Bucketlist Travels logo

Travel bucket list idea:

Mezquita of Cordoba

Last updated: 11 March, 2024

Begun in the year 785, when Abd ar Rahman I made Cordoba the capital of al-Andalus, the Mezquita (Mosque-Cathedral). is a breathtaking tour de force designed to show that this western outpost of Islam was equal to anything in the east.

Its seemingly endless columns, horseshoe arches and beautiful double arches melt into distant shadows. Originally open on the sides, with light pouring in, it was walled-in when the Christians built a cathedral in the centre, itself a treasure-filled masterpiece although it seems intrusive in this magical forest of 580 columns, this pure meditation in stone.

Don’t miss

For a couple of euros more, you can also visit the recently restored Campanario Tower, the highest point in the city with breathtaking views over the Mezquita and Cordoba.

Go (back) at night: the Soul of Cordoba tour (with audio guide) costs a bit more, but includes a film, and uses sound and light that emphasise the Mezquita’s hypnotic beauty.

Logistics

Price from: £8
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

Buy tickets online before you go, and pick up the audio or multimedia guide in English to get the most out of your visit, although there are also many excellent guided tours with priority entrance.

When to do it

The mosque and bell tower are open all year round, seven days a week (with a break for lunchtime prayer). The Soul of Cordoba tours run nightly.

Who to go with: organised tours

20

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Cordoba: Mosque,Cathedral, Alcazar & Synagogue with Tickets

  • Cordoba

Cordoba: Mosque,Cathedral, Alcazar & Synagogue with Tickets

Viator

Visit the most important monuments of Córdoba on a 4-hour guided tour to learn more about the Christian, Muslim and Jewish influence in the city. Skip the long lines to the 8th-century Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba and marvel at its forest of columns and double arches. Admire the mihrab (apse) of the former mosque, and then take a stroll through the Jewish Quarter to visit the Synagogue, Arabic market and bronze statue of the medieval Sephardic philosopher, Maimonides. End with a tour inside the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, one of the primary residences of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. Entrance Tickets to all the monuments included. Back and shoulders must be covered.

Price €48

Min age 0

Rating 4.65 / 5 [318 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo
Website >

Cordoba Mosque-Cathedral and Jewish Quarter Walking Tour

  • Cordoba

Cordoba Mosque-Cathedral and Jewish Quarter Walking Tour

Viator

During this two hours guided tour you will visit the Mosque-Cathedral, the most important monument of Córdoba. Then you will take a walking tour of the Jewish Quarter accompanied by a historian guide.

Price €32

Min age 0

Rating 4.43 / 5 [302 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo
Website >

Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba Guided Tour

  • Cordoba

Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba Guided Tour

Viator

Ideal Guided tour for those who want to know the Mosque - Cathedral of Cordoba in depth. It will be done by expert historians who will be able to analyze, in detail, every part of a very special and complex monument.

Price €14

Min age 0

Rating 4.60 / 5 [301 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo
Website >

Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba Guided Tour with Priority Access Ticket

  • Cordoba

Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba Guided Tour with Priority Access Ticket

Viator

Be awed by the spectacular beauty of the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba on a guided tour of one of the most visited monuments in Spain. Conserving the decorative style of an Islamic mosque, construction of the magnificent monument began in the 8th century. Later extensions vastly increased its size, turning it into the second biggest mosque in the world before it became a Catholic cathedral. Venture inside to discover a forest of columns and elegant double arches, and admire the ornate maqsuramihrab (apse) along with other decorative highlights. Be led by an official guide to build a full picture of this landmark building. Your tour includes Tickets, audio guide and taxes. Back and shoulders must be covered.

Price €27

Min age 0

Rating 4.41 / 5 [266 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo
Website >

Mosque Cathedral of Cordoba History Tour

  • Cordoba

Mosque Cathedral of Cordoba History Tour

Viator

You will enjoy a guided tour of the Great Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba a famous babyrinth of beautiful columns. You will learn about its origins as an islamic mosque that became a Catholic Cathedral in the 13th Century. This building is one of the most interesting buildings in the world.

Price €28

Min age 0

Rating 4.76 / 5 [205 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo
Website >

Destination guides

2

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Cordoba

  • Andalusia, Spain

Inside of the tiny, beautifully decorated Chapel of Iglesia San Bartolome

Destination guide

A fascinating city of labyrinthine lanes and Roman and Moorish monuments, including one of the world’s greatest buildings: the Mezquita.

  • Andalusia, Spain

Andalusia

Destination guide

A big dazzling region, packed with fascinating cities, beautiful landscapes and beaches, colourful fiestas and oodles of sunshine.

Round-ups

1

Round-ups that include this experience

  • Multiple countries

100 World’s greatest historic buildings

Inspiration

The great civilisations of the past have left a legacy of constructions that still stand out and inspire. Built without the wonders of 20th-century technology, many are also monumental feats of engineering; others offer such grace and beauty, that they’ll literally take your breath away.