I'm going to stop in Cordoba, on the way from Seville to Madrid next month. I was planning on taking the AVE, but want to buy my tickets ahead of time since it will be during Feria & probably crowded.

First, how long do you recommend I allot for time in Cordoba? I will probably just see the Mezquita. Of course, I'd like to see more but I only have time for a day trip. If I arrive at 11am, and leave 5pm - would that be enough, or will I feel too rushed? The AVE trains appear to run about every hour, so I have my pick.

Also, if I buy tickets online, is it correct that I can pick up at the train station as long as I have my credit card? And second, it seems like I'll need 2 tickets - one from Seville-Cordoba & one from Cordoba-Madrid, instead of just buying a ticket to Madrid?

From other posters, it sounds like there is luggage storage at the Cordoba train station. Anyone had experience with this recently? I'll have a 25" suitcase with me - will this be too big to store?

Thanks for your help.

ttt

Hi Lolly one day will be ok, the MEzquita of course will take some time, it is really awsome. Also the cathedral inside of it requires some time.
I recommend that even if you are only for a day to go for lunch to el Caballo Rojo, which is a few yards away. Food is excellent, tapas are excellent. It is not an expensive place but even the King and Queen have eating there it is that traditional. I wuld spend the rest of your time walking in the juderia.

How about an overnight? We arrived around 1:00 on the AVE, had lunch, walked around and saw the sights, and then left the next morning on the AVE. To us, this was about the right amount of time.

Hi. Just returned from there two days ago (sigh). Of Sevilla, Granada and Cordoba, Cordoba was our least favorite, but even still, an overnight would be good if you can manage it. The Mezquita actually didn't take us that long - a couple of hours. You can't climb the tower. I know you used to be able to, but it's closed now and no signs that it was only a one or two day closing. The cathedral in side the mezquita was also closed off. You could see it pretty well but couldn't walk around in it. I'm assuming that was in some way preparation for the Easter celebrations. All over Andalucia there were preparations going on, and that was last week. So by the time you go things may be open again.

The Roman bridge is definitly not going to be open though. Under major construction.

On the other hand, the Alcazar was nice, though nothing compared to the Alcazar in Sevilla or the Alhambra in Granada. But worth an hour or two if you can fit it in. The Judeia was also nice, although again, not any nicer than Sevilla.

If it means taking time from Sevilla though I would just do the day trip, in which case if you took a taxi from the train station and just want to see the Mezquita it could be done in 3-4 hours.

I just spent 6hrs in Cordoba. It was about right.

I got my Sevilla-Cordoba ticket in Spain 6 days from the trip. On the day of departure, the train was sold out -- glad I bought my ticket earlier.

It took me 20 minutes to get a taxi at a taxi stand -- glad I started heading back from Mezquita to the station 45minutes before my train departure.

I only found coin operated lockers near the AVE checkin area -- half of the lockers were closed off for maintenance -- I got the last large locker at 9:50am. Cost €4.50 and need an exact change. Here is how it worked 1) you find a locker with a door open 2) put your luggages 3) twist the handle clockwise about 1/8 of turn until it clicks 4) the LCD display tells you how much to deposit 5) the machine prints out your 5 digit secret code on a carbonless paper to open your locker. You need to remove the top page to see what got printed. Recommend note down the locker # and the row (LCD display is shared between several lockers) and the secret code elsewhere; the carbonless paper, since it is pressure sensitive, can get illegible in your pocket when you need to read your secret code.

Caballo Rojo is a nice restaurant tucked into an alley at the corner of Mezquita. No one was eating at the bar; everyone was eating upstairs at the restaurant. They have a fixed meal -- need to ask for Menu del Dia -- or else the a la carte is pretty expensive. I got €30 menu of the day -- soup, maindish, wine, and a dessert.

From Monday to Saturday, if you get there before 10 am, the Mezquita is free, otherwise 8 euro. You just enter by any open door (there are several). The cathedral area is roped off for services, but you are free to walk around (quietly, of course) the rest of the building. At around 9.45 am, ropes are removed and you can go inside the cathedral part. At 10 am, all the other doors are locked except the main entrance in front of the Mezquita, and you have to buy a ticket at the kiosks just inside, which will be checked by security guards at the door.

Hi

I agree, 6 hours is plenty of time to have a look around. A couple of hours in the Mezquita, a couple for lunch and a couple for wandering. I found the Jewish quarter entralling - http://www.andalucia.com/cities/cordoba/juderia.htm.

The Bodegas Campos -http://www.bodegascampos.com - looks good too. Didn't eat there but had a wander through during the day.

I also visited the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos. While not noted as a must see, I thought it had a well-kept, beautiful garden. The entrance fee to the Alcazar also included entry to the Moorish bath museum located under plaza in front of Alcazar. I did not know anything about this until I took a seat in the plaza and noticed that tourists were disappearing into underground. Since it was too early to go to Caballo Rojo, I went down the ramp to find that the Alcazar ticket I had in my pocket also let me into the bath museum. Nothing speculatular but at no additional cost.