Córdoba Province

Córdoba Province stretches across more than 13,000 square kilometers in northern Andalusia, between the Sierra Morena mountains and the Subbética hills. The landscape divides into mountain ranges in the north and east, a broad plain in the center, and rolling hills to the south, crossed by rivers and farmland.

Roman settlers founded colonies along the river in the second century before Christ, building bridges and roads and planting vineyards. The region became the capital of a Muslim caliphate in the eighth century and remained a center for science, literature, and architecture for nearly three centuries.

Place names in the northern hills recall the Moorish past, while villages across the plains show roots in Roman farming layouts. Local celebrations follow a calendar that mixes Christian processions with harvest festivals, especially during spring and autumn months.

Most towns sit along the river or at crossroads in the plain, making it easier to navigate between places. The mountains in the north and south are less populated but offer quiet roads and walking routes through forests and fields.

Three protected parks along the mountains shelter Iberian lynx, black vultures, and rare plants that survive in few regions of Europe. The parks lie away from main routes and are often reached only by narrow roads, keeping them quiet and less visited.