There’s still time to organise a visit to Cordoba Patios Festival. Don’t miss this chance to view these incredibly beautiful displays undertaken by the residents of these spectacular shared outdoor living spaces. Last December, UNESCO added the Cordoba patios to its heritage of humanity list which protects the life and lifestyle of the patios and what they mean for the local community. This competition dates back to 1918 and always attracts huge interest both nationally and internationally AND we expect this year to be bigger and better because of the UNESCO listing.
Courtyards (Patios) in Cordoba. Photo credit: Juan Jose Ferres via photopin cc
What’s the sequence of events at the Cordoba Patios Festival? The competing courtyards or patios are open to the public daily from 8 May to 19 May from 11am-2pm and 6pm-10pm (and until 12 midnight on the Friday and Saturday). The judging takes places during the 12 days of the festival. In the coming weeks Cordoba Town Hall will be publishing a list of competitors plus its suggested walking routes to visit as many courtyards as possible.
And what is being judged? Patios are judged for their artistic and ornamental flair with the quality and variety of flowers, flowerpots and architectural elements taken into account. Although there are prizes for modern and renovated courtyards (as well as traditional) all installations must to respect their surroundings or stand to be penalised.
Do we have any favourite courtyards? It’s impossible to single any patio out. There are areas such as Santa Marina and San Basilio that have long been associated with this competition – however – every year, the newcomers offer exciting new ways of experiencing these spaces and are well worth a visit.
What’s the best way to get around the festival? If at all possible, we recommend visiting on weekdays rather than weekends and evenings are much less busy than mornings.
UNESCO-listed whitewashed courtyards of Cordoba. Photo credit: Juan Jose Ferres via photopin cc
Our top tip is to avoid the queues as much as possible – with a multi-pass ticket. This year, for the first time, the Town Hall is providing an online ticket reservation system. Details have yet to be confirmed but we anticipate each individual can apply for a maximum of ten courtyard visits.
Posada del Potro Cordoba. Photo credit: David Garcia
And if you can’t make it to Cordoba Patios Festival – many of the competing patios are open to the public throughout the year. And no trip to Cordoba is complete without experiencing the Palace of Viana’s twelve patios (open all year round). Whilst these courtyards are very different – pertaining to a single large palace rather than being a shared outdoor whitewashed space for neighbours, it is a great experience in itself and demonstrates the historic importance of patios across all levels of Andalucian society.