Whilst there are festivals in Córdoba throughout the year the ones which are best known outside the city are as follows:
Semana Santa
Córdoba is my city of choice for Holy Week. Whilst the incredible street processions which take place every evening in the week leading up to Easter Sunday are fairly solemn the atmosphere of the whole city is something very special. This week is probably the highlight of the year for many local residents who join their fellow parishioners to walk the route of the processions. Whilst this is indeed a religious affair it is an event which attracts visitors from all over the world and is probably my favourite annual fiesta (though I still have plenty to attend ;-))
Semana Santa Celebrations – Photo Credit: CC Pablo Cabezos
Cruces de Mayo
Usually during the first few days of May, large crosses made of flowers are erected in many of the squares around Córdoba. In most of these Plazas a temporary bar with loudspeakers is set up by a local ‘peña’. On each day of the fiesta numbers grow at the crosses as the night kicks in. Eventually a full scale party develops with much beer, sherry and tapas consumption together with dancing to loud Sevillanas music.
Fiesta de los Patios
The first time I ever visited Córdoba was in winter after driving there from Madrid. I was surprised to see that many balconies of people’s apartments had geraniums on show. This is only possible thanks to the mild climate, in Madrid they would never survive the winter months. In May, when the city is in bloom, there is a competition to find the city’s most beautiful patios offering visitors a unique opportunity to visit the beautiful private courtyards of some of the contestants. You can find more information on the Patios Website.
La Feria de Córdoba
The Córdoba Spring Fair is better known to locals as ‘La Feria de Nuestra Señora de la Salud’. Taking place at the end of May it is very similar in appearance to Seville’s ‘Feria de Abril‘ but is more visitor friendly as the ‘casetas’ are all open to the public. The venue for the fiesta is the fairground next to the football stadium at El Arenal which is walking distance from the historical centre of town. This is a truly Andalucían event centred on Sevillanas music, flamenco dancing, tapas and the drinking of vast quantities of local Montilla-Moriles wines.
Festival de la Guitarra
Usually during the first fortnight of July Córdoba hosts a highly regarded international guitar festival which is one of the highlights on the city’s summer events calendar. As well as performances by well-known artists there are training courses around the city covering just about everything related to guitars and flamenco music. You can find more information at http://www.guitarracordoba.org/.
Córdoba Festival Dates – 2019
Semana Santa – April 14th to 21st
Cruces de Mayo – May 1st to 5th
Fiesta de los Patios – May 6th to 19th
Feria de Córdoba (Feria de Nuestra Señora de la Salud) – May 25th to 1st June
Festival de la Guitarra – July – 1st Fortnight
Whilst these dates are correct at the time of writing you should confirm them on the Turismo de Córdoba website.