They call the Viana Palace the doorway to the Patios, but also the Patios Palace or the Patios Museum, and not without sound reasons. This gem of a Córdoba Palace is the result of 500 years of continuous acquisitions of the surrounding buildings to enlarge the Palace. That alone gave us 12 wonderful out-of-this-world patios each one presenting a different personality.

I will not go into detail to describe the Palace as a building for it was already exceptionally depicted here by the Fundación Cajasur, which is the institution that officially manages and funds the Palace. There you can easily find the history of the building as well as the opening hours and other useful information to better plan your visit.

We are nonetheless eager to show you a bit of what you are missing. I have prepared a small collection of photographs of the different Patios so you can make a first virtual walk through them. A training so to speak, before the real wonder. A slow walk between the white narrow corridors will lead you to true beauty: the soul of a City. The five senses are doing but one thing: unfolding the fragrance of intimacy: the silence, the water, the stone, the green lives, the color. A solid permanent invitation to linger through a Córdoba Patio any time of the year.

It is not a enthusiastic recommendation but a must-do when in Córdoba.

Photographs by Luis Calvo.