by adminFinding the best Cordoba patios guided tour comes with a catch: the patios are private homes, and you can only see them inside when their owners open the door. That is why the calendar and timetable matter as much as the guide. In this guide we compare three tours we know well, using the details each website publishes as of 18 October 2026: duration, departure days, meeting point, languages and price.
What makes a good guided tour of the Patios of Cordoba
The Patios Festival has been on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2012, and the most celebrated patios are found in neighbourhoods such as San Basilio and Santa Marina. A good tour should include entry to several patios from the May Popular Contest, explain how they are cared for all year round and fit the hours when residents receive visitors. Outside May, it is also worth checking which days the tour runs, because they change from month to month.
If you want some background first, read what the patios of Cordoba are and how the Cordoba patios contest works.
1. Tour Patios de Córdoba: contest patios almost all year
The Tour Patios de Córdoba visit lasts between 1.5 and 2 hours and takes in the best-known, award-winning patios of the Popular Contest, with tickets included and authorised guides and interpreters, in Spanish or English.
Days, times and departure point
All year round it departs at 17:00 (18:00 in summer) from the gate of the Caballerizas Reales, every day except Tuesdays and Sundays. During the May Popular Contest there are two daily tours, at 10:30 and 17:30, and the departure point moves to the door of the City Hall, on Calle Capitulares. In the booking calendar, the adult rate is €20.99 and a child aged 11 to 13 pays €10.50, booking fees included.
Who it suits best
Travellers who want to see real patios outside May, without the crowds, starting next to the Alcázar in the heart of the San Basilio neighbourhood.
2. Arte en Córdoba: clear prices and a month-by-month calendar
The Arte en Córdoba Courtyards of Cordoba tour also lasts between 1.5 and 2 hours and sets out very clearly which days it runs at each time of year.
Prices and calendar
Adults pay €20 with entry included, reduced to €15 during the contest; children aged 11 to 13 pay €10 and under-11s go free. In March, April, May, September and October it runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; in June, November and December, on Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays, always at 17:00 (18:00 in summer). In the first and second weeks of May there are two daily tours, at 10:30 and 17:30. It is offered in Spanish and English and is wheelchair accessible.
Meeting point and who it suits best
The usual meeting point is the gate of the Caballerizas Reales; during the contest, the City Hall. It is the most convenient option if you are travelling with a wheelchair user or want to plan with the monthly calendar in front of you.
3. Free Tour Córdoba: the only one with a Sunday tour
Although the brand is known for its free tours, its Patios of Cordoba guided tour has a fixed price because it includes entry to the patios.
Days and times
It follows the same month-by-month calendar as the others, at 17:00 (18:00 in summer), with one important difference: it adds a tour on Sundays at 12:30, in Spanish only. During the contest there are departures at 10:30 and 17:30. The booking calendar lists it at €20.99 per adult.
Who it suits best
Visitors who are only free on Sunday morning. It is worth checking the departure point on the tour page and in your booking voucher before you go.
Comparison table of Cordoba patios guided tours
| Option | Duration | Usual departure | Languages | Sundays | Adult price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tour Patios de Córdoba | 1.5-2 h | Caballerizas Reales | ES, EN | No | €20.99* |
| Arte en Córdoba | 1.5-2 h | Caballerizas Reales | ES, EN | No | €20 (€15 during the contest) |
| Free Tour Córdoba | Not stated | See tour page and voucher | Not stated (Sundays Spanish only) | Yes, 12:30 | €20.99* |
*Booking-calendar price including fees, checked on 18/10/2026. All three include entry to the patios.
Tips for choosing your patios tour
Season: May or the rest of the year
May is contest month, with the patios at their most spectacular, but also with queues and big crowds; tour times and meeting points change. From March to October, outside the contest, the patios are still in bloom and the visit is calmer. In November and December the departure days drop to Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays, so book ahead.
Time, language and which patios you will see
The afternoon departure is standard for every option; if you are visiting on a Sunday, only Free Tour Córdoba runs a tour, and only in Spanish. Tour Patios de Córdoba and Arte en Córdoba work in Spanish and English. To get an idea of the patios usually visited, have a look at patios in Cordoba you must visit and our guide to the San Basilio patios.
Frequently asked questions about Cordoba patios guided tours
Can you visit the Patios of Cordoba outside May?
Yes. Although the contest is held in May, many owners open their patios for guided tours for much of the year. Tour Patios de Córdoba runs every day except Tuesdays and Sundays, and Arte en Córdoba and Free Tour Córdoba publish a month-by-month calendar, with fewer departure days in June, November and December.
How long does a guided tour of the patios take?
Tour Patios de Córdoba and Arte en Córdoba give a duration of between an hour and a half and two hours, enough time to visit several contest patios and the surrounding neighbourhood. The exact length depends on how many patios are open that day and on the pace of the group, especially in May, when there are more visitors.
Is entry to the patios included?
Yes, all three tours include entry to the patios in the price, so you will not have to pay anything extra at the door of each house. Arte en Córdoba lists €20 per adult with entry included and a reduced rate of €15 during the contest; children under 11 go free.
Where does the Cordoba patios guided tour start?
Outside the contest, Tour Patios de Córdoba and Arte en Córdoba depart from the gate of the Caballerizas Reales, next to the Alcázar. During the May Popular Contest, the meeting point moves to the City Hall, on Calle Capitulares. Always check your booking voucher, as it shows the final meeting point.
If you want to see the contest’s most celebrated patios with entry included and a start at the Caballerizas Reales, book your place on the Tour Patios de Córdoba.
