Cordoba or Ronda

We did Cordoba as a day trip as we were headed to Madrid from Seville. I guess it depends on how long you want to stay in the town. We were thinking of Ronda, but it is a long drive from Seville.

BTW, I see you are an Oregonian! Me too! (At least I grew up there, now in CA)

Both for ease of getting there, and the Mezquita, Córdoba would be my choice. It's a very easy train ride from Sevilla and the Mezquita is one of the more spectacular sites in southern Spain.

I have done both and liked both, but the Mezquita in Cordoba was the single most impressive thing I saw in Spain and I have seen the Alhambra.
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With only one I would choose Cordoba. The white towns are when all is said and done, towns painted white. They are beautiful and the gorge of Ronda is beautiful, but none of them is as singularly wonderful as the Mezquita.

No contest. The Mezqquita in Cordoba is the second best sight in Spain (after the Alhambra). It is absolutely unique. The medieval Juderia is lovely to wander through and perhaps you can catch a horse show at the Royal Stables. It's also a much shorter trip.

We did Ronda for one night as part of our recent tour -- it was a highlight in terms of wow kodak moments from the new bridge vistas and walking down into the gorge, to finding the old medieval bridge almost by accident. We did not make it to Cordoba and its famous Mesquita but had already seen the Alhambra. Cant do it all. if you want or need a day the outdoors and the weather is good, Ronda is a great choice.

If you think this is the only time you'll ever be in that part of Spain, then you have to chose Cordoba with the Mezquita. Both are very nice and you wouldn't be disappointed.

Cordoba probably makes the most sense, the travel there and back is easy on the train. If you are headed onward to Madrid you could even visit on the way. Ronda is two and half or three hours by train or bus, as I recall, which would make for a long day trip.

Thank you everyone for your input, it is greatly appreciated!!!

I would definitely say Cordoba. It is a short drive from Sevilla. It is unbelievable. We did not go to Ronda but the Mezquita is absolutely something to see.

Alhambra: A pain in the butt buying and picking up tickets. Once inside, tour groups would fill the rooms and block the entrances. Their guides would shout over each other in multiple languages, while the tourists were more interested in taking selfies. Day and night tours made no difference. From a distance, the Alhambra did look magnificent.

Mezquita: Free admission for the first morning hour, and no tour groups are allowed. What a great policy. With only a couple of dozen visitors, it was a wonderful experience. I went twice.

Ronda: Extremely touristy in the center of town. The early morning hike down the gorge was quite nice. BTW, no gorge, just a tiny stream.

Hi Doug, first I'll make an Oregon comment. We also used to live in Oregon in the 80's at your adjacent town, Tualatin, back when it still was a small town!

I will give an opposing view. We stayed 1 night in Cordoba, 4 nights in Seville, and 2 nights in Ronda as part of our recent vacation in Sept/Oct. If you're looking for something totally different from Seville, I would recommend Ronda. We both really enjoyed that town for the gorge (it fits the definition of a gorge - a narrow valley between hills or mountains, typically with steep rocky walls and a stream running through it.) - both as photo op and walking down to the bottom, touring the bullfight museum displays, and walking around town - both the old & "newer" sections next to the bridge. Since you're just there for the day, you wouldn't have the opportunity to hear the wonderful Spanish guitar concert held each evening at the Ronda Guitar House shop unless you're driving.

On the other hand, if you would just like a break from being in Seville (assuming you're there several days), Cordoba is charming and has the advantage of being closer.

(Edit: I asked your question to my husband last night, and he immediately said Ronda. He mentioned similar reasons and does like outdoor activities.)

My advice to first time visitors to Spain is do Granada, Cordoba and Seville. Maybe a bus tour from Madrid with Parador stays. I have not taken my own advice due to travel with bikes. My spouse and I really enjoyed Rhonda for our lodging, rides, hikes and meals. Our hosts were wonderful, he was a chef and she was from Barcelona.

Ronda is an outside site. Cordoba is more inside. You could let the weather influence you. The up and down of Ronda would be tough in the rain and not as enjoyable.