Cordoba in August? Or not?
Replies: 10 - Last Post: Jun 21, 2012 4:43 AM Last Post By: FinWright
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Cordoba in August? Or not?
We're wondering whether August is a bad time to stop for a short stay (one or two nights) in Cordoba? Will it be hot and dusty, with everything closed? Or worth a stopover? (We're probably travelling from Madrid to Malaga by train, and pondering Cordoba en route ...)Thanks, Mark.
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Hi Richiavo,Thanks for your reply. The idea is that, if we take the train from Madrid (rather than hire a car and drive) we will stop off somewhere for a night or two en route. Cordoba is moreorless en route to Malaga and as it's a historic, scenic town it seems an obvious place for the stopover. However, given the summer heat etc. we're wondering if it makes sense or not. Alternatively, we could stop off somewhere else I guess - any suggestions? (We dropped in for a night at Ubeda while driving south last year, which was very nice indeed.) BTW, we aren't staying in Malaga - we'll be picking up a hire car there and heading straight for the Alpujarras. Or, if we abandon the train idea, driving south again from Madrid. Tks again for any advice.
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I have been to Cordoba in late July and found it perfectly bearable. With the Mezquita etc there are too many tourists for it to become too shut up I should imagine.I have a real soft spot for Cordoba and have enjoyed more than one evening in La Corridera, if you are there just make sure to head to the new town as well, lots of places to eat and a darn sight cheaper than around the Mezquita. Also keep an ear out for the marvellous Flamenco clock.
If you are going as far as Cordoba you could of course go the extra hour or so and visit divine Seville.
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To me it doesn't make much sense for just a stopover the train takes so little time from Madrid to Malaga around 2 hours 30 minutes. But it is an interesting place too stay and worth visiting but so is Malaga it is always thought of as the Costa Del Sol but the city is realy not very touristy and is a great place to spend a couple of nights. Having family in the Alpujarras, August can just be as stifling as there, we have always when flying in to Madrid took a car and driven straight down to the Alpujarras depending on how used you are to driving in Spain you can be there in just over 4 hours..6
Sorry to bombard but I do agree re the driving as well, we drove down to Ubeda last tear etc not from Madid but from Avila and it is a quick, easy and fast journey. Also my memories of other journeys lead me to believe that until you turn off for Orgiva the whole journey is dual carriageway.Another reason to look into it is that the car hire is significantly cheaper in Madrid than Malaga
Edited by: FinWright
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Would recommend the stopover in Cordoba.There are plenty of high speed trains from Madrid that will get you there in 2 hours.
In August you wil have the city to yourself.
If you are concerned by the heat I would suggest you adopt the locals lifestyle.
Get out early in the morning (if I am not wrong before 10 you can also visit the Mezquita free) and visit the city, in the afternoon have your siesta (and maybe get a hotel with a pool for an afternoon dip) and in the evening go out and enjoy the nightlife, have dinner in la Corredera and then go for a walk along the river and across the roman bridge.
Enjoy!
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Thanks all for the input. I like the idea of a stopover in Malaga, and agree it does make more sense in some ways. Also long overdue after the many, many times we've flown in there but departed straight to the Alpujarras. But I do fancy Cordoba as well - it's 23 years since I was last there. Perhaps we'll do both, or toss a coin. Any 'must see' places in old Malaga?10
Malaga is a funny one, for me it fits into a "just being" kind of place. If you only have a limited amount of time wandering can be very rewarding. There is a semi ruined Alcazaba, a interesting one sided cathedral, 3 galleries I can think of CAC (modern contemporary and very enjoyable, a Picasso musuem and fro memory an outpost of the Thysenn Bornemisza). The old port has been done up in recent years and looks fabuous and also as mentioned before for me Sardines on the Malaguetta although the Pescado frito is amazing,We travelled to the Botanic gardens in the northern fringes last year and enjoyed that immensly, it is a bus journey and a short walk to get there, wish I could remember the number of the bus. I am sure there is loads more but cannot remember at the moment.
