Mr & Mrs Smith

Traditional tapas-place, Taberna Los Berengueles (+34 957 472828) on Conde de Torres Cabrera, is a short stroll away from Palacio del Bailío and has a lovely little patio to dine on. Across the street, Taberna Gongora (+34 957 490362) is a great choice if you like beer and taxidermy. Head to Bar Santos, just opposite the mosque, for paper plates of delicious tapas at ridiculously low prices (+34 957 479360). Sit a cold beer and demolish your tapas outside, surrounded by locals and lucky tourists.

Córdoba is small and easy to walk around but if you’re feeling especially idle you can rent a bike or even a little zippy electric car to explore the area. www.blobject.es rents all sorts of eco-friendly vehicles.

January Córdoba’s Christmas parade, the Cavalcade of the Three Kings, passes through the city early in the month. The mediaeval market takes over the main square a few weeks later, filling the streets with stalls, acrobats, jesters and peasants. March/April Semana Santa: Holy Week is an moving, incense-scented affair in Córdoba, with a series of street processions remembering the Passion. May is a big month for the Córdobese (especially in terms of horticulture), kicking off with the Battle of the Flowers parade, followed by the Las Cruces de Mayo celebrating the coming of spring, and the Córdoba Patio Festival, polished off by the late-May Feria, marked with fireworks and music. July The Córdoba Guitar Festival brings an international A-list of strummers to the city.