San Basilio

The San Basilio neighbourhood, in the southwestern corner of Córdoba’s old town, sits between the River Guadalquivir and the beautiful Victoria Gardens. Most of the old houses here participate in May’s Fiesta de los Patios, when residents open up their colourful courtyards to the public for two weeks. San Basilio’s architectural landmark is the 14th-century Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, a palace for Spain’s Catholic kings built on the site of a Moorish fortress, surrounded by gardens of tropical splendour. Like all of Córdoba’s old town, San Basilio is a small neighbourhood and easy to walk around, but avoid doing so during the hottest part of the day. Morning and early evening are the best times for a wander.