want To Miss
If there is one thing I have learned after a year of living in Spain, it’s that the Spanish know how to party! Many regions, cities, and even small towns have holidays and festivals they are particularly known for. Whether you are heading to Pamplona’s Running of the Bulls, Valencia‘s Fallas festival, or find yourself visiting Seville during Feria, you are certain to have an unforgettable time. While it isn’t always possible to coordinate your travels around these dates, when planning any trip to Spain, I highly recommend looking up what festivals may be happening while you are in town!
I recently was lucky enough to attend Córdoba‘s famous Fiesta de los Patios, an incredible flower festival which takes place each spring. After hearing about the festival during my first visit to Córdoba nearly two years ago, I was determined to someday see the city in all its flower-filled glory.
While I typically try to avoid repeating destinations, taking a day trip to see the Patios de Córdoba was beyond worth repeating. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that my repeat visit was one of the best day trips I have ever taken!
I’m not the only one who thinks this festival is special, it is actually on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list!
If you find yourself in Spain during the month of May, be sure to put Córdoba on your list of places to see. Keep reading to learn more about this floral fiesta, and discover my best tips for planning your visit!
Getting to Córdoba
Good news! It is quite easy to get to Córdoba by train, bus, or car from quite a few cities in Spain! Here are a few major cities along with approximate transit times from each.
- Madrid: Train ~2 hours, Bus or Car ~5 hours
- Granada: Train ~3.25 hours, Bus or Car ~2.75 hours
- Malaga: Train ~1 hour, Bus ~ 3 hours, Car ~2 hours
- Seville: Train ~.75 hours, Bus or Car ~1.75 hours
- Cadiz: Train ~2.5 hours, Bus ~3.25 hours, or Car ~2.5 hours
How Long To Stay
Córdoba is quite a walkable city and is incredibly easy to get around, making it perfect for a day trip! I had no problem visiting the flower-filled patios during the morning, stopping for lunch, and visiting the other tourist sites in town all in one day. However, if you are a flower enthusiast, looking to stay in a charming Spanish town, or are traveling from quite far, then you could absolutely plan to stay overnight.
History of the Patios de Córdoba Festival
So…what exactly is the story behind this famous flower festival?
Believe it or not, this fantastic tradition dates all the way back to ancient times…sort of.
Córdoba is one of the hottest cities in the south of Spain. When the Romans first settled the area, they began building homes with courtyards (or patios) to provide a cool, shady place for people to escape the summer heat. When the Moors took the area over, the courtyards evolved, often including Muslim design elements such as cooling water features, fountains, tilework, and other decoration.
In 1921, the first Courtyards, Balconies and Window Displays Competition was held, which would eventually evolve into the Fiesta de los Patios as we know it.
The Patios de Córdoba Today
Today, the Fiesta de los Patios continues to feature the famous courtyards that have kept the residents of Córdoba cool for centuries. During the first two weeks of May, the citizens of Córdoba open their private courtyards up to the public, sharing their beautifully decorated interior spaces with locals and tourists alike.
During these weeks flamenco and music performances are also held, which can be a fun addition to a day of patio viewing. Today, courtyards are awarded prizes in different categories such as architectural preservation, decoration, use of water features, and design.
Cost, Dates, and Visiting Hours
Cost: Entering the patios is FREE! I did see coin donation baskets in most patios where visitors can leave a token of appreciation.
Dates: The festival is typically held in the first two weeks of May, although the dates vary by year. Be sure to check the official Córdoba Patios website for updated dates!
Hours: Most patios are open for visitors from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM and reopen from 6:00 PM to 10i:00 PM.
Planning your day
If you only have one day to experience the Patios de Córdoba, then I highly recommend arriving in town early, grabbing a quick breakfast at a local cafe, and beginning to explore the area promptly at 11:00 AM. As it gets later in the day, the patios become busier and busier, and many patios even have lines of people waiting to enter! I visited on a weekend, and while very few people were visiting the patios at 11:00 AM, after about an hour I had to begin strategically avoiding some of the most crowded areas.
Interactive Map
One of the biggest tips I have for visiting the festival is to check out the Córdoba Patios website and pull up the interactive map as you walk around. The map not only allows you to see which houses have patios open for viewing but also tells you which areas are the busiest, so you can strategically plan a route around the crowds.
As you click on each house, you can also read a little bit about each patio, which is a great way to learn a little bit more about the beautiful courtyards you visit. There are over 50 patios that enter the competition each year, so it is practically impossible to see every patio in one day. Looking at the photos of each courtyard on the map beforehand helped me determine which houses to skip.
Check out my Instagram story from my visit @missadventuresabroad for major travel inspo! You’ll find it in my highlights!
What to Eat
After walking from patio to patio, you’ll probably have worked up quite an appetite! When the patios close at 2:00 PM, then you’ll know it’s time for lunch! Córdoba’s fascinating history also comes with some rich culinary traditions. Some popular Cordovan dishes are flamenquin ( Serrano ham, wrapped in pork, covered in breadcrumbs and eggs and then deep-fried) and bull’s tail.
I ordered the flamenquin and absolutely loved it. In fact, I think this meal goes down as one of the best I’ve eaten thus far in Spain! I’m getting hungry just writing about it.
Other things to do in Córdoba
If you are only staying for the day, once you’ve had lunch, then it’s time to do a little sightseeing! You can read a more complete description of my favorite things to see in Córdoba in this post, but here are some highlights!
The Mezquita, or Mosque of Córdoba is not to be missed and is one of the most interesting and beautiful places I have visited in Spain.
Additionally, the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (Castle of the Christian Monarchs) and Roman bridge are two monuments worth checking out if you have time.
Córdoba is also home to several museums as well as other ruins you’ll find scattered throughout town. While you probably won’t be able to visit many of these additional sites if you are only staying one day, you can certainly add them to your itinerary if you are planning on staying longer.
Overall Thoughts
Visiting the Patios de Córdoba was such a dream! I kept wandering from patio to patio and was truly amazed at how elaborate the courtyards and flower displays were. It felt like each patio was better than the last, and I loved comparing them and ranking my own personal favorites.
Be sure to charge your camera! I couldn’t stop myself from taking way too many photos! (Seriously, I have a problem!)
You don’t have to be a flower enthusiast or searching for the perfect Instagram to fall in love with this unique Spanish festival-I visited with a friend and he really enjoyed the day as well!
If you can, I highly recommend timing a visit to coincide with the festival. However, if you can’t make it to this Andalucian gem in May, this city is still worth a day trip. You’ll at least be able to see the typical blue flower pots that Córdoba is famous for, in addition to some of the other highlights of the city.
Have you ever visited a city specifically for a festival, or do you see yourself planning a visit to this one? Let me know in the comments!
Discover all of my Spain posts, or check out some of these popular posts:
- 15 Things You Absolutely Must Do In Seville, Spain
- 3 Perfect Days in Barcelona: The Ultimate Itinerary
- Must Do Madrid: The Top 10 Things To Do In Spain’s Capital
- How To Spend 1 Day In Córdoba: Top 5 Things To Do
- Must Do Málaga: Discover The Top 10 Things To Do In Picasso’s Birthplace
- Everything You Need To Know About Visiting The Alhambra
Pin this post for later!
