For many visitors to southern Spain, a visit Córdoba is a highlight of the trip but what about the kids? How will the kids fare with such a cultural visit you’re wondering.

In this article we’ll take a look at all the options for exploring Córdoba with kids. We’ll work through the main tourist sites (including the Mezquita) and how to make these fun for the kids and then we’ll look at some activities that they’ll really enjoy. I’ll also share what my kids thought of it all because that’s always fun for everyone.

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Little disclaimer: The city of Córdoba is the only  place we’ve ever visited where my son has actually exploded at me and informed me that we were doing to much and it wasn’t fair and he hated me, etc etc. To be fair to him, I did try and cram waaaaaaay too much into our first day in Córdoba. So basically, don’t be me in Córdoba, don’t make the kids visit every single thing in one day. They won’t thank you.

Cultural activities with kids

In my experience, the best thing to do when you’re visiting a cultural place like Córdoba is to acknowledge that exploring the city probably isn’t the kids’ idea of a perfect day out but that sometimes that’s just tough because adults get to see what they like, too.

You could, depending on the age of your kids, promise them a day doing something excellent and super kid friendly in exchange for their cooperation while you explore Córdoba.

I promise you, that even with recalcitrant kids, Córdoba is worth visiting.

UNESCO in Córdoba

Did you know that Cordoba has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than anywhere else in the world? That’s right, within a ten kilometre radius there is the Mezquita, the Medina Azahara, the historic centre of Cordoba and the Cordoba Fiesta de los Patios (in May), which has been named a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage event. 

Exploring Córdoba with kids

We’ll start with Córdoba’s big ticket items and discuss how to make them more kid friendly. This article is designed to stand along side the MexicoCassie full article about everything there is to do in Córdoba so for fuller details about the sites, I recommend checking there too.

My kids were 11 and 9 when we visited Córdoba so the kid opinions you see below are related specifically to the tween-kinda age. Smaller kids might be more malleable, older kids might be more (or less) interested.

La Mezquita with kids

This UNESCO World Heritage site is the main draw for most people visiting Córdoba. In fact, many people choose to visit as a day trip from Sevilla or Málaga purely to visit this incredible site. This is the famous mosque-cathedral of Cordoba.

Patio de los Naranjos

This beautiful plaza didn’t strike any emotional notes for my kids but they were happy enough to walk around it.

Bell Tower

My kids really did enjoy climbing the bell tower – ok, no, they didn’t but they liked the views over the city from the top.

How can we make the Mezquita more fun for kids?

The truth is that most kids don’t care about churches or mosques or even combined church-mosques. Help them to find it fun by suggesting they look out for certain things – faces they find funny on the sculptures etc. We also used our phones to translate the Latin we found there and we got the kids counting the pillars.

What did MexicoCassie’s kids think?

No thank you. They don’t like being told they can’t play or chat loudly (they can do it, they just don’t like it). They didn’t care very much at all until we found some fabulous refracted light patterns to enjoy. They thought it was fun to imagine what the sculptures might be thinking were they real.

Roman Bridge (Puente Romano) with kids

This is a bridge you use to cross the Guadalquivir River if you want to visit the Torre de la Calahorra and the Al Andalus museum. The bridge often has buskers and people selling small trinkets on it. As you cross the bridge look out for the massive water wheel Molino de la Alboafia. This is really something very cool to see.

Once you’ve crossed the bridge you have the museum directly in front of you and a children’s playground to your left.

What did MexicoCassie’s kids think?

They didn’t care very much about how old the bridge is but they did enjoy the buskers, the street vendors and they were extremely happy when we said they could run to the playground and spend some time there. They actually didn’t spend long in the playground but they loved the staircase nearby (🤦🏽‍♂️).

Torre de la Calahorra and the Museo al Andalus

When you enter the museum you’re given an audioguide each, which can be set to a children’s version. There are some nice miniature models and the museum focuses on the 3-cultures of the city.

The tower is something of an emblem for the city (along with the Mezquita, obviously) and the beautiful views of the city from the top of the tower are really quite special.

What did MexicoCassie’s kids think?

Both kids tried really hard to listen to the audioguide, one for longer than the other but they preferred it when we took the time to listen and then fed them tidbits of information. They quite enjoyed the miniatures and the views over the city from the tower.

Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos

I admit that none of us have visited the Córdoba Alcázar although I plan to remedy this shortly.

This World Heritage fortress-palace was built in the fourteenth century by the Catholic Monarchs over the remains of a Moorish castle. It has incredible gardens, towers offering fabulous views of the Mezquita, and some wonderful Roman mosaics. 

While the Alcazar is not considered by many to be as magnificent as its neighbour, the Mezquita, it is still a historically fascinating building and it also has UNESCO World Heritage status.

I recommend booking tickets in advance as otherwise you may well face long queues to buy one on the day.

My kids, as you may have figured out, suffer visits to these gorgeous old monuments. They don’t enjoy them but they also know they’re not allowed to behave badly. As long as we engage them and acknowledge that they’re not having a wonderful time then they cope just fine.

Jewish Quarter & historic centre

In the Jewish Quarter, quite apart from the narrow streets, old buildings and plentiful souvenir shops, you’ll find one of the last remaining synagogues in all of Spain, the Casa de Sefarad and the Casa Andalusí, all of which are worth visiting for the insight they give into medieval culture in the city.

What did MexicoCassie’s kids think?

They enjoyed looking in souvenir shops, they definitely enjoyed eating ice-cream. They thought the synagogue was kinda neat but the 2 very small museums were what pushed my 11-year old over the edge. He point blank refused to walk around them with us so we left him sitting fuming on a chair while the 9 yr old did her best to put her big brother to shame by trying to be interested! She did quite enjoy the Casa de Sefarad because it really is extremely beautiful.

Córdoba patios

The gorgeous Córdoba patios open to the public in May. I haven’t actually taken my kids to see them because we’ve been at other times of year but I imagine my kids would quite enjoy seeing a couple of patios.

The only thing to keep in mind if you’re taking little ones is how crowded it can get in Córdoba during the patio festival.

Roman temple

This doesn’t take long to see. Walk across Plaza de las Tendillas (a lovely big plaza where the kids can have a little run) and you’ll find the Roman temple just a few minutes away.

You can’t enter inside or spend any time here. Apparently at some point in the future it may be opened to visitors.

What did MexicoCassie’s kids think?

By the time we got to the Roman temple my kids were tired and I’d bribed them with the promise of a pretzel from the nearby Aldi so they were very quiet and happy to stand for 2 minutes and look at the temple.

See a flamenco show

There are plenty of options for flamenco shows in Córdoba. The only important thing to remember is that generally small kids aren’t permitted into flamenco venues so this is one for the slightly bigger kids (from 6 and up).

Flamenco shows generally last around an hour.

→ Book flamenco tickets now

🐴 If you think the kids might like flamenco and they like horses then try the Caballerizas Reales where the 2 combine for a spectacular 70 minute show!

→ Book to see the Caballerizas Reales

What do MexicoCassie’s kids think of flamenco?

One kid absolutely loves watching flamenco. The other accepts that some of it is ‘kind of cool’ but doesn’t really love it.

What else can you do in Córdoba with kids?

Sightseeing tours

If your family enjoys a good sightseeing tour then you have a number of options in Córdoba

👣 Take a Guru Tours free walking tour

🚎 Enjoy a hop-on-hop-off bus tour of Córdoba

🚲 For the more active kids among you, take a 2 hour bike tour of the city.

or:

My kids absolutely love an escape room. There are a few options in Córdoba including these two which are designed to help you explore the city as a family.

🕵🏾‍♀️ Interactive Treasure Hunt – Use a mobile phone app to solve riddles and follow clues around Córdoba as you solve a mystery. Available in English.

🕵🏾‍♀️ Escape the City – an interactive adventure around Córdoba with a guide. Recommended for kids over 8. Available in English.

Play areas in Córdoba

Of course, if you have small kids then you’ll hope to find a play area or two for the kids. It’s always a good idea to intersperse culture activities with a break for the little ones.

La Ciudad de los Niños

This is an ideal place to take small children for lot of fun. There are numerous playground activities including some for children with disabilities. There is also a science area on site, public toilets and a cafe. As you explore the park there are science, and history activities for the kids too.

Other playgrounds include: Los Patos & the Pirate Ship Playground.

➕ my kids really enjoyed walking along the river in front of the Alcázar. There was space to run and play and they even found a drinking fountain that kept them amused for far longer than I’d like to admit.

➕ Both Plaza de la Corredera and Plaza de las Tendillas are great options if you want to sit and enjoy a drink or an ice cream and let the kids run around. I assure you that this is exactly what all the Spanish families are doing.

Cordoba zoo & conservation centre

We didn’t visit the zoo but if your family enjoys zoos then this small zoo gets good reviews and it’s nicely close to the Ciudad de los Niños.

Family day trips from Córdoba

Water activities

If you’re visiting in the summer months then a trip to the Aquasierra water park a half-hour drive from Córdoba could be just the ticket for your hot, sweaty little ones.

or, if your family is more into active water fun, how about a family friendly rafting adventure.

Medina Azahara / Medinat al-Zahara

This site was built in the 10th century and was once the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate in Spain. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage site where you can see the remains of the city, part of an early medieval palace as well as the gorgeous ruins of the Mezquita (the first in Spain to point towards Mecca).

👣 We visited without a tour but I actually wish we’d gone with a guide as there is so much to see and learn here and I know we missed out by not having an expert by our sides. My kids were happy we did not have a guide!

🚌 You park/arrive at the excellent visitors’ centre with a small museum. From here you have to take a bus (€3 per adult €1.50 per child) to the actual ruins.

→ Take a 3 hr tour of the Medina Azahara with a certified archaeologist guide.

What did MexicoCassie’s kids think?

They enjoyed the bus ride up to the site as much as they enjoyed the site itself. My kids actually do like archaeological sites because we always have really good conversations and try to imagine what life was like for kid who lived in these places. They enjoy exploring very much. They were less thrilled when I wrangled us onto the tour of the Salon Rico because they don’t love tours but even then they didn’t mind too much.

Castillo de Almodóvar del Río

This fabulous castle and fortress sits on a hill overlooking the Guadalquivir. It was built around the year 740 CE by the Moorish rulers of the region. The (fully restored) castle has been open to the public since 2001 and makes for a great day out for anyone who enjoys a good traditional castle. It is particularly a great thing to do if you’re visiting with kids.

🐉 And yes, before you ask, you have seen it in the Game of Thrones

→ Buy tickets to the Castillo de Almodóvar del Río

What did MexicoCassie’s kids think?

We visited this castle with a big group of friends and all the kids had a great day. They loved clambering around, exploring the dungeons, seeing the armour, trying to pull the sword from the stone. All in all, this is a big win. And there’s a gift shop!

Parque Periurbano Los Vilares or Parque Periurbano Sierrazuela

These 2 park/forest areas are a good option if you’re looking to get out into nature with your kids and have a picnic or a good romp.

What did MexicoCassie’s kids think?

My kids love a good nature romp. We have been to Sierrazuela a few times with a picnic and they always have a great time.

Zuheros & the Sierra Subbeticas

This small town is known as one of Spain’s most beautiful towns and I’d absolutely agree. With its white, red-roofed homes, its brilliantly located castle—slap bang in the middle of town— and its towering craggy hills behind the town, Zuheros is not somewhere you’ll quickly forget. It would be fair to say that Zuheros is one of our favourite places in Spain. There’s a cool cave to visit, a very good animal rescue centre, and a lot of nature to explore.

⭐️ Read more about Zuheros

What did MexicoCassie’s kids think?

They absolutely love exploring Zuheros and the wild lands around it. This is a firm family favourite for all of us. The animal park got a huge thumbs up because they were allowed to help feed the wild animals. They loved the freedom to run, jump and explore all around here.

I hope that this article has given you some good ideas of how to entertain the kids as you explore Córdoba and the surrounding area. Let me know how you get on.

Where’s next in Andalucía?