Start your tour at the Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba, the mosque-cathedral on Calle Cardenal Herrero in the historic centre with its origins as a Visigothic church converted to a mosque in the 8th century and expanded under the Umayyad caliphs until the 10th century before the insertion of a Gothic cathedral nave in the 16th century.
From the entrance, walk around the exterior walls to the Patio de los Naranjos, the courtyard with rows of orange trees and fountains that served for ablutions in the mosque period.
Proceed through the narrow streets of the Judería, the former Jewish quarter with whitewashed houses and flower-filled patios along lanes such as Calleja de las Flores leading to small squares.
Continue to the Sinagoga de Córdoba on Calle Judíos, the medieval synagogue from the 14th century with Mudejar plasterwork and Hebrew inscriptions one of the few preserved in Spain.
Head south through the winding alleys past the statue of Maimónides the philosopher born in the city in 1138 to reach the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, the fortress-palace built in the 14th century with towers gardens and a moat where Ferdinand and Isabella received Christopher Columbus in 1486.
From the Alcázar, follow the path along the Guadalquivir River to the Puente Romano, the stone bridge of Roman origin rebuilt in the medieval period stretching over 250 metres with 16 arches and views of the city and the Torre de la Calahorra at the far end.
The route stays within the UNESCO-listed historic quarter with its stone buildings and narrow passages and covers about two kilometres in total with a duration of around one hour at a moderate pace.
End at the Puerta del Puente, the triumphal arch gateway from the 16th century near the Roman Bridge marking the southern approach to the old town with decorative elements from the Renaissance period.
