Cordoba or Sevilla or Granada (Andalucia) – Where to go?

Cordoba vs Sevilla vs Granada - Comparison Overview

Cordoba or Sevilla or Granada? - Short Answer

Sevilla, Cordoba and Granada are all cities with a long history and a lot of charm. You can't go wrong by visiting any of them. And they all deserve at least 2 days of exploring.
However, if you really need to choose, my opinion is that:

• If flying in just for a weekend, then choose Sevilla because you will have more flight option
• My absolute favorite of the 3 is Cordoba, as it feels less of a big city
• And if you want variety in what you can visit around the city, if staying for a week, I would pick Granada 

Summary of my comparison

• Best views of the cities = Granada and Cordoba 
• Best cathedral = Cordoba
• Best forts / Palace = Granada and Sevilla
• Best other monuments = Sevilla
• Best experience Vibe / food scene / price / crowds = tie
• Best museums = Sevilla
• Best day trips in the region = Granada
• Best access to beaches = Granada and Sevilla
• Ease of exploring = Cordoba

Read further to understand the decision and see pictures.

Where are they located? Can I visit all 3? - Map

Below is a map to help you get oriented and locate those 3 major cities
And the driving times (via highways) are:

• Sevilla to Cordoba = 1h40 drive
• Sevilla to Granada = 2h45 drive
• Cordoba to Granada = 2h20 drive

All locations listed are included (with GPS coordinates and practical tips) in my Travel Guide eBook that helps you easily plan your road trip around Andalucia:

Best rated accommodations

Before I show you the best of those 3 towns, you might need accommodation to explore the city:

• Sevilla - Check out the best customer-rated accommodations
• Cordoba - Check out the best customer-rated accommodations
• Granada - Check out the best customer-rated accommodations

More detailed suggestions at the end of this article.

Best city views - Cordoba or Sevilla or Granada

City views in Sevilla

Sevilla is rather flat and does not offer many views from higher points.
You can climb the cathedral tower for some views and you can walk around the river for river views.
However, if you enjoy grandiose city views, this is not the best option for you.

City views in Cordoba

Cordoba has a lot of interesting options:

• From the top of the cathedral tower
• From the river side with stunning buildings all around
• From the tallest tower in the fort
• From the top of Torre de la Calahorra

Cordoba is very photogenic, in my opinion.

City views in Granada

Granada has hills... therefore it offers incredible city views. Some of the best ones include:

• From the Albaicin neighborhood for views of the city in general and specifically of the Alhambra
• From the Alcazaba, the old fort inside the Alhambra

My opinion

1. Granada
2. Cordoba
3. Sevilla

With the hills, Granada definitively has the advantage.
But I must admit I fell in love with the views of Cordoba, especially along the river.

Best cathedral

Sevilla Cathedral

The Sevilla cathedral is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and a Unesco Heritage site. From the outside you can feel how massive it is. And inside there is much to discover. I particularly loved the chapter house. Plan at least 2h to explore!

You can also book a guided tour.

Cordoba Cathedral

The Mezquita cathedral is one of the most famous buildings in the region and a Unesco Heritage site.
You probably have seen many pictures of the hundreds of bicolor arches. It is stunning. But the mosque turned cathedral has so much more to offer. Plan a full hour to explore the interior. It is mesmerizing. And climb to the top of the tower!

You can also book a guided tour.

Granada Cathedral

The Granada cathedral is also one of the largest in the world. But it is a lot harder to appreciate it from the outside.
My favorite part of it, is the royal chapel.

You can also book a guided tour.

My opinion

1. Cordoba cathedral
2. Sevilla cathedral
3. Granada cathedral

Although the Sevilla cathedral is impressive by its size, I think the Cordoba cathedral is an absolute gem and one of a kind. You won't see similar features anywhere else in the World.

Best fort & palace

Sevilla Fort

The Real Alcazar was a wonderful surprise to me. It is a gorgeous place to visit and deserve a full half day to explore the rooms with Mudejar decors, the Banos, the patios and the magnificent gardens.

You can also book a guided tour.

Cordoba Fort

Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos is a nice place to visit but offers a lot less features that the other forts.
It is a medieval fortress mainly built around the 14th century. 

You can also book a guided tour.

Granada Fort

Granada is home to the famous Alhambra. At the top of the hill is a giant fortress complex which include:

• The famous Nazaries Palace, a masterpiece of architecture with room after room filled with Mudejar style decors
• Beautiful gardens
• The 13th century Alcazaba (the oldest part of the fort) with stunning views of the city
• The Palacio de Generalife with more Mudejar style decors

You can also book a guided tour.

My opinion

1. Granada Alhambra
2. Sevilla Real Alcazar
3. Cordoba Alcazar

The Alhambra has to be at the top spot. But, surprisingly, I think the Real alcazar in Seville is really not far behind. The decor are slightly less stunning in some of the rooms but the visit experience is, in my opinion, much more enjoyable as you are not pushed in groups from one room to the next.

Best monuments

Sevilla monuments

Sevilla is very rich in monuments. To name a few:

• Plaza de Espana, one of the most famous areas of the city - a Semi circular grandiose building from the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929
• Las Setas, the impressive wooden structure designed by Jürgen Mayer and built in 2011 also known as the Mushrooms of the Incarnation
• Casa de Pilatos with beautiful tiles and and interesting architecture with a mix of Renaissance style and Mudejar decor
• Lebrija Palace, famous for its extensive collection of roman mosaics
• Casa de Alba - a palace with courtyards full of plants

Cordoba monuments

Cordoba has a lot more to offer than just the famous cathedral. It is home to:

• The Roman Bridge and Torre de la Calahorra at the end of it. This bridge is very photogenic!
• Palacio de Viana with its 12 patios which are all different!
• Plaza de la Corredera and all its arches
• The Roman temple
• ...

Granada monuments

On top of the cathedral and the Alhambra, Granada is home to:

• Monasterio San Jeronimo and its a stunning courtyard with 36 arches
• The royal chapel
• Some renaissance and baroque Buildings in the center
• The stunning market streets near the cathedral

My opinion

1. Sevilla
2. Cordoba
3. Granada

Sevilla is the clear winner in terms of other incredible monuments to discover. It offers both ancient and modern attractions. Your day will never get boring!

Best museums

My opinion

1. Sevilla
2. Granada
3. Cordoba

Seville has the richest collections of all.
However Granada is not far behind, because it offers a great variety of museums. 
It depends on what interests you the most.

Easy of getting around

• Seville -
  it is a large town, but it is quite flat. It is easy to walk around but can take you quite a while to reach your destinations on foot. It offers and hop-on hop off service - get your ticket
• Cordoba -
  Cordoba is overall quite flat, with some slight inclines. It is more condensed, so very easy to explore on foot. Lots of narrow streets in the old town.
  There is also a hop-on hop off us system - get your ticket
• Granada - 
  Granada has huge hills. It is not easy to explore on foot. There are steep streets and staircases.
  There is also a touristic transportation system that takes you to the main sights: the city train - get your ticket

My opinion

1. Cordoba
2. Sevilla
3. Granada

Best experience: crowds / vibe / food scene / price...

The truth is that all 3 cities offer very different experiences but quite similar in a way:

• All 3 cities are very touristy - you will find crowds everywhere - however in Sevilla, it feels much more spread out 
• All 3 cities offer interesting food with great tapas and Andalucia cuisine
• All 3 cities have interesting vibe with flamenco, bodegas, musicians...
• All 3 have prices related to their tourism level... 

It is difficult to pick a clear winner, sorry.

My opinion

Tie

Best access to beaches

None of those 3 cities are by the sea. Therefore, if you want to enjoy some beach time, driving is required.
To learn more, check out my article about the most beautiful beaches in Andalucia.

Seville to beaches

The closest beaches from Seville are:

• around Cadiz - 1h30 to 2h drive (Costa de la Luz) - sandy beaches and dunes
• around Malaga - 2h30 to 3h drive (Costa del Sol) - sandy beaches

Cordoba to beaches

The closest beaches from Cordoba are around Malaga - 2h to 2h30 drive.
Those are sandy beaches.

Granada to beaches

The closest beaches from Granada are

• around Motril - 1h to 1h30 drive (Costa tropical) - pebble beaches
• around Malaga - 1h to 2h drive (Costa del Sol) - sandy beaches
• in the Gabo de Gata natural park (the most scenic beaches in the region) - 2h15 to 2h45 - mix of sand and rocks

My opinion

1. Granada
2. Sevilla
3. Cordoba

From Granada, you have access to many of the Andalusian Coastlines with a variety of beaches.
However, from Sevilla, you are not far from Cadiz and the sandy beaches of Costa de La Luz, which I love.

Best day trips from Seville vs Cordoba vs Granada

If you are staying longer than a weekend, you may also explore the region. 
Let's have a look at the best day trip to enjoy around each of the cities.
You can book group tours or rent a car to reach them.

Need to rent a car in Spain?
My tips:

• Compare car rental prices on Discovercars.com - one of the best customer-rated comparison sites!
• Consider their full coverage option - I always take it for peace of mind! 
• Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!

Best day trips from Sevilla

My favorite places to visit not far from Seville are (driving times are one-way):

• Italica, the impressive roman ruins of Santiponce
• The seaside town of Cadiz - 1h20 drive
• The white villages around Arcos de la Frontera - 1h15 drive
• Antequera: the old town, the impressive dolmens, and the rock formations at Torcal de Antequera - 2h drive
• The Ronda area - gorge, bridge and white villages (including Setenil de las Bodegas) - 2h drive
• The Donana National Park and its widlife
• And you can also visit Granda and Cordoba from Sevilla

If you don't want to drive, check out the guided options.

Best day trips from Cordoba

My favorite places to visit not far from Cordoba are (driving times are one-way):

• The main attraction close to Cordoba is the magnificent ruins of Medina Azahara  (Unesco site)- 20min drive
• The fort of Almodovar del Rio - 30min drive
• My favorite white village: Zuheros - 1h15 drive
• Antequera: the old town, the impressive dolmens, and the rock formations at Torcal de Antequera - 1h20 drive
• The historical towns of Baeza and Ubeda (Unesco sites) - 2h drive
• The Ronda area - gorge, bridge and white villages (including Setenil de las Bodegas) - 2h 15 drive
• And you can also visit Sevilla and Granada from Cordoba

If you don't want to drive, check out the guided options.

Best day trips from Granada

From Granada, you can see a wide variety of landscapes: mountains, beaches, ancient history, desert, white villages...
My favorite places to visit not far from Granada are (driving times are one-way):

• Antequera: the old town, the impressive dolmens, and the rock formations at Torcal de Antequera - 1h15 drive
• The Sierra Nevada Mountains - 30min drive
• Guadix and the troglodyte houses - 1h drive
• The Tabernas desert and the western movie set - 1h30 drive
• The Ronda area - gorge, bridge and white villages (including Setenil de las Bodegas) - 2h drive
• Cabo de Gata Natural park - 2h30 drive
• And you can also visit Sevilla and Cordoba from Granada

If you don't want to drive, check out the guided options.

My opinion

1. Granada
2. Sevilla
3. Cordoba

Granada offers the largest variation in landscapes and attractions you could admire.
The city is very centrally located.

Accommodations

All cities have a wide variety of accommodations from luxury hotels, to hostels and rental apartments.
Although, I was overall underwhelmed by the accommodations in Andalucia, I have found some beautiful options in those main cities, especially, if you are looking at rentals.

Accommodations in Seville

Here are some suggestions for you:

• Luxury hotel - Hotel Alfonso XIII - check out photos and availability
• Mid-range hotel 3-stars - Soho Boutique Hotel - check out photos and availability
• Mid-range hotel 2-stars - Welldone Quality Crystal Pool - check out photos and availability
• Apartment - Green apartments Mansion Blue Catedral - where I stayed, great location - check out photos and availability
• Hostel - The Nomad Hostel & Pension - check out photos and availability
• or Check out the best customer-rated accommodations

Accommodations in Cordoba

Here are some suggestions for you:

• Luxury hotel - Hospes Palacio del Bailio - check out photos and availability
• Mid-range 3-stars hotel -  Boutique hotel La Ljave de la Juderia - check out photos and availability
• Mid-range 2-stars hotel - Boutique hotel Caireles - check out photos and availability
• Apartment -  Apartmentos Casa cel Aceite - where I stayed, practical location - check out photos and availability
• Hostel -  Aldea Hostel - check out photos and availability
• or Check out the best customer-rated accommodations

Accommodations in Granada

Here are some suggestions for you:

• Luxury hotel - Hotel Palacio de Santa Paula - check out photos and availability
• Mid-range 3-stars hotel -  Hotel Casa Morisca - check out photos and availability
• Mid-range 2-stars hotel -  Hotel Parraga Siete - check out photos and availability
• Apartment - Apartmentos Turisticos Mauror - check out photos and availability
• Hostel - Toc Hostel Granada - check out photos and availability
• or Check out the best customer-rated accommodations

Want to see more of the best Andalucia has to offer?

• 21+ Best cities and towns in Andalucia - read article
• Best landscapes in Andalucia in 40 pictures - read article
• 24 best things to do in Andalucia - read article (to be published)
• 17 most beautiful white villages in Andalucia - read article
• 20 best beaches in Andalucia - read article
• Best castles and forts in Andalucia - read article (to be published)
• Tips to plan a road trip around Andalucia - read article

Planning a trip to Andalucia?

Check out my travel guide to help you plan: