Parador de Córdoba

Spain – Andalusia – Córdoba

Luxury modern hotel

4-star

The Parador La Arruzafa is situated 3 km above the city of Córdoba, on the site of the small summer palace built here in AD 765 by the Caliph Abdu’r-Raman, at the beginning of the golden age of the Moorish Caliphate of Córdoba. Abdu’r-Raman is said to have planted here the first palm trees in Europe, and arruzafa – the name of the Parador – means ‘garden of the palm trees’. Abdu’r-Raman chose this hilly site well, for the temperature here in summer is on average 4 degrees centigrade cooler than in the city of Córdoba itself, and this makes the Parador La Arruzafa – with its shady gardens, outdoor pool and panoramic views over this legendary city – a comfortable and luxurious base for exploring this part of Andalusia, especially in the hot summer months. The bedrooms are decorated in a mix of Arabic and Andalusian styles and, naturally, all have air-conditioning. The restaurant has both international and local dishes on its menu, for example, Salmorejo (creamed tomato with ham and eggs), Gazpacho blanco de almendras (a variant on the famous Andalusian chilled vegetable soup, flavoured with almonds) and Flamenquin (Iberian pork escalope stuffed with ham, egg and peppers, then breaded and fried in olive oil).