May starts in Cordoba with the parade known as the “Battle of the Flowers”, from that moment start the celebrations with the May Crosses festival usually taking place during the first week of the month, then the Patio Contests and finally the fair.

The May Crosses festival in Córdoba is also a contest, with 40 or so Catholic hermandades (brotherhoods) and neighbourhood

associations competing for prizes for the best-decorated cross

Festival of the Patios

The Patio contest is sponsored by

the Córdoba City Hall and began in

1918. But to really understand why a

contest of this type was created in

Córdoba you must know something

about the local architecture.

A vast range of patios await your viewing in Córdoba every year, with not only private, single-family homes opening their doors to show you the lovely courtyards around which their old-style homes centre. There are also larger, low-built, apartment-style buildings that have amazing courtyards where often many gardeners will work together all year to cultivate the special gems that are their shared meeting areas.

• This is perhaps the biggest and grandest fair in Cordoba. At the end of May, you will see the city fully come alive as they prepare to celebrate the Feria de Cordoba. It starts off with a grand fireworks display and then you are in for nine days of music and merrymaking.

There are carnival games and rides, music and dancing on the streets… Of course, there are "casetas", or booths. The casetas provide food and music to help celebrate the week. You get to visit each to find out who serves the best tapas and music. There are locals in traditional Andalusian costumes, while flamenco and salsa music fill the air.

That was May in Cordoba

Come and see it yourself!