One of the most popular activities for people visiting Seville is to take a day trip to the beautiful city of Cordoba and there’s good reason for this: it’s a beautiful city with numerous UNESCO World Heritage sites, more history than it knows what to do with, great restaurants and even the journey there between Seville and Cordoba is gorgeous.

Let’s dig down into these good reasons to take a day trip to Cordoba from Seville, take a look at what there is to do in Cordoba and how to get there from Seville. 

⭐️ For many who are trying to decide between visiting Valencia or Seville, the ability to take a day trip to Córdoba from Seville is a deciding factor.

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📝 If you’re searching for day trips from Seville generally, jump to the end of the article where there are a number of great day trip suggestions.

Getting from Seville to Cordoba

​If you’re considering a day trip to Cordoba from Seville you have a few options: 

Self-drive tour

🚗 If you love a fully-packed day, renting a car is a very fulfilling way to see Córdoba. Note that you’ll have to park the car just outside the historic center of Córdoba though as no cars are allowed into the actual center without a pass (from a hotel). There are plenty of parking options, don’t worry.

A car allows you the freedom to visit other nearby sites such as the Medina Azahara, the Almodovar del Río castle or even to head into the countryside and explore the gorgeous village of Zuheros.

Public Transportation

🚌 1hr 45- 2 hr from Seville Plaza de Armas bus station to the Córdoba bus station. In Córdoba the bus station is located right next to the train station – although this is the cheapest option, it’s also the slowest way to get to Córdoba from Seville.

→ Check bus timetables and prices on Busbud or Omio.

🚂 The Cordoba train station is located just outside the historic center less than 2km from the Mezquita.

It takes 45 minutes on Renfe’s AVE high speed train to get to Cordoba from Seville Santa Justa train station. It’s always a good idea to buy your train tickets in advance if you can when traveling in Europe.

→ Check timetables and buy train tickets via Trainline (the site Europeans use to book)

Guided Tours to Córdoba

👣 An organised tour from Seville is a good option for anyone who doesn’t want to rent a car or deal with the hassle of public transport. A tour will allow you to see many of Córdoba’s most impressive monuments without any stress.

The majority of Cordoba tour operators will also give a great rundown on the history of Córdoba and possibly also add somewhere interesting to the day on the way to or from Cordoba as well as some free time in the city to explore the narrow streets of the Jewish Quarter and more. 

📌 If you are booking a tour to Córdoba it’s a good idea to check whether the entrance fee to any site is included in the tour price or if you’re expected to pay separately. Lunch is generally not included in tours unless it’s explicitly stated.

At the end of this article I share my three favourite day trip tours to Cordoba from Seville. If you’re just here for the recommendations, feel free to skip straight to them. And if you really just want to book a tour, this one below is my absolute top recommendation.

🛝 If you’re wondering whether it’s worth exploring Córdoba with kids, it is, you just need to consider how you’re going to play it…

What are the the highlights of a day in Córdoba?

If this is your first visit to the magnificent city of Córdoba then your attention will most likely be focused purely on the old town of Córdoba and the following sites (these are the must-see attractions in town) as you get to grips with its rich history.

​The Mezquita – the mosque-cathedral of Córdoba

If you’re visiting Córdoba under your own steam, I highly recommend you buy your tickets to the Mezquita and the bell tower in advance. I also recommend getting to the Mezquita as early as possible before it gets too busy. 

The Bell Tower

The bell tower is on the same site as the Mezquita but it requires a separate ticket. It’s also worth buying this in advance as although fewer people climb the tower than visit the Mezquita, there are far fewer tickets available. 

The bell tower was preceded by a minaret that was built in the mid-tenth century. In the late sixteenth century work began to build a bell tower on the site of the former minaret. The views of the Mezquita and of Cordoba from the top of the bell tower are quite spectacular and well worth the climb. 

Wander the Jewish Quarter

As you wander through the narrow streets of the Jewish Quarter, look out for the tiny synagogue, Casa Sefaradi and Casa Andalusí – 3 excellent but small options while you’re in this part of the city. 

Roman Bridge and the Calahorra Tower

The Roman Bridge runs from just behind the Mezquita to the Torre Calahorra over the Guadalquivir River (the same river that runs through Sevilla).

What else is there to do on a day trip to Cordoba?

For anyone who is onto their 2nd, 3rd or 4th visit to Córdoba there’s still plenty to keep you entertained in this picturesque city: 

The Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (the Alcazar of the Christian monarchs)

This World Heritage fortress-palace was built in the fourteenth century. It has beautiful gardens, towers offering fabulous views, and some wonderful mosaics. 

Patios of Cordoba 

If you’re visiting Cordoba in May then you’re in for a treat as this is when the city’s courtyards open up to the public as part of the “Festival of the Courtyards”. However, there are also courtyards that are open to the public all year round so whenever you visit you’re sure to find something gorgeous. You just need to know where to look.

​Palacio de la Merced

This stunning eighteenth-century palace is home to the provincial government of Cordoba. It is possible to visit the courtyard and the gardens outside.

Palacio de Viana

A little out of the centre of town is this palace of twelve gorgeous courtyards.

Roman Temple

Most visitors to Cordoba stay firmly in the old city but if you take the time to walk through the modern city (take in Plaza de las Tendillas to see modern Spanish life at its finest) then you’ll find this ruined Roman temple in the middle of town.

Medina Azahara (this is the fourth UNESCO World Heritage site in Córdoba)

This is an archaeological site just outside Cordoba. It was once the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate in Spain. It is the fourth UNESCO World Heritage site in Córdoba and here you can see the remains of an early medieval Muslim palace.

Self-guided Cordoba day trip itinerary 

Stop 1: The Mezquita

If this is your first trip to Córdoba, whichever form of transport you decide to go for, your Cordoba itinerary should really begin with the Mezquita, the most famous building of all in Cordoba and one of the architectural wonders of Spain.

Take your time to enjoy this incredible piece of history, a mosque built on the site of a Visigoth church that was then turned into a cathedral. 

Remember to book your tickets in advance and to leave yourself enough time to reach the Mezquita from whichever station or car park you’re coming from. Hopefully you’ll just have a short and enjoyable walk to reach the Mezquita.

☕️ If you need a break before continuing to explore the city and its architecture, grab a coffee from any of the numerous traditional coffee shops, bars and even a Starbucks that surround the Mezquita.

Stop 2: Roman Bridge

Next, cross the gorgeous Roman Bridge to visit the Calahorra Tower – there is a decent museum (Museo Vivo de Al-Anadlus) inside as well as terrace with gorgeous views over the river and the Roman Bridge. 

Once you’re done here, cross back over, taking a moment to admire the fabulous old water wheel (one of my favourite things in the city) before going for lunch. 

🥘 Mexico Cassie lunch recommendation: Restaurante Amaltea is my absolute favourite restaurant in Córdoba and if you can, reserve a table in this small, centrally located farm-to-table restaurant that serves excellent vegetarian and meat dishes.

Stop 3: Wandering in Córdoba

After lunch head into the winding streets of the Jewish Quarter to find the Calleja de las Flores, the museums and synagogue and to browse the numerous souvenir shops. 

Note: If you’re coming from Seville, no doubt you’ll be visiting the Alcazar there so if you don’t have the time or energy to visit the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos here in Cordoba, don’t feel too bad. With just 1 day in Cordoba you simply don’t have time for everything.

Not your first Cordoba-rodeo

If, like me, you’re a fan of Córdoba and are returning for more, you can create your own perfect itinerary using the information in this article or my fuller article about all the excellent things to do in Córdoba.

Perhaps you’ll stop in to see the Alcazar or the archaeology museum, have lunch and then visit the Medina Azaraha on your way back to Seville. 

Mexico Cassie tour recommendations

And if you really don’t fancy dealing with traffic, navigating public transport or buying your own tickets then there are some excellent tours offering a day trip to Cordoba from Seville out there for you.

Let’s have a look at my 3 favourite tours available. 

And, of course, you can always take a free walking tour (well, if you book onto one)

Other fabulous day trips from Seville

One of the fabulous things about Seville is its location. It is so easy to explore much of the region as day trips from Seville.

⭐️ Malaga Province

➡️ Check out Malaga city, the surprisingly cultural city that is also the birthplace of Picasso

➡️ Explore Antequera and its magnificent Torcal

➡️ Visit Ronda and see the amazing Tajo Gorge

⭐️ Cádiz Province

➡️ Head to Cádiz, one of the oldest cities in Spain

➡️ Explore Jerez and the pueblos blancos of Cádiz

➡️ Enjoy the beach towns including gorgeous Tarifa (from where you can take a trip to Morocco and where the Mediterranean and Atlantic meet)

➡️ Take a day trip to Gibraltar, the weird slice of England on the edge of Spain

⭐️ Huelva Province

➡️ Enjoy Huelva City with its wonderful museum and great iron muelle

➡️ Explore the mountain towns of Aracena and Almonaster la Real

➡️ Marvel at the weird red river and castle in Niebla

➡️ Spend the day romping on the gorgeous beaches of Huelva and check out the fascinatingly weird pilgrimage town of El Rocío

⭐️ Sevilla Province

➡️ Walk along the forested river in Alcalá de Guadaíra

➡️ Visit the beautiful small town of Carmona

➡️ Walk in the Cerro del Hierro