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Córdoba’s May Crosses: dates and planning a visit

To visit Córdoba’s May Crosses first choose the edition and the crosses that interest you. The 2026 municipal competition ran from 29 April to 3 May. Check the map and your chosen day’s hours before finalising a route. To contribute flowers speak to the group creating the cross before ordering a bouquet.

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

The May Crosses have their own programme

Córdoba Tourism describes crosses decorated with flowers, pots and shawls in courtyards and squares. The visit focuses on those compositions. This is separate from the Courtyards competition and from FLORA. See their guides to combine visits but check each programme’s dates.

The 2026 period provides context for this guide’s examples. Do not use it to reserve dates for the next year. Do not transfer Granada’s celebration date to Córdoba either. Sharing the name May Crosses does not make their programmes identical.

Your chosen day changes the time available

The 2026 leaflet gave different hours: 29 April ended at midnight and 30 April–2 May at 2am. Sunday the 3rd opened from noon to 4pm. A late-afternoon visit on the final day therefore did not offer the same time window.

For another edition check your day’s hours and allow travel time between stops. Choose a few places to enjoy rather than trying to complete the whole map. Put a particular priority first and keep another visit as an alternative. Confirm the entrance if you need to avoid steps.

Choosing a cross and finding the group responsible

The municipal map pairs each location with its organising group. Use it to find the cross you want and prepare a specific question. The rules distinguish historic centre, modern areas and enclosed sites. The last category covers spaces outside the public street and does not by itself mean they are closed to visitors.

For a site ask where to enter and which conditions apply on your chosen day. You could say: “We would like to visit your cross with someone who needs to avoid steps. Where should we enter and which part of the route should we check?” Do not infer indoor access from a street address or the competition’s general hours.

The older people’s centres offer a separate visit

In 2026 the council also announced a competition at its Centros de Participación Activa para Personas Mayores. Visits were on 28, 29 and 30 April from 10am to 1pm and 5pm to 7pm. They had their own announcement rather than the full period of the street and site competition.

To see a particular centre’s work check its participation and confirm the visit with it. Do not plan a Sunday arrival based only on the May Crosses name. For a later edition check whether the centre is participating again and what its hours are.

Contributing flowers needs an agreement first

The municipal competition’s rules cover applications by associations, organisations and groups. Registering a cross and contributing flowers are different decisions. To help start with the group preparing the decoration and ask whether it accepts materials or assistance.

You could ask: “I would like to help with your cross. Do you need flowers or help with a task? If you accept flowers I would prefer you to specify the format and when someone from the team can receive them.” You can then decide on an order with a clear destination. Agree what to do if the florist proposes substituting a flower before accepting the change.

If you are only visiting the compositions you do not need to turn the visit into an unarranged delivery. For someone hosting you at home prepare a separate gift if you wish. That bouquet does not automatically become part of the competition’s decoration.

Frequently asked questions

When are Córdoba’s May Crosses?

The municipal edition reviewed ran from 29 April to 3 May 2026. For another year check its announcement before booking. This guide does not treat that period as fixed annual dates.

Can I use the general hours for every cross?

Check your day and the specific site. The final day may end earlier and the older people’s centres have their own announcement. Ask about the entrance you need too.

Does an enclosed site mean it cannot be visited?

It is a location category. Check the site’s conditions for that edition instead of treating the name as a prohibition.

Can I bring flowers to add to a cross?

Ask the group responsible whether it accepts the contribution and who receives it. Do not order a bouquet assuming it will fit the decoration.

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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