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Córdoba’s Courtyards Festival: when to go and how to visit

To visit Córdoba’s courtyards first choose a few nearby sites and check their opening times and access. The 2026 edition took place on 4–17 May. Competition visits were announced as free without appointments but capacity can mean waiting. Outside the festival confirm which courtyards open on your date. You do not need to treat the visit as a flower delivery.

Peony against a dark green background
Colour and shape vary between cultivars. Use it as a visual reference rather than to identify a plant.

Dates belong to a particular edition

Córdoba City Council and Córdoba Tourism place the 2026 Courtyards Festival on 4–17 May in Córdoba, Andalusia. Those are that edition’s dates. For another trip find the municipal announcement for the year you plan to visit before booking accommodation or transport.

This is a different activity from Cruces de Mayo and the San Rafael offering on 7 May. To combine plans check each programme separately. Two celebrations sharing a city or month do not necessarily have the same access or meeting point.

For the May Crosses see their separate guide. It distinguishes the municipal competition from the crosses at older people’s centres and explains how to check the final day. Do not use Courtyards hours to plan that visit.

Choose a few stops and check their opening times

Open the competition map and choose a few courtyards close to one another. Allow time to wait before entering and for a break between visits. You can save other stops as an extension if you still feel like continuing afterwards.

The 2026 general information gives competition courtyards two opening periods: 11am–2pm and 6–10pm. Sites outside the competition have their own hours. For example Viana Palace’s Patio de la Cancela was listed with evening opening until 7pm Monday to Saturday and morning opening only on Sunday. That access does not establish access to the whole palace.

Free entry does not mean immediate entry

The competition information consulted gives free visits without an appointment. The organisers also explain that many courtyards are small and have limited capacity. Follow the entry queue and allow time to wait rather than scheduling visits too tightly.

Permission to enter does not cover every use of the home. Respect the plants and the space of the people living there. Ask the owner before taking a photograph and avoid extending your stop when others are waiting. Free competition entry does not establish the conditions of a guided tour or another site.

Check the access you need at each courtyard

The municipal accessibility page distinguishes accessible courtyards from practicable ones. Practicable sites may require occasional assistance. It also explains that some ramps are temporary and removed after the competition. Do not infer access outside the competition from a ramp provided in May.

You could ask the organisers: “We would like to visit these two courtyards with someone who needs to avoid steps. Which entrance should we use? Is there a point where they will need help and is the access still available outside the competition?” Prepare an alternative if a section does not suit your needs. One courtyard’s symbol does not establish access along the whole route through the city.

If you travel outside the festival

Córdoba Tourism lists options for visits during the year, including free-entry courtyards, Viana Palace and guided visits. That does not mean every participating home opens each day. Choose a specific option and confirm times, entry and reservations with its operator.

For an autumn break you could start with a site that confirms opening on your travel date and add another afterwards. Do not treat May opening hours as permanent. If a frequently asked questions page shows dates from another year return to the edition’s programme or ask the organiser.

If your trip coincides with FLORA in October check its guide before choosing what to see. Its installations and set-up visits have different dates and bookings from the May Courtyards Competition.

Visiting flowers and giving a plant are separate plans

The sources describe homes and sites opening for people to view their courtyards. They do not document a general bouquet offering by visitors. You can thank your hosts without bringing flowers or adding a plant to the decoration yourself. To contribute first ask the people responsible what they need.

If the visit inspires a plant gift for someone ask about the space and care they want to give it. You could say “I liked how they combine pots of different sizes. I would like to give you a plant for home but would rather know where you would put it before choosing.” This is a personal suggestion rather than a festival tradition. The housewarming guide helps you make that choice.

Frequently asked questions

When is Córdoba’s Courtyards Festival?

The municipal edition consulted took place on 4–17 May 2026. For another year check that edition’s announcement. This guide does not turn that period into fixed annual dates.

Do I need a reservation or ticket?

The 2026 competition information gives free entry without an appointment. Capacity may mean waiting in a queue. A guided tour, another site or a visit outside the festival needs its own conditions checked.

Do all courtyards have the same opening times?

No. The 2026 information separates competition courtyards from sites with individual hours. Check each stop and visiting day. Entering a palace courtyard does not establish access to the rest of the building.

Can I visit courtyards outside May?

Córdoba Tourism lists options during the year. Choose a site or specific visit and confirm opening, reservations and access. Not all private competition courtyards stay open.

Do I need to bring flowers to visit a courtyard?

The sources consulted do not present visits as bouquet offerings. To contribute to decoration ask the people responsible first. A gift for someone hosting you is agreed separately from the visit.

Sources and what they support

How we put these guides together

We consult institutional sources to check dates and customs. For plant facts, we use horticultural sources. Our gift ideas start with each flower’s appearance and the recipient’s taste. A shop link documents a particular offer. It does not prove that a flower is popular or part of a tradition. We keep adding to this selection rather than claiming to cover every species.

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