We decided to hire a car for a few days to explore further afield from Malaga and see what else Andalucia had to offer. First on the itinerary (in no small part due to Micheal Portillo!) is Cordoba.
About a two hour drive from Malaga this incredible city has a myriad of history seeping from every pore. From Roman bridges to Moorish mosques and a breath taking cathedral.
Cordoba has seen its fair share of history, being an Iberian and Roman city in ancient times and later the capital of an Islamic caliphate.
Surrounding the large old town are Roman walls with three of the original 13 gates remaining – Puerta de Almodóvar, the Puerta de Sevilla and Puerta del Puente.
Here Neil loiters near the castle walls where a picturesque canal flows alongside the imposing sandy coloured ediface.
Next up we take a trot along the huge Roman bridge to view the impressive Puerta del Puente and city walls from a distance.
Alongside the bridge you can see the remains of Albolafia mill, one of the eleven Mills of Guadalquivir in Cordoba.
Its reconstructed water wheel rears up from the river bed like a wooden monster has been roused.
The original wheel was dismantled by order of Queen Isabel ‘La Católica’ who disliked the noise it produced so close to the Castle, the royal residence.
The bridge itself was the only bridge of the city for twenty centuries, until the construction of the San Rafael Bridge in the mid-20th century.
Built in the early 1st century BC it has a length of about 250 m and consists of 16 arches.
Next stop the awe inspiring Cathedral of Cordoba with its many incarnations and incredible interior.