Almost Ready to GO!! We will be in Andalucía for three weeks in May-June. We have our flights, we have our train tickets reserved at terrific discounts, we have hotel reservations, we have a car to use between Granada and Sevilla to allow exploring around the Ronda area, we have tickets for the Alhambra night visit and day visit. We have been advised that we need to make reservations in advance for the Mezquita in Córdoba, but we have been unable to find a functioning web site on which we can purchase them. Any advice? Do we need them for the night visit only or for both? We want to do both. Also, we want to do the boat tour in Coto de Donana National Park, and we can't get a response from anyone on that. Anything I'm overlooking?
Posted by
Brisbane, Australia
7175 posts
We were staying closeby and wandered in to the Mezquita about 830am. It was freely open as a place of worship and they were still cleaning before the day begun 'proper'. Perhaps this was unusal, perhaps we were lucky, but we didn't mind not paying.
Posted by
Victoria, BC, Canada
372 posts
Go early am! Not only is it free, you are more likely able to have a quieter, magical experience. I believe it opens at 8:30 am, and is free until 9:30 at which time they ask you to leave unless you are there for mass. I found that time to be quite peaceful and got many pictures without any people in them. We went 2 mornings at that time, and I felt that was perfect.
Posted by
Chicago
8049 posts
We did the Mezquita as a day trip from Seville in early May and there were maybe 10 people in line ahead of us when we got there. It was our favorite spot in a 2.5 week trip to Spain which included the Alhambra. You can see our snapshots of the Mezquita (and also Ronda which we also loved) here: https://janettravels.wordpress.com/category/spain/
We loved Andalucia and can hardly wait to get back and see spots we missed.
Posted by
Rick Steves Europe
353 posts
Hi Sue Ann,
You can't get Mezquita tickets ahead of time, although t's possible some 3rd party sites sell them at a higher price. As far as I know, they don't offer evening tours, as it closes at 7 p.m. As others have reported, you can show up early and get in for free Mon-Sat, starting at 8:30, as they don't charge a fee to attend the 9:30 mass. You can go in early and visit everything except the Christian altar (unless you wish to attend mass). Other times, you just buy tickets at the booth inside the Patio de los Naranjos, 8 euros.
Posted by
69 posts
Sue Ann, not aware of any night visits to La Mezquita (thinking of Alhambra?) though they are open until 6-7PM depending on the day of the week. There is an afternoon session on Sundays beginning at 3PM. And the only advanced tickets I am aware of are through a tour broker. Given the size of the place and all there is to see, that is not a bad option, schedule permitting. But most days, just get in queue and buy your ticket at the window.