Enguidanos is a lovely village which by my calculation was around half way between where we set off from and where we wanted to get to the following day.
It has a rather fine castle the only problem on the Tuesday evening being the weather which eventually arrived in the form of a storm later that night.
Some of the buildings were quite old, the date on this doorway is 1766.
There was also a different style of building. In our village of Torre del Compte the houses around the same period are built of stone whereas many of the buildings here had a timber frame.
In the UK the term "Tudor style" is applied to such structures which usually date around the 15th to 17th century.
However, next morning the blue sky was back. On a roundabout just outside another village were these reminders of the agricultural nature of the area.
We stayed 3 nights in the lovely Hotel Ayre which is a short bus ride away from the hustle and bustle of the city of Córdoba.
The hotel had a superb menu which we explored at length.
Everything about the hotel reflected peace and tranquility which is just what is needed after a day in the city.
One of the main attractions of the city in May is the "patios" festival where courtyards around the city are open to the public.
However, many had closed by the time we arrived but we still saw some very pleasing examples.
One of the great things about the city is the way that Muslims, Jews and Christians lived and thrived together in harmony for centuries in the middle ages. We visited synagogues, churches and mosques around the city where everyone could practice their faith in those times.
Here's us and a very tame bull.
The restaurants in Córdoba have some traditional cuisine on their menus. After our Salmorejo, a cold Andalusian tomato based soup served with serrano ham and hard boiled egg, I treated myself to a Flamenquin before having the Córdoba tart.
No visit to Córdoba is ever complete without seeing the Mezquita/Catedral.
We saw the inside at length 2 years ago when we were having a day trip to the city so this time it was sufficient just to enjoy the outside of the building.
Moorish architecture abounds everywhere in this city.
Another famous feature is the Roman bridge...
...and we enjoyed the city museum which is housed in the Torre de Calahorra at the southern end.
After another satisfying evening meal in the hotel.
The next day we took the tourist bus around the city...
...and stopped off for morning coffee and a wander around the Botanical gardens.
Part of the city walls.
Yet another "patio"...
...followed by another very traditional lunch in a very traditional restaurant...
...then more exploration of the city in the afternoon.
Inside the hotel were quiet open areas such as the one above just what was needed after a day around the city.
Córdoba is one of our favourite Spanish cities and we certainly enjoyed our time there. A great start to our holiday in Andalusia.
