Cordoba, Spain

A list - http://english.turismodecordoba.org/index2.cfm?codigo=0176 Sorry, I know Cordoba well enough but do not drive, I could not offer one over another for security, but wherever you park (anywhere) nothing of ANY worth should be on show. And make sure you know your way, I would not trust 'P' directional signs.

We parked our car in the underground parking lot on the Paseo de la Victoria. It is a nice stroll from there to the Mezquita through a very pleasant neighbourhood. The parking lot was safe for us (we NEVER leave visible luggage). Also, it is a very easy drive in and back out of town. Hasta la vista, Bob

Thanks for the input...it's kind of what I feared. Because we'll be staying in Seville after leaving Madrid, we need to take our luggage with us. Unless one person stays with the car, I guess we'll just have to miss seeing the Mezquita.

Oh, baloney! In the last dozen years alone (I count by wives) I've driven at least a hundred thousand miles in Europe, and a good chunk of it has been in Spain. I've been broken into exactly once and that was in a snazzy resort with a gated lot. Being cheap, I usually park on the street, even overnight, and for day stops there's always stuff in the back seat. Like anyplace else, you're going to have to dork around until you find a spot. The best odds are on the street just south of the mezquita that runs along the river. The myth that there's a dude with a crowbar behind every lamp post must have been started by a wimp who escaped from the looney bin. If you leave somebody behind, they're really going to be screwed.

For every person that can say they've never had their car broken into in Europe, there are as many that can claim they were broken into or know someone directly that was. I've driven and never had a problem, but I know people that did lose things from car break-ins. The risk is real so the best thing is to take precautions, not abandon your plans. Try not to leave anything in view, especially anything that might have value. And try not to exit the car, place all your valuables in the trunk, and then walk away. If someone is watching, they've just seen what you've done. Put your valuables away before you arrive. If you are really concerned, stop at the train station and have someone run them inside and put them in a storage locker.

When I was in Cordoba in May, we parked the car overnight on the street beside a public park about a block from the hotel. In the morning, because we had to check out, we loaded the bags into the car, locked it, and left it right there while we spent a couple of hours at La Mezquita and the neighboring old town. I don't think it is at as much risk at midday on a busy street as it would be overnight in a back alley, or even in an underground, secluded lot.

By all means don't miss the Mezquita because of parking concerns. It is in my top 5 for beautiful sacred buildings, period. Follow the guidance of others here. Especially, perhaps, the part about locking the really important stuff in the trunk somewhere else before you park, or using the lockers at the train station if you need more piece of mind than that. The only people I know personally who have ever had their car broken into while traveling are our daughter and son-in-law and it happened in San Francisco. They left desirable stuff on the seats in full view, moved stuff around after they were parked, etc. And our daughter even left her wallet in the car. Then they wondered why somebody broke into the car. If you are very, very concerned, you can do the Mezquita as a day trip by train from Seville. It takes about 40 minutes each way.

OK...we may just do it. I've heard wonderful things and have seen some beautiful pictures of the Mesquita. I'll just have to talk to the other 3 involved. Thanks so much for your input.

We visited Cordoba by car (and left by train). We stayed in a hotel directly accross the Roman Bridge from the Mesquita. The entire area over there has parking and seems safe. We parked in front of the hotel on the street. The area also has easier driving on more modern roads vs. the tangled lanes in the Jewish quarter. I noticed all the tourist busses dropped off at that side of the Roman Bridge and found parking nearby. For the groups it was an easy walk across the bridge to the Mesquita.