The flower patios of Córdoba

Some cities are best discovered on foot, and Córdoba is one of them. The old Jewish quarter is a maze of narrow lanes, whitewashed walls and courtyards overflowing with geraniums, built around fountains the way houses in Damascus and Fes still are.

We started each morning at the Great Mosque, the Mezquita, before the tour groups arrived. Its forest of red-and-white arches, begun by the Umayyads in 785, is even more moving in person than in photographs, and the mihrab's gold mosaics are worth the early alarm.

In the afternoons we wandered without a plan, crossed the Roman bridge at sunset and rested in shady squares with fresh orange juice and warm churros.

Visit in early May for the Festival of the Patios, when families open their courtyards to visitors. Wear comfortable shoes for the cobblestones, and try salmorejo, the cold tomato soup, on a hot day.